People and Culture Director (Interim)

Greater Thameslink Integrated Railway

GTR and Network Rail Sussex are bringing track and train closer together to create an integrated, high-performing railway for our customers, colleagues and communities.

We are now seeking an exceptional People & Culture Director to join the Integrated Executive Team and lead the people, culture, and organisational transformation agenda across the railway.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, this is a significant Executive appointment with responsibility for shaping the workforce, leadership, culture and organisational capability required to support the future integrated railway.

You will lead a People & Culture function of around 90 colleagues across Employee Relations, people Services, Culture, EDI, Learning & Development, Talent Acquisition, Internal Communications and Business Partnering, supporting a workforce of more than 9,000 people.

Our newly created railway will become part of Great British Railways (GBR) as the rail industry is set for a once in a generation transformation with the aim of building a railway for everyone in Britain.

The opportunity

This is a pivotal role at a defining point in the development of the railway. GTR and Network Rail Sussex bring together different organisations, employment frameworks, cultures, systems and ways of working. The People & Culture Director will play a central role in creating a more joined-up organisation: breaking down boundaries, reducing duplication, strengthening leadership capability and creating the conditions for teams across track and train to work effectively together.

You will be a key adviser to the Managing Director, Executive Team and Board, shaping decisions on workforce strategy, organisational design, industrial relations, culture, leadership and transformation.

This is not simply a functional People leadership role. It is an Executive role with direct influence over how the integrated railway is organised, led and equipped to deliver safe, reliable and high-performing services.

What you will be responsible for

You will:

- Be a member of the Leadership team of the largest railway in the country.

- Lead the People & Culture strategy to create a more integrated and inclusive railway, ensuring alignment with business, operational and financial priorities.

- Act as principal adviser to the Managing Director, Executive Team and Board on workforce strategy, organisational capability, culture, leadership and industrial relations.

- Lead the people aspects of integration and major organisational transformation across GTR and Network Rail Sussex.

- Shape organisation design and workforce plans to ensure the right capability, skills and leadership are in place for the future

- Create a coherent cultural approach across the integrated railway, building trust, collaboration and accountability across organisational boundaries and helping to ensure that our railway becomes purpose driven delivering key outcomes such as driving economic growth and enabling social mobility

- Lead the Industrial Relations strategy, developing constructive relationships with trade unions and employee representatives

-Provide senior leadership on complex employee relations matters

-Lead leadership, talent succession, and capability development across the business.

-Shape recruitment and talent acquisition priorities to support long-term growth plans, workforce resilience and critical skills requirements

- Lead learning and development strategy and strengthen capability across the organisation

- Oversee culture, engagement, equity, diversity and inclusion

- Ensure effective People governance, policy and employee lifecycle processes.

- Lead internal communication strategies that support employee engagement and organisational change.

-Build strong relationships with Network Rail Group, DFTO, DfT, trade unions, industry partners and other senior stakeholders.

- Contribute to the wider development of the GBR People & Culture agenda

- Participate in the Executive on-call rota for significant business issues

What we are looking for

We are looking for a senior People leader with the credibility, judgement and experience to operate at Executive and Board level in a large, complex organisation.

You will bring:

- Significant senior People leadership experience in a large, complex, or matrix organisation.

- A strong track record of leading major organisational change and transformation.

- Substantial industrial and employee relations experience, including senior trade union relationships.

- Strong organisation design and workforce planning capability.

To apply please submit a cover letter and CV detailing your interest in this exciting role.