Who are we

First Rail London (FRL) is the train operating company responsible for running the London Overground network under a concession agreement with Transport for London (TfL). The concession began in May 2026.

First Rail London is part of FirstGroup, one of the leading rail operators and one of the largest bus operators in the UK.  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.

About the job

• Lead strategic change programmes across Operations.
• Ensure governance, delivery and benefits realisation.

Your main responsibilities will be:

• Coordinate delivery of key operational performance improvement programmes.
• Track progress against agreed performance, resilience and operational efficiency objectives.
• Support the development and implementation of action plans arising from performance reviews, deep dives and operational investigations.
• Ensure cross-functional ownership of actions and delivery milestones.
• Monitor delivery of improvement initiatives and provide assurance regarding benefits realisation.
• Lead programme governance across major operational transformation initiatives.
• Develop and maintain programme plans, milestones and implementation roadmaps.
• Plan and lead mobilisation activity during delivery phases of programmes.
• Develop and lead programme communication plans, including delivering briefings, presentations, and communication with key stakeholders.
• Manage programme risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies.
• Support benefits tracking and post-implementation reviews.
• Ensure appropriate governance and escalation arrangements are in place.
• Provide programme and governance support to strategic Industrial Relations initiatives.
• Maintain oversight of actions arising from engagement with Trade Unions.
• Support delivery of workforce modernisation programmes and operational change initiatives.
• Ensure Industrial Relations risks, dependencies and stakeholder engagement plans are captured and managed effectively.
• Coordinate reporting and action tracking associated with local and company-wide Industrial Relations strategies.
• Support implementation of agreements, commitments and relationship improvement plans.
• Any other duties, both proactive and reactive, which may be required to enable successful delivery.

As a minimum, you will need to have:

• Experience in railway operations, performance, timetable planning or operational strategy.
• Strong understanding of the factors influencing railway performance and operational resilience.
• Experience undertaking operational reviews, performance analysis or strategic assessments.
• Strong analytical, report writing and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to challenge existing assumptions and develop innovative solutions.

Desirable:

• Experience of timetable development, operating plan reviews or service specification changes.
• Knowledge of Network Rail planning and infrastructure management processes.
• Experience developing business cases and long-term strategic plans.
• Experience using modelling, simulation or operational planning tools.

About the location

Redman Place, Stratford - Travel across the full London Overground network required on an adhoc basis

The Reward

• Free Travel for you and a nominated person at your address on TfL Network - this alone is worth a potential total of £5,200 per annum
• 75% discount off season tickets and leisure travel on other Train Operating Companies
• Discounts on European rail services after 1 year of service
• First Xclusives – a benefits portal offering a wide range of benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme - 24hr helpline, covering a multitude of subjects

We all belong at First Rail London. FirstGroup's vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, across its group of businesses, 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 a 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, for example, 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/