Network Rail
Operations Strategy Manager

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Who We Are
Join Network Rail! Where People and Connections Matter
At Network Rail, we're dedicated to keeping passengers and freight moving safely and efficiently across the country. When you join us, you're not just part of a team- you're part of something that matters to millions. We believe that our people are at the heart of what we do, and every role plays a vital part in building a better, more connected railway.
We're committed to creating a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. To discover more about our ED&I commitments click here. We value flexibility and understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. As a Disability Confident Leader, we'll do everything we can to accommodate any needs throughout the recruitment process.
Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision.
About The Role
This is a fantastic opportunity to drive the strategic vision for business continuity and operational resilience across the route, leading the development of innovative contingency, security, and emergency planning frameworks. Ensure the organisation is prepared to anticipate, withstand, and recover from disruptions while maintaining safe, secure, and reliable operations.
Band 3.C
Salary - £55,596 - £67,813 [DOE]
Here Are a Few Of The Benefits We Offer
- Generous annual leave entitlement
- Choice of pension schemes
- Discounted leisure train travel for you and your family
- 75% subsidy on Rail and Underground season tickets
- 5 days paid volunteer or carers leave
- My Benefits platform - giving national and local discounts on retailers, gym membership and more
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Our aim is to ensure your candidate experience is as positive as possible. If you require reasonable adjustments at any point, simply let us know-we'll do our best to assist you.
For help with the recruitment process, please contact LNEResourcing@networkrail.co.uk.
PLEASE NOTE - all offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks: Click here for more information.
Key Accountabilities
Your experience and skills
- Manage the development, implementation and review of the routes business continuity strategy, overseeing and defining work packages, tasks and objectives to deliver a programme aligned to the strategy.
- Develop all loss of workforce contingency plans complying with policies, procedures and standards and providing seamless operational planning and delivery and joined-up decision-making across the route operation.
- Lead the development and agreement of the routes Key Route Strategy engaging with and gaining agreement with internal and external stakeholders including TOCs, adjacent routes and Freight & National Passenger Operators route.
- Develop, implement and co-ordinate the process to identify and maintain the routes contingency workforce requirements so that appropriate plans are in place, and maintained to enable the route to deliver a seamless operation in times of critical loss of work force.
- Manage and deliver the competency assessment processes for the routes operational contingency workforce.
- Own the routes overall contingency planning strategy including the establishment of robust processes and KPIs to provide a high quality service to both internal and external customers; within a culture of continuous improvement. Define governance frameworks to maintain appropriate quality and audit of adherence to process.
- Provide strategic input into process improvements, to define the development of new and improved strategies for business continuity performance service improvement. Shape and build framework of service operations to meet future business demand.
- Support the Head of Operations Delivery with operational input into route business plans, policies, standards and strategies.


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Essential
Job Skills, Experience and qualifications
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
- Ability to attain rules and regulations level 2 competency *
- Ability to gain appropriate assessor competence *
- Successful experience in operational management in a safety critical industry
- Significant knowledge of rail industry
- Knowledge of relevant standards and procedures
- Member of Institute of Railway Operators
- Proven ability to influence decision making
- Proven ability to build cross functional / cross company relationships
- Proven track record of customer relationship management
Desirable
- Previous experience of incident management
*denotes post holder must attain relevant competency prior to carrying out activity
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