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- Tasks: Lead strategic planning for transport services, optimising routes and schedules.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking transport organisation focused on efficiency and sustainability.
- Benefits: Attractive salary, career development opportunities, and a collaborative work environment.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for innovation and growth in the transport sector.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on transport services while working with diverse teams.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in transport planning or related fields; strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 ÂŁ per year.
The Business Planning Lead will centralise the strategic oversight of scheduling, route optimisation, and long‑term planning. This role is responsible for leading the strategic design, optimisation, and evolution of UBTC’s network timetable and service planning. This role plays a critical part in aligning operational capacity with customer demand and commercial objectives, ensuring a reliable, efficient, and financially sustainable transport service. This position also oversees the review and challenge of business cases and investment proposals across the organisation, ensuring alignment with business strategy, financial targets, and capital allocation priorities. Working cross‑functionally with finance, strategy, and commercial and operational teams, the Director of Business Planning provides rigorous analysis, governance, and recommendations to support informed executive decision‑making.
Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain an optimised, data‑driven network timetable that balances customer demand, operational capacity / inventory, and commercial objectives.
- Partner with the Finance and Strategy teams to align service patterns with financial forecasting and long‑term strategic goals.
- Support the Business Planning team on short‑ and medium‑term scheduling analysis to support scenario planning, disruption recovery, and special event operations.
- Lead end‑to‑end network and timetable planning, including route design, frequency, and stop optimisation to maximise asset efficiency and service reliability.
- Drive continuous improvement in scheduling and vessel utilisation, including targeted skip‑stop services during peak periods.
- Identify and assess opportunities for new routes that enhance customer capacity, operational resilience, and commercial outcomes.
- Provide insight and recommendations to executive leadership on medium‑to‑long‑term network development and capacity investment.
- Work with Business Intelligence to monitor and evaluate schedule performance using data insights to recommend improvements and increase system reliability.
- Use performance metrics to identify scheduling inefficiencies and develop solutions in collaboration with the Business Planning Manager.
- Support the CFO in the preparation of board‑level reports and business cases for capital and strategic initiatives.
- Provide independent review of business cases, including financial assumptions, risk analysis, benefits realisation, and resource requirements, to support informed approval decisions.
Requirements
- +5 years of relevant experience in transport planning, network design, operations planning, or commercial analysis—ideally within public transport, aviation, rail, or logistics.
- Proven track record in leading timetable and network planning processes in a complex, data‑driven environment.
- Degree in Transport Planning, Business, Economics, or a related field preferred.
- Demonstrated experience in scenario modelling, capacity planning, or scheduling optimisation.
- Proven ability to collaborate cross‑functionally with commercial, finance, strategy, and operational teams.
Business Planning Lead in London employer: Thames Skills Academy
Contact Detail:
Thames Skills Academy Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Planning Lead in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network with industry professionals! Attend transport planning events or webinars to meet people in the field. You never know who might have a lead on your dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your previous projects in network design and optimisation. This can really set you apart when you're chatting with potential employers.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your data analysis skills. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in past roles, especially in transport planning.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining us at StudySmarter. Make sure your application reflects your passion for transport planning.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Planning Lead in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Business Planning Lead role. Highlight your experience in transport planning and network design, and don’t forget to showcase any relevant projects that demonstrate your ability to optimise schedules and align operational capacity with customer demand.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re the perfect fit for this role. Mention specific experiences that relate to the job description, like your work with cross-functional teams or your success in scenario modelling and capacity planning.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role involves a lot of data-driven decision-making, make sure to highlight your analytical skills. Provide examples of how you've used data insights to improve scheduling or network performance in your previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s super easy, and you’ll be able to keep track of your application status. Plus, we love seeing applications come directly from our site!
How to prepare for a job interview at Thames Skills Academy
✨Know Your Numbers
Make sure you brush up on key metrics related to transport planning and network optimisation. Be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in your previous roles. This will show that you understand the importance of data-driven insights in aligning operational capacity with customer demand.
✨Understand the Business Strategy
Familiarise yourself with the company's strategic goals and how the Business Planning Lead role fits into that picture. Prepare examples of how you've aligned service patterns with financial forecasting and long-term objectives in past positions. This will demonstrate your ability to think strategically and contribute to the organisation's success.
✨Collaboration is Key
Since this role involves working cross-functionally, be prepared to share experiences where you've successfully collaborated with finance, strategy, and operational teams. Highlight specific projects where teamwork led to improved outcomes, showcasing your ability to work well with others to achieve common goals.
✨Showcase Continuous Improvement Mindset
Be ready to discuss how you've driven continuous improvement in scheduling or asset utilisation in your previous roles. Share specific examples of initiatives you've led or contributed to that enhanced service reliability or operational efficiency. This will illustrate your proactive approach and commitment to optimising processes.