Contract Manager – Rail Replacement (12m FTC) (3738)
- Salary:£63,000
- Location:Rail Operations Centre (ROC Three Bridges)
- Contract Type:Fixed Term Contract
- Closing Date:10 November 2026
Get your career on track with a team where you can grow, belong and make an impact from day one.
About GTR
Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR) is the UK's largest rail operator, connecting millions of people through Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express services. Through our vision of Creating Great Journeys, we are committed to delivering safe, reliable and customer-focused travel, supporting local communities, and fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and can thrive.
Career Development
At GTR, your career is a journey. We offer clear development pathways, progression opportunities and support to help you grow, whether you are starting out or taking the next step in your railway career.
Our Commitment to DEI
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve, creating a culture where everyone feels welcome, respected, safe and able to be themselves at work.
What You'll Do
To manage the commercial, contractual and operational aspects of GTR's Rail Replacement contract, ensuring contractual compliance, value for money, supplier performance and regulatory compliance.
The role is responsible for end-to-end contract management, governance, financial assurance, supplier performance, compliance and commercial risk management, working closely with Procurement, Operations, Train Planning, Customer Experience, Finance and external suppliers to protect GTR's commercial position while delivering safe, reliable and customer-focused rail replacement services.
How you'll make a difference:
- Own and manage the commercial and contractual lifecycle of the Rail Replacement contract, ensuring compliance with contractual obligations and governance standards.
- Lead supplier governance through regular performance reviews, service meetings and contractual engagement, ensuring suppliers deliver agreed service levels and continuous improvement.
- Manage contract performance against agreed KPIs, identifying trends, risks and opportunities to improve operational performance and customer experience.
- Lead the management of contract variations, contractual change mechanisms and commercial negotiations, providing appropriate commercial challenge where required.
- Review and validate supplier invoices, management fees and contractual charges, ensuring accuracy, transparency and value for money.
What You'll Bring
- Strong understanding of contract management principles, supplier governance and commercial risk.
- Knowledge of rail industry operations, disruption management and Rail Replacement delivery.
- Understanding of rail industry regulatory frameworks and passenger obligations.
- Excellent contract management and contract interpretation skills.
- Strong commercial negotiation and influencing skills.
What We Can Offer You
At GTR, we are committed to supporting our colleagues both professionally and personally. In return for your skills and dedication, we offer a competitive benefits package including:
- Final salary pension
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Healthcare
- Free travel on GTR and sister groups for you and your family
- 75% off travel on other train operating companies for you, and leisure for your family
- Discounted Oyster Card
- Family-friendly policies, including maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental leave
- Access to StarHub – our employee benefits platform offering discounts with a wide range of retailers and services
- Career development and progression opportunities across the UK's largest rail networks
- The opportunity to make a real difference to millions of customer journeys every year.
We will keep candidates informed throughout the process and aim to complete hiring decisions in a timely manner. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unfortunately unable to provide individual feedback at the application stage. Please refer to the ‘Recruitment Process and Timelines' document attached to this role.
How to Apply
Please complete the application form and submit your CV.
We look forward to hearing from you and exploring whether GTR could be your next career step.
Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
Benefits
Pension
Staff Travel
Childcare Vouchers
Extra Holidays
Discount Scheme
Long Service Awards
Employee Assistance Programme
The Transport Benevolent Fund
In-House Occupational Health Department
Cycle to Work Scheme
Testimonials
What our staff say
“I work as part of the Fleet Infrastructure team, which means ensuring our 18 Engineering locations operate safely and efficiently. We oversee all building and track maintenance works as well as various minor and major projects across the network.”
Hannah Richards
Fleet Infrastructure Administrator
“I started in a small ticket office back in 1996 and have continued to work my way up ever since. A previous manager told me about a job he’d seen advertised for a trainer. ’d never considered a job in HR or mentoring before then, but he said I’d be perfect for it and I haven’t looked back since!”
Zoey Hudson
Head of Talent, Diversity and Inclusion
“Since April, I’ve helped to support our Kickstart Scheme. It’s been a really rewarding process to be part of because I know first-hand how tough it can be to find work once you’re out of it.”
Jack Gow
Mobile Station Manager
“I’m a Thameslink passenger host and team leader based at Luton station and I’m currently doing a Level 3 Supervisor apprenticeship so that I can improve my skills even further. I was hesitant to do the apprenticeship at first because of my age – I left school over 60 years ago without any qualifications! It’s been hard to get back into the routine of learning again.”
Bob Bryce
Passenger Host Team Leader
“It was my brother’s suggestion to join the railway. He was already working in the industry and knew I had some university bills to pay off so told me to give it a go, get out of debt and see what I wanted to do next. After a while, it just felt like actually – this is exactly where I’m meant to be. I’m part of a great team and the on-board department as a whole are brilliant to work with. I feel at home here.”
Tonderai Matizha-Johnson
Area Operations Manager
“When I saw that GTR was advertising places for its apprenticeship scheme I looked into it straight away because I thought it was a great opportunity to learn whilst getting real life experience in a 9-5 job. I applied for a level three business administration apprenticeship and was thrilled to find out I had a place on the course! I was so excited that I didn’t even mind it was based 250 miles away from where I lived.”
Harriet Dee
Team Administrator
“Working for GTR is very rewarding and fulfilling. You really feel like you're making a difference to customers, no matter what role you're in as at the end of the day they're the heart of our business. I’ve had lots of opportunities to explore other aspects of the business including supporting our station staff and gaining my Train Dispatch Licence which has been enriching for my experience here.”
Maggie Luckhurst
Platform / Train Dispatch
“If you’ve always had an interest in rail, or maybe you’re just curious to find out what working in the railway might look like, GTR is the operator to go for. Not many companies do an official work experience program and this unique opportunity will give you a good grounding with varied activities to help you find the best place in the railway for you. It certainly did it for me.”
Nathaniel Owen
Station Manager