Head of Railway Performance Oversight & Assurance

Requirements of the role

This role can be based at any of our office locations: London, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, York or Glasgow.

If the opportunity to make a difference for rail passengers and freight excites you, read on!

This is an exciting time to join the Office of Rail and Road. We’re looking for an exceptional operator to work alongside colleagues in ORR and across the industry, making a difference for passengers and freight operating across the GB rail network.

The Head of Railway Performance Oversight & Assurance will support the Deputy Director, Railway Operations in developing and adapting our ways of working as we respond to the new Government’s programme, including major changes arising from rail reform. You will also be involved in our reset of Network Rail’s operational performance targets for 2026 and beyond.

You will lead the Railway Operations team day-to-day, and will engage collaboratively within ORR as well as with Network Rail and other railway stakeholders on railway operations and performance matters. You will be able to understand and interpret rail industry data, critically reviewing the detail and identifying key trends, to deliver insight that describes Network Rail’s contribution to “whole system” passenger and freight train performance outcomes.

You will use your knowledge, insight and research to create and write down compelling and understandable narratives for stakeholders – from our Board and Executive members, to industry professionals, external bodies and the wider public. Your work will shape how ORR holds Network Rail to account for its delivery against its operational targets, and help assess whether it is complying with its network licence.

To be successful in the role, you will be a credible leader in the field of railway operations and performance with a proven track record of building and sustaining professional relationships. This is essential to your success working with senior stakeholders from the rail industry, the wider Civil Service and beyond, as we proactively engage with them to enhance outcomes for passengers and freight.

At ORR we have adopted hybrid working and are currently expected to work from a workplace location for a minimum of two days per week.

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