Transition Programme Manager

Position: Transition Programme Manager (Fixed‑Term Contract to Nov 2027) – Transition of CrossCountry to Great British Railways.

Purpose of Job: Lead the programme of work supporting the transfer of CrossCountry to Great British Railways, anticipated in October 2027.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Establishment of Requirements: Work with Directors and business leads to compile and maintain a clear record of requirements and assumptions for the programme.
• Mobilisation of the Programme: Establish separate programme plans across the workstreams (Compliance; Procurement; IT; HR; Finance; Fleet/Engineering; Commercial; Communications). Within each workstream ensure risks are identified and sufficiently mitigated, and that there is a clear RACI. Work with workstream sponsors and leads to identify resource requirements and progress this through internal governance.
• Delivery of the Programme: Manage the implementation of the eight workstreams, lead internal and external reporting on progress, ensure future cost projections are understood and included in future business planning and reporting cycles, prepare responses to shareholder or client data requests, attend Great British Railways cross‑industry working groups, and lead the planning and delivery of change management activities to support transition to GBR, ensuring stakeholder engagement, clear communications and adoption of new processes, systems and ways of working.

Experience, Knowledge, Qualifications & Training – Essential:

• Experience of leading multi‑stakeholder programmes involving government, regulators and private‑sector partners.
• Strong organisational design and change‑readiness experience, including transition‑state planning and post‑implementation review.
• Advanced risk management capability, including identification, mitigation planning and cross‑workstream dependency mapping.
• Exceptional facilitation skills, enabling productive workshops with senior stakeholders, technical teams and external partners.
• High‑level analytical and critical thinking skills with the ability to simplify complex information.
• High proficiency in programme tools and environments such as P3M frameworks and enterprise project portfolio systems.
• Resilience and adaptability, especially under conditions of uncertainty, competing priorities and evolving national policy direction.
• Proactive problem‑solver who anticipates risks and identifies innovative, pragmatic solutions.
• High integrity and discretion, essential for a role with significant confidentiality and strategic sensitivity.

Experience, Knowledge, Qualifications & Training – Desirable:

• Understanding of UK rail industry governance structures, including contractual, operational and regulatory frameworks (e.g. DfT, GBR, ORR).

Diversity & Inclusion: At CrossCountry, we believe our people should reflect the diverse communities we serve. Inclusion isn’t just part of our strategy – it’s central to our success. We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported to be their best.