Head of Human Resources
Location: Manchester, GB
Department Name: IN TRU - HR (457101) G2
About Network Rail
Head of HR – Capital Delivery & Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) - *Can be based in York, Manchester or the West Midlands but regular travel will be required*
We have an exciting opportunity for you to join Network Rail as the Head of HR for our Capital Delivery team and the multi-billion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) programme. This is a unique role where you will shape the HR vision and strategy for two of our most innovative and impactful departments.
Capital Delivery has an extremely diverse portfolio of renewal and enhancement programmes totalling circa £1 billion per year. This includes high profile programmes to get the region ready for new technology such as Tri-Link, as well as enhancements to key passenger routes including Manchester International Airport.
Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is a programme second only to HS2 in scale for the rail industry and will transform travel in the North of England, improving the railway between York and Manchester via Leeds and Huddersfield. This key 76-mile Transpennine railway serves 23 stations, crosses over and dips under 285 bridges and viaducts, passes through six miles of tunnels, and crosses over 29 level crossings.
Brief Description
Underpinning the success of the Capital Delivery portfolio and the TRU programme are the amazing people who work every day to bring these programmes to life. The Head of HR will provide the strategic direction of the People teams for both. You will be an integral member of the Senior Leadership Team, collaborating with Directors and business leaders to shape and execute the HR strategy. You’ll drive initiatives such as Strategic Workforce Planning , Leadership Development , and Organisational Change , ensuring we continue to enhance our performance, foster innovation, and maintain our commitment to safety and agility.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership: Collaborate with senior business leaders to develop and implement the HR strategy for Capital Delivery and TRU, focusing on talent management, succession planning, and driving a high-performance culture.
- Change Agent: Lead and champion change initiatives in areas such as organisation development, ensuring stakeholder buy-in and alignment with business goals.
- Team Leadership: Lead a team of experienced HR professionals, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, best practice, and collaboration across the wider HR function.
- People Development: Coach and mentor senior leaders, helping them to better manage their teams and drive performance improvements.
- Capability Development: Create the right environment to seize the opportunity the synergy between the professional makeup of Capital Delivery and TRU offers, to develop a regional approach to project and programme capability.
- Influencing Skills: Adopt an industry approach & possess the ability to influence non-Network Rail stakeholders from across the industry.
Your Attributes
- The right person will have excellent stakeholder management and be comfortable engaging with demanding stakeholders, externally and internally including Trade Unions.
- You will be able to understand the business and where the People team can make a difference, prioritising what, and where to focus and add value.
- You will bring a diversity of thought and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving, willing to push boundaries, challenge the status quo, and bring creativity to influence key stakeholders.
- Most importantly, you should have experience in shaping and delivering people strategies that meet the needs of colleagues across all levels.
Qualifications & Experience
- Proven experience leading HR teams in a large, complex environment.
- Strong commercial acumen and the ability to align HR initiatives with business objectives.
- Expertise in change management, leadership development, and workforce planning.
- Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills at the senior leadership level.
- In-depth knowledge of HR practices in unionised environments.
- MCIPD qualification or equivalent professional experience.
- Desirable: Experience in managing large-scale organisational change such as TUPE or redundancy programmes.
- Knowledge of project management principles.
Salary: Starting at £71,163 and increasing to £80,060 per annum
Closing date: Tuesday 1st October. Late applications will not be accepted.
Location: This will be a role that offers flexibility, with regional offices in Manchester, Birmingham, and York. However, as with the nature of the role, you will need to be visible within your business areas on a regular basis.
What does our recruitment process look like?
- First round interviews scheduled for week commencing 14th October.
- Second round interviews scheduled for week commencing 21st October.
#J-18808-Ljbffr