About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Do you enjoy collaborating with a range of partners to deliver business strategies and outcomes?

Would you relish an opportunity to influence and drive decision making for senior leaders?

If so, we are looking for an engaging leader to join out Rail Capability and Innovation team, and we would love to hear from you.

Job description

The rail industry is going through a challenging and exciting time. Rail remains one of the most important and sustainable modes of transport, which supports both personal mobility and economic growth.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is undertaking the biggest set of rail reforms in a generation, which will see the creation of a new body, Great British Railways. New ways of working and new technologies are needed to deliver a passenger-focussed, efficient and effective railway.

As Head of Rail Capability and Innovation, you will oversee the delivery by external bodies and work collaboratively across the Department and with other Government Departments.

You will lead and support a team of four with policy development. Our team is responsible for four areas of rail policy work which look at ways to improve the management and operation of the railway:

• The health and competitiveness of the UK rail supply chain.
• Rail skills, recruitment and retention.
• Rail innovation, research and development.
• The UK’s rail response to the invasion of Ukraine.

To be successful in this interesting and rewarding role, we are not expecting you to have detailed knowledge of these policy areas, but to be able to think strategically, have excellent stakeholder engagement and organisational skills, and the ability to become familiar with varied and technical programme portfolios.

If you would like to find out more about what it's like to work at DfT Rail, please click here.

As Head of Rail Capability and Innovation, your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading on policy development on the rail supply chain, rail skills, rail innovation and rail aid to Ukraine, and on the Department’s response to issues emerging in these areas.
• Acting as policy sponsor for the rail supply chain, collaborating with industry bodies and other Government Departments, and engaging directly with major suppliers.
• Working with National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) and other partners to identify and mitigate gaps in rail skills.
• Sponsoring externally delivered Research, Development and Innovation programmes, including influencing internal funding, developing a good understanding of and familiarity with their work and delivery.
• Developing rail aid packages to support the people of Ukraine, including working with Network Rail and other parts of the rail industry.
• Drafting and approving advice, presentations and correspondence for Ministers and senior officials.
• Leading and managing a team of four.

Person specification

About You

You will be an engaging leader and trusted advisor, with the credibility to represent the Department with key industry partners in a high-profile area. You will have excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills to develop positive relationships with industry partners and colleagues across the Department.

You will demonstrate a strong strategic awareness, the ability to grasp information quickly and to look ahead to anticipate issues, present solutions and plan accordingly. You will display high quality drafting skills to present concise submissions for senior leaders.

You will be exceptionally organised with the capability to co-ordinate workloads and deliver results through others.

Additional Information

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Occasional travel to attend meetings with industry partners within London and the UK may be required. 

For more information on the Policy Profession Standards Framework.

For more information on the policy profession within Department for Transport.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to Apply

When considering your experience, please tailor your CV and personal statement (maximum word count 750) to provide evidence of the following:

• Experience of managing complex relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience of leading a team or group to deliver a business outcome.
• Experience of influencing a key business decision or strategy.

The sift is due to take place from 25/04/2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held week commencing 13/05/2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An interview and a written policy exercise.

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.