About the job

Job summary

Team information

 

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is the independent safety and economic regulator for Britain's railways and the independent monitor of Highways England. We are here to ensure the network operates safely, reliably and provides value for taxpayers and customers. This vacancy is within the Channel Tunnel team that sits in ORR’s Railway Safety Directorate.

The bi-national Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) was set up under the Treaty of Canterbury to supervise, in the name and on behalf of the British and French Governments, all matters concerning the construction and operation of the Channel Tunnel, a critical national infrastructure. 

The IGC is currently the National Safety Authority (NSA) - as defined under EU law - for the UK half of the Channel Tunnel and works closely with the Établissement Public de Sécurité Ferroviaire (EPSF), which acts as the NSA for the French half of the Channel Tunnel.  The role of UK NSA is likely to pass from the IGC to ORR in 2024, at which time the IGC will continue to supervise and monitor non-NSA activities associated with the Channel Tunnel. 

The CTSA is a binational body established under Article 11 of the Treaty of Canterbury to advise and assist the IGC on all matters concerning safety in the construction and operation of the Channel Tunnel. In fulfilling its responsibilities, the CTSA provides advice in respect of issues such as infrastructure maintenance, authorisation of vehicles passing through the tunnel, safety certification of Eurotunnel and other tunnel operators, Health & Safety management on the concession area and in relation to passenger and freight operators who use the tunnel, and the investigation of safety related incidents.  CTSA members, who are provided by ORR, will continue to advise both the ORR and IGC on all safety issues relating to the Channel Tunnel following this transition of the NSA role.

Job description

Job Purpose

This is an important and high-profile role, the purpose which is to primarily provide support to the UK delegation of the IGC, but also to work closely with colleagues on the equivalent French delegation to ensure that IGC business is conducted promptly, efficiently, and effectively to ensure that the Channel Tunnel, a critical piece of national infrastructure, continues to operate successfully and without hindrance.

In delivering this role, the post holder will be required to build and maintain close effective relationships with colleagues on the UK IGC, CTSA, and various working group delegations, with colleagues on the equivalent French delegations, with wider ORR colleagues, and with other UK Government departments and Channel Tunnel stakeholders.

The post holder will also manage the Channel Tunnel Secretariat, currently consisting of 2 HEO and one EO post, the role of which is to support the effective secretariat to the various UK delegations of the Channel Tunnel regulatory bodies.

This role will involve regular travel to Paris to attend face-to-face meetings with French colleagues and other stakeholders. If the successful individual is based outside of ORR’s London office, travel to London at least once per month will be required.

Person specification

For key responsibilities please see the attached job description.

Benefits

Details of our employee benefits can be found in the attached Candidate Information Pack.

A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Find out what our colleagues have to say about their ORR careers Our people Office of Rail and Road (orr.gov.uk).

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.For information on the selection process, please see the attached Candidate Information Pack and Job Description.

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 security 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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission. 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.