Programme Engineering Manager [Eng Mgmt] [Systemwide & Integration]

Who We Are

Join Network Rail! Where People and Connections Matter. At Network Rail, we're dedicated to keeping passengers and freight moving safely and efficiently across the country. When you join us, you're not just part of a team - you're part of something that matters to millions. We believe that our people are at the heart of what we do, and every role plays a vital part in building a better, more connected railway. We're committed to creating a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. We value flexibility and understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision.

About The Role

Following the UK Government's policy announcement on Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), Network Rail is growing its team to develop this multi-billion-pound rail investment, which will improve rail connectivity in the North of England. Northern Powerhouse Rail spans from Liverpool, through Manchester and on to Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York, and builds on the benefits planned from the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme. This job is one of several exciting opportunities to join the growing NPR team in this early stage of development. You will be part of the challenge and innovation required to drive efficiency and value for money for the UK taxpayer. It is important that our product is an affordable and sustainable railway that brings our passengers and freight users more frequent, faster, greener trains, running on a better, cleaner and more reliable railway.

We recognise that flexibility is necessary for helping our people excel, both professionally and personally. At Network Rail we have a flexible working policy which allows up to 40% of our working hours to be completed from home. Alongside this, most of our team benefit from some form of individual working arrangement including reduced or compressed hours, to balance business and individual needs. This role can be based at Manchester or York, with an office attendance requirement of 60%. For this role you need to live within 90 minutes of either York or Manchester NR offices.

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Senior Programme Engineering Manager (SPEM), this role is primarily focussed on leading the Systemwide Programme for the NPR engineering team, including the coordination of the technical interfaces that need to be integrated to produce a systemwide assessment of NPR network options, benefits and trade offs. This role also provides engineering management capability and capacity to the overall NPR team.

The Principal Aspects Of The Role Include:

• Manage and appoint competent engineering resources efficiently to ensure the Systemwide programme needs are met.
• Coordinate engineering details from technical disciplines and specialist expertise across NPR so decisions are consistent and aligned at network level.
• Align multi-functional systemwide processes with wider engineering governance including the Engineering & Construction Management Plan.
• Support business reporting and technical assurance reviews at local and regional levels.
• Leading technical interfaces with System Operator, DfT, HS2 and the NPR Integration Authority.
• Support portfolio activities including configuration management, risk evaluation, assumptions management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Contribute to organisational change and improvements to systems and processes.
• Deputise for the SPEM in leadership forums when required.
• Promote learning across NPR and Network Rail, through local, regional and national Engineering forums.

The Ideal Candidate Would Have:

• Experience of engineering leadership on large scale rail infrastructure enhancement schemes that exist on multiple levels with significant integration challenges, both between component and interfacing programmes.
• Team leadership experience especially across different engineering disciplines and specialisms.

Role

The role will role model and embed Eastern Region's culture principles - Show We Care, Listen Learn Improve, Better Together and Keep It Simple - by:

• Creating an environment of psychological safety and accountability where people can challenge and improve working practices.
• Driving collaboration across teams and partners to deliver whole-system outcomes.
• Promoting continuous improvement and learning from performance output.
• Ensuring clear, simple and focused governance and decision-making.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop and manage the team structure and processes to deliver and review engineering outputs to support the programme schedule, budget and quality requirements.
• In line with programme requirements, identify and manage the introduction of new systems on the network, where applicable, including systems/safety approvals and monitoring so that processes and documentation exist for sustained network usage.
• Develop safety, quality and environmental approvals processes within the programme including staff development and competence.
• Identify and manage the programme engineering budget along with providing support information determining the overall programme budget.
• Manage all engineering and project development activities result so that they in schemes that are affordable, and that meet Programme requirements in a safe and environmentally responsible manner for time, cost and quality.
• Provide professional functional leadership for engineering within the programme, in accordance with policies set up by the Engineering function.
• Manage the appropriate validation and verification of engineering activity.

Essential Criteria

• Chartered Engineer with relevant successful experience of Engineering Management within the Railway Industry or other complex industries/projects.
• University degree in electrical engineering, or relevant discipline for railway infrastructure projects.
• Membership of an appropriate Professional Institution.
• Relevant experience of railway engineering systems and equipment, and implementation.
• Construction design management competence.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of large programmes/projects.
• Technical experience of leading railway engineering design & development works.

Please note: Applicants must provide proof of essential qualifications and/or competencies where required, or demonstrate active progress toward obtaining them, or evidence their applicable experience as a condition of employment.

Network Rail welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, marital status (including civil partnerships), pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender status, sex (or gender), employment status, trade union affiliation, or other irrelevant factor. We are a Disability Confident Leader employer! We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. We are here to support you through every step of the recruitment process and to enable you to perform to the best of your ability. If you require any adjustments or modifications please contact Mark Holt (Resourcing Business Partner) at mark.holt@networkrail.co.uk.

You can also visit Evenbreak's Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available. We positively embrace flexible working, recognising that employees may wish to balance work with their family and home life.

Network Rail Benefits - To find out about what benefits we offer, click here.

Network Rail is required to comply with UK Government standards when carrying out pre-employment checks for all new starters; this includes a basic criminal record check. In addition to the basic criminal record check, in accordance with the UK Government we are also required to verify your identity, right to work in the UK and previous three years employment history. All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

Please ensure you have the appropriate Right to Work status when applying for this role. Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do, safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail. You should be able to demonstrate your personal commitment to safety and awareness of our safety vision.

Network Rail can offer you a rewarding career with competitive pay and excellent benefits including a choice of contributory pension schemes, a generous annual leave package, a bonus scheme and an annual 75% subsidy on season tickets costing up to £3,333 (to a maximum amount of £2,500). You will also be entitled to 28 days annual leave.

Salary: £85,395 to £104,160 per annum. Car allowance: £8,000 per annum.

Benefits

• Employees will be entitled to a 75% discount off leisure travel, this includes off peak and super off peak tickets.
• Some of our roles require face to face Drugs & Alcohol testing. Further details will be shared with you as part of your formal offer.

Closing date: 23rd September 2026. Late applications will not be accepted. We retain the right to close the advert before the listed closing date based on application volumes.

Your Experience And Skills

Here are a few of the benefits we offer:

• 28-day annual leave with the option to buy and sell days.
• Choice of pension schemes.
• 75% discount of leisure travel for you and your family.
• Private Healthcare.
• 5 days paid volunteer or carers leave.
• Up to 75% subsidised Rail and Underground travel.
• Gym Pass - access to gyms across UK.
• My Benefits platform - giving national and local retail discount.

Our aim is to ensure your candidate experience is as positive as possible. If you require reasonable adjustments at any point, simply let us know and we'll do our best to assist you.

Some of our roles require face to face Drugs & Alcohol testing. We will share further details with you as part of your formal offer. All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.