Senior Consultant (Strategy, Funding, Appraisal)

About SYSTRA

Around the world, SYSTRA’s specialists plan, design, integrate, test, commission, project manage, and deliver mass transit and mobility solutions that are relied on by more than 50 million people every day.

For more than 60 years, the Group has been committed to helping cities and regions contribute to their development by creating, improving, and modernising their transport infrastructure with sustainability, accessibility, and innovation at the heart of our designs. With over 10,300 colleagues globally and around 1,000 in the UK & Ireland, we are growing significantly and seeking out the very best talent to join the SYSTRA signature team and be part of leading the way in infrastructure design.

Context

The Senior Consultant will support the Strategy Funding and Appraisal (SFA) Team and Rail Advisory Team within SYSTRA's Consultancy Business.

This role will play a key part in shaping our business by leading and contributing to high-profile projects across strategy, business case development, funding, appraisal, and rail advisory. You will combine strong technical expertise with project leadership, client engagement, and business development, helping to deliver high-quality outcomes for clients while supporting the growth of our people and our business.

This role offers the opportunity to work on complex and meaningful transport projects, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and make a visible contribution to innovative and sustainable transport solutions.

Missions/Main Duties

• Proactively support the successful delivery of projects of varying scale, primarily for the Strategy Funding and Appraisal and Rail teams, while also contributing to work for other SYSTRA teams and clients where needed.
• Manage a range of work packages and projects, ensuring strong client satisfaction, effective financial performance, and achievement of project targets.
• Take ownership of the delivery of small to medium value proposals, ensuring clear scope, acceptance criteria, and invoicing milestones. Contribute to, and where appropriate oversee, large proposals.
• Ensure that complex technical tasks are delivered to a high standard, on time, and within budget.
• Guide and mentor junior colleagues, supporting both their technical and professional development.
• Take responsibility for substantial elements of SYSTRA reports and present technical and project information clearly to clients and colleagues to support project delivery, learning, and business growth.
• Contribute directly to the preparation of business cases and option appraisals for transport projects and programmes, taking ownership of the end-to-end development of strategic, economic, commercial, financial, and management dimensions. Ensure compliance with relevant guidance, including HMT Green Book, DfT TAG, and applicable local requirements.
• Undertake rail appraisal work and rail demand and revenue forecasting using PDFH methodologies. Experience with MOIRA is desirable, though not essential.
• Help define appraisal strategies, select the appropriate tools and models, and establish assurance approaches. This includes overseeing demand, revenue, and benefits modelling, cost estimation, risk and optimism bias, distributional and environmental appraisal, and value-for-money assessments, as well as supporting assurance reviews and peer reviews.
• Lead or contribute to Pre-SOC studies, including corridor and town centre strategies, optioneering, and longlisting exercises. Work closely with internal multidisciplinary teams, including transport modelling, design, and consultation specialists, to deliver high-quality feasibility studies.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships across government departments, combined authorities, local councils, operators, and developers. Identify and initiate sales opportunities within Strategy Funding and Appraisal and rail market areas, share market insight with colleagues, and contribute to SYSTRA’s profile through thought leadership activities such as articles, conference presentations, and policy insight.
• Maintain an up-to-date record of your skills and experience in the SYSTRA CV system, continue your professional development, and maintain membership of relevant professional institutions.
• Demonstrate behaviours aligned with SYSTRA’s behavioural framework by actively fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, respect, and empowerment, contributing to an environment where all colleagues can thrive, achieve, and grow together.
• Manage day-to-day relationships with clients and, where relevant, third-party contractors and other stakeholders, helping to ensure smooth and successful project delivery. Keep line managers, project managers, and project directors appropriately informed on project matters and your own activities, while maintaining effective communication with clients on specific tasks and deliverables.
• As a project manager, collaborate proactively with the wider project team, project director, and client to drive progress, manage issues, and deliver successful outcomes.
• Take ownership of financial responsibilities across projects and assignments, ensuring sound commercial management and a strong focus on performance. This includes supporting the delivery of gross revenue, net revenue, and gross margin targets for the projects and work packages you manage.
• Contribute to achieving high levels of client satisfaction by delivering quality outputs and maintaining a responsive, professional, and solutions-focused approach.