Strategic Planning Manager

Do you have drive, enthusiasm and a passion to help take the North further? If yes, then come and be part of our amazing team here at TransPennine Express.

We are an intercity train company connecting people and communities across our cities and major towns in the North of England and Scotland. Together we will continue to transform rail travel with faster, easier journeys that offer a step change in services with our fleet of new high-tech trains.

The North is a vibrant place to live and work and here at TransPennine Express our services are helping to keep the country moving. If you want to be involved in something truly transformative, that will have a lasting impact on how we travel, then please join us and help us to take the North further.

We are strengthening our capability in the Business Assurance function and looking for an enthusiastic individual to cover a current secondment within the team on a 10 month fixed term contract.

The Strategic Planning Manager will implement a Business Planning Strategy for TPE and use all supporting procedures to lead the business through its annual business plan cycle. As Strategic Planning Manager, you will ensure the business plan aligns with and delivers on company, client and shareholder strategic priorities. You will ensure that our plans are compatible and deliverable, and as a team you will drive continuous improvement in the business planning process to ensure the output of high quality and effective business plans.

Key to this role will be to ensure that business plan actions are cascaded to responsible managers and that performance against business plan actions is monitored and reported accurately.

We are looking for our successful candidate to hold subject related qualifications and/or significant demonstratable subject related experience and a project/programme management qualification. You will also need to demonstrate the following:

Current knowledge of best practice in relation to business planning
Experienced manager with business planning/assurance experience in a service industry
Experience of developing and implementing company policies, procedures and systems
Experience of business process and change management
Experience of risk management
Experience of presentation and report writing at a senior level
Experience of leading teams and providing clear direction
Experience of project and programme management
Strategic thinker with strong organisational planning and project management skills
Highly effective communicator and team player
Ability to lead and motivate a team
Collaborator and influencer, skilled at building relationships and able to facilitate change
Writing and reporting skills, convincing, clear, well-structured to meet needs of the intended audience
Analytical and problem-solving skills, numerical and statistical analysis, attention to detail
An understanding and appreciation of the rail industry and the different work disciplines involved in train operations is desirable
Political awareness and understanding of transport policy are desirable.

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, then we'd love to hear from you! please visit FirstGroup Careers, complete an application form and upload a copy of your CV and a Covering Letter.

Help take the north further.

What we offer?

Excellent career prospects.
A personal development plan.
Fully funded structured training and development*.
Competitive salary paid on 4 weekly basis.
Generous annual leave entitlement.
Free TransPennine Express rail travel for you and your dependants*.
Travel discounts of up to 75% off other train operating companies, plus international rail travel after 1 years' service* for you and your dependants*.
Free & Confidential Employee Assistance Program and Wellbeing Portal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you with any finance, family, health, or wellbeing issues you have. We make sure there's someone on-hand to offer guidance, advice, and useful information for our people when they are experiencing hardship at work or at home.
Option to join the Railway Pension Scheme with significant employer contributions.
Family friendly maternity and paternity benefits.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Why Work with us?

Our colleagues are from all walks of life with varied personal experiences and career journeys into rail. We want the best people for our roles. We are proud of our region and committed to connecting and reflecting the diverse communities that we serve across the North of England and Scotland. Our values are central to this, especially being ‘Supportive of each other'. As an inclusive employer we value individuals' contributions, regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, social background, religion, or belief.