Job Description

Closing Date for Applications

01 June 2026

Salary Range

£55,000 - £60,000 per annum

What is the purpose of this job?

Rail Delivery Group (RDG) partners with Britain’s train operators to put customers at the heart of everything we do, delivering essential services and dedicated experts who keep the nation’s railway running efficiently.

RDG exists to unify, challenge and change.

RDG’s values, known as ASPIRE, are Accountability Support, Partnership, Inclusion, Respect and Excellence. Our values form an integral part of our recruitment, performance and recognition processes.

The purpose of the job is to enhance the ability of Rail Delivery Group (RDG) members, individually and collectively, to plan for, withstand, respond to and recover from emergencies and other disruptive events within and without the industry, using the six element Integrated Emergency Management (IEM) model. The post-holder is required to provide subject matter expertise and support to RDG’s members and represent their interests across all six of these IEM elements but with a particular focus on the Preparedness, Response and Recovery elements.

IEM may may be broken down into two distinct aspects. The first is focused on the operational and structural response and the second on the humanitarian response. The focus of the job is similarly split between these two aspects on a broadly equal basis while for the industry’s humanitarian response capability, as provided through the Incident Care Team (ICT) initiative, this support extends to providing a central focal point and leadership.

What can I expect to do in this job?

The post-holder is required to engage with, influence and represent RDG members and their suppliers/partners in operating their businesses as effectively as possible in the face of planned and unplanned disruptive events. This is achieved by bringing all parties together to identify current and future risks and threats, reducing their likelihood and impact to the greatest extent possible and putting in place response arrangements appropriate to the needs of the individuals affected - passengers, the public and staff in general - while protecting and where possible enhancing the reputation of the industry.

While it is expected that the post-holder liaises with their line manager and/or Head of Department on unanticipated risks or emergency conflicts, on a day to day basis the post-holder has full autonomy to manage activities. They will be accountable for the quality and professionalism of their service delivery and have full discretion on how to act and prioritise provided that activities/actions are consistent with the objectives and business plans of the Emergency Planning Group (EPG), ICT MG and, when appropriate, Rail Resilience Steering Group (RRSG) and Operations Executive. As the role works for an industry representative organisation, important decisions are to be discussed and agreed with members via the agreed governance arrangements. This will require the post-holder to apply an adaptive problem solving approach to ensure that options and decisions are clear to the relevant Forums.

The post-holder is expected to manage stakeholders’ expectations, including those at senior (i.e. Director/MD) industry and stakeholder levels and the role spans multiple stakeholder environments. Decisions made within this role can have a significant impact on member activities in the functional areas concerned as well as shaping behaviours and policy with external stakeholders.

Requirements

• The post-holder must appreciate and be able to engage at strategic, operational and tactical levels within the broad field of IEM, including humanitarian response. They will have an ability to identify, coordinate and where necessary shape RDG members' views and represent them back to members and third parties (at up to Director level) and will be able to explain complex IEM concepts and principles to others in a manner that enables their understanding.
• They must be capable of analytical thinking and have the ability to assimilate technical information and develop well-reasoned arguments to challenge established beliefs, practices and behaviours, able and prepared to ask the awkward questions to key rail industry figures. They must be able to see the resilience big picture for the railway and help to steer the detailed and strategic work accordingly. They must be able to recognise strategic issues, issues of potential conflict and divergent objectives and to trigger debate and assist in resolution accordingly. They must be a mature team player with industry credibility at Director/MD level - able to acknowledge disparate interests and muster cross-party buy-in. They must be a solution-finder, able to get things done.
• Qualifications
• Ideally educated to degree level and/or holder of a relevant professional qualification.
• Knowledge
• The post-holder is required to be an acknowledged industry expert in railway operations and particularly IEM and have a deep knowledge of railway industry structures, processes and business relationships.
• Behaviours
• Ability to engage with stakeholders in a way that builds trust and respect at all levels of an organisation.
• Ability to achieve consensus between what may be disparate groups of individuals
• Ability and confidence to engage with, influence and secure buy in from industry senior leaders.
• Skills / experience
• Ability to quickly write and effectively contribute to concise, structured technical reports and documents.
• Ability to quickly understand the strategic context and to identify, plan and implement steps to deliver these without delay.
• Ability to manage own activities in order to set and resolve conflicting priorities and meet deadlines on a day to day and longer basis with the minimum of support.
• Management of financial budgets.
• Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal.

Benefits

Why Work for RDG?

We offer a highly competitive package, including:

• 75% off rail travel for personal and family use, plus international rail discounts.
• 30 Days annual leave (plus buy/sell options and additional leave for key life events)
• Season ticket loan for commuting costs.
• Enhanced family leave – 30 weeks full pay for maternity, adoption, surrogacy, and shared parental leave.
• Pension scheme – up to 11.58% employer contribution.
• Private medical insurance (Vitality PPP) including mental health and specialist care.
• Discounted gym membership and access to wellbeing programmes.

Career Development & Progression

You’ll be part of a team driving innovation at a national scale, with the opportunity to influence long-term ticketing strategy. This role provides real ownership, the chance to work with leading-edge technologies and partners, and visibility at senior levels across the rail industry. You’ll also gain wide exposure to transport and government stakeholders, opening up exciting development and progression opportunities within RDG.

Apply Now & Shape the Future of UK Rail

If you are interested in joining RDG as a Lead Solution Architect and shaping the future of digital ticketing, we’d love to hear from you!

Click Apply now to start your application and be part of a team that is leading digital innovation in the rail industry.

Please note that we are unable to consider applications from candidates who require visa sponsorship to work in the UK.