Head of Long-Term Strategy

Milford House, Swindon

Shape the strategic horizon of rail: lead transformational growth as Head of Long-Term Strategy at GWR.

Who are we?

At GWR, we're proud to carry on Brunel's legacy, running one of the world's most iconic railways. With state-of-the-art trains and bold plans for growth, we connect over 275 stations and carry more than 100 million passengers a year - from Cornwall and South Wales to London - through stunning landscapes and top UK destinations.

Our 6,000-strong team is changing the way people see rail travel. Together, we will revalue rail as a very special way to travel - relaxing, fast, efficient, friendly and fun.

About the role?  

In this role, you will lead the development and execution of long-term strategic plans (spanning five years and beyond) aligned with GWR's vision and objectives. This includes analysing market trends, identifying opportunities for growth and development, and positioning GWR to thrive in a dynamic and evolving rail landscape.

Partnering with cross-functional teams across GWR to drive innovation, you will advance business development and enhance operational efficiency - ensuring GWR is recognised as a leader in delivering sustainable, customer-focused rail services. Your role will be pivotal in preparing the business to meet future challenges with agility and resilience.

You will play a key role in sustaining GWR's competitive advantage and fostering long-term growth, working closely with stakeholders, influencers and decision-makers to shape and implement strategies that align with the wider ambitions of the Department for Transport (DfT) and the development of Great British Railways (GBR).

You will champion collaboration across multiple directorates, promoting knowledge-sharing and integrated problem-solving to address high levels of complexity and ambiguity within the industry. Success will come from influencing and coordinating people and processes beyond direct control, enabling fast and effective responses to shifting market and technological demands.

Key Contributions:

• Steer GWR through future industry and customer shifts, embedding adaptability, sustainability and a customer-first mindset.
• Align strategic initiatives with DfT and GBR priorities to position GWR as a major contributor to national economic, environmental and social goals.
• Promote cross-functional collaboration by dismantling silos, clarifying objectives and aligning efforts toward shared outcomes.
• Define and track clear success metrics, ensuring transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.

Your main responsibilities will be to?

• Investigate the long-term market in the GWR Region, identify how that is going to change and what will that mean for demand and capacity.
• Identify how changes following innovation impact our market e.g. driverless cars.
• Look at longer term developments on the network, such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Churchward, HS2, and the opportunities they offer.
• Look at potential changes to the GWR network, e.g. East-West, Chiltern, SWR, XC, RfL, TfW mapping and on existing GWR service groups.
• Identify new areas where infrastructure enhancements could generate revenue.
• Provide high-level inputs into the Annual Business Planning process and develop an approach as to how this work would link into strategic development in GBR.
• Look at how further local government devolution could provide opportunities for GWR.
• Look at the long-term Depot and Stabling strategy.
• Ensure GWR changes align with developments through the creation of Shadow Great British Railways (SGBR) and can contribute to that strategy as appropriate.
• Identify new areas where infrastructure enhancements could generate revenue.
• Work with Network Rail strategic planning leads to ensure greater GWR input and influence to Control Period planning.

About You:

You will clearly demonstrate the following key competencies:

• Strategic thinking
  • You will demonstrate the strong strategic transport mindset required to effectively anticipate future scenarios, identify opportunities and risks, and develop comprehensive plans that drive GWR's growth and success.
  • You must be able to analyse complex situations, identify patterns and trends, and make informed decisions that align with GWR and SGBR's long-term vision and objectives, whilst understanding operational considerations that may emerge through plan implementation.
• Analysis
  • You will have strong analytical skills to make informed decisions about GWR's long-term objectives and to assess the impact of various strategic initiatives.
  • You will gather and interpret complex data and information from a range of sources, including market research, competitive analysis, financial reports and sales metrics.
• Communication
  • You will have excellent communication skills to effectively and persuasively communicate the strategy to the entire workforce, but especially GWR's Executive to build consensus and support for a shared vision and set of objectives.
  • You will demonstrate the communication skills required to convey complex ideas and data in a way that the entire workforce can understand.
• Leadership
  • You will be an experienced leader, having lead cross-functional teams and departments to inspire and motivate team members, foster a cohesive and collaborative environment and encourage continuous development, as well as delegating tasks and responsibilities or providing feedback to team members, peers and other stakeholders in the business.
• Problem-solving
  • With the shift in the rail industry, rise of new technologies and changes to industry regulations, you must have the problem-solving capability to devise innovative and effective solutions for overcoming these challenges, ensuring ensure a successful strategic plan.

You will have the following knowledge, skills and experience:

• Degree or equivalent in business management and/or strategy development.
• Deep understanding of strategic frameworks, scenario planning and competitive analysis tools (PESTLE, SWOT, Porter's Five Forces).
• In-depth knowledge of the rail and transport industry, including regulatory drivers, funding mechanisms, decarbonisation goals, digital transformation trends and infrastructure policy.
• Strong track record of influencing and working with senior stakeholders (government, regulators, internal execs, local authorities, community leaders).
• Political and stakeholder landscape, with the ability to navigate complex governance environments and build strategic alliances.
• Proven ability to develop and execute long-range strategies (5–10+ years) that align with corporate vision.
• Ability to assess commercial opportunities, model long-term value and align strategy with financial sustainability.

About the location?

Based at Milford House, Swindon, with occasional travel required across the network.

The Reward?

As well as a great team environment and comprehensive training, you will receive a range of exceptional benefits including:

• defined benefit pension with the Railways Pension Scheme,
• free rail travel across the GWR network for you and your family,
• discounted travel with other Train Operating Companies,
• executive medical assessments,
• Dental Insurance,
• Private Medical Insurance (PMI)

Application

Please apply online via our website https://careers.firstgroup.co.uk/brand-gwr

We will be conducting a 2 stage interview process.

• The 1st stage interview will be held W/C 14th July and will consist of an online Teams interview, where you will be required to deliver a presentation.
  • The presentation topic will be aligned to the key contributions and responsibilities of the role. More details will be provided at this stage.  
• The 2nd stage interview will be held W/C 21st July in our Head Quarters, Swindon.

We all belong at GWR. This is our vision for providing an inclusive environment for all our colleagues, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment. We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA, ethnicity, religion and disability. We maintain zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent. We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details. If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below. We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/

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