First Rail Consultancy
Principal Consultant - Human Factors and Non-Technical Skills Specialist
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Who Are We?
First Rail is one of the most experienced rail operators in the UK, with more than 770,000 passenger journeys daily last year across our Department for Transport contracted operations and Open Access routes.
We operate two major train operating companies – Avanti West Coast and Great Western Railway (GWR), and two Open Access passenger rail services, Hull Trains and Lumo. We are also ‘shadow operator’ on the HS2 programme and operate the London Overground; London Tram and London Cable Car services on behalf of Transport for London.
Our First Rail head office is home to specialist teams that provide expert support across the Engineering, Finance, Property, Operations, Procurement, IT and Human Resources functions of the rail division. First Rail Holdings is a part of FirstGroup, the largest rail operator in the UK and second largest bus operator in the UK outside London. FirstGroup operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier.
FirstGroup works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.
What is the Role?
As part of the Safety function within the Railway Operations team at First Rail Consultancy this role will champion the development and growth of our safety advisory and training services, helping to expand our market presence and drive sustainable revenue growth. The postholder will provide strategic insight into market opportunities, client needs, and service development, supporting the Consultancy's ambitions for market penetration and commercial success.
The role will be responsible for the development, delivery, and quality assurance of Training Needs Analyses (TNA) for clients across the rail and transport sectors. Working closely with client organisations, you will identify capability gaps, design tailored solutions, and ensure that training interventions support operational excellence, safety performance, and organisational objectives.
You will lead the design, development, and oversight of a broad portfolio of learning and development solutions, including workplace health, safety and environmental training programmes, vocational qualifications, and non-technical operational training. You will ensure that all learning products are aligned with industry best practice, regulatory requirements, and client expectations, while maintaining high standards of quality and effectiveness.
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A key aspect of the role will be building and maintaining strong client relationships, working collaboratively with stakeholders to deliver positive outcomes and identify opportunities to expand our service offering. Through your expertise and industry knowledge, you will support business development activities, generate new consultancy opportunities, and contribute to the growth of the Railway Operations business.
In addition, you will act as a subject matter expert within the wider Consultancy, mentoring and upskilling colleagues to strengthen organisational capability and enhance the breadth and depth of our safety and operational training services. By fostering knowledge sharing and innovation, you will help ensure the Consultancy remains at the forefront of rail safety, training, and workforce development.
Key Objectives
- Champion the growth and development of the Consultancy's safety training and competency services.
- Lead the delivery of Training Needs Analyses and competency assessments for clients.
- Design and oversee health, safety, environmental, vocational, and operational training programmes.
- Develop strategic client relationships and identify revenue-generating opportunities.
- Provide market intelligence and insights to support business growth and service innovation.
- Ensure compliance with relevant rail industry, health and safety, and training standards.
- Support, mentor, and develop colleagues to strengthen the Consultancy's overall capability and market offering.
Note that this role is a 12-month Fixed Term Contract, with progression onto a permanent contract subject to meeting criteria on utilisation and revenue generation.
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Who Are We Looking For?
The successful applicant for the role will be an experienced and qualified organisational psychologist and development specialist with experience of delivery in a rail operating environment, and with an established profile within the rail industry.
Skills, Experience and Role Responsibilities Include:
- NEBOSH National General Certificate or equivalent
- Level 6 Certificate or higher in Applied Health and Safety
- Good understanding of health and safety legislation and can demonstrate implementation of health and safety procedures in safety critical environments
- Organisational needs analysis
- Programme development and delivery
- Strategy development
- Culture development
- Monitoring and trend analysis and development planning
- Post incident intervention
- Delivery of safety training for safety critical environments
- Business Development
What Can We Offer You?
- Salary of £75k per annum
- Minimum of 10% contribution to your Pension (5% employer and 5% employee)
- 25 days holiday plus national bank holidays
- Travel offers for Bus and Rail*
- Payroll Giving – donate directly from your pay to a charity of your choice
- Shopping discounts including discounts and cashback on electrical goods, your weekly shop, holidays, cinema trips, car insurance, upgrading your mobile and lots more
- All employee Share Schemes*
- Buy as You Earn share scheme*
- Employee Assistance Helpline – free, confidential employee support service provided by an independent provider
*After 6 months employment
FirstGroup plc welcomes applications from a diverse range of candidates regardless of background, gender, race, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age. We aspire to be a diverse and inclusive organisation because we believe that diversity brings benefits for our customers, communities and our people. Valuing our differences and drawing on our collective knowledge and experience helps us develop new services, open up new markets and broaden our customer base.
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