Senior Strategic Development Manager
| Posting date: | 23 May 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Competitive |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 22 June 2025 |
| Location: | Manchester, M1 3BG |
| Company: | inploi |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 75704376 |
Summary
As a Senior Strategic Development Manager in the Rapid Transit Development service area of our Transport Strategy Directorate, you will take forward the acquisition of a next-generation fleet of Metrolink vehicles with tram-train capability all in line with a future rolling stock strategy that addresses capacity pressures, allows for replacement of our existing M5000s when they reach their design life, and facilitates extensions to the Metrolink network.
It is a complex but exciting multi-disciplinary environment, with a significant development funding allocation as part of our current City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. Your purpose will be to prepare rolling stock and infrastructure schemes (including vehicles, depots, stabling and associated interventions) for delivery so that we can move to the next generation of our iconic Metrolink fleet.
Working with and motivating your team (typically an Assistant Strategic Development Manager and / or a Strategic Development Manager, complemented by contractor resource and consultancy support procured as needed) to meet committed milestones and budgets, you will:
- Ensure projects are underpinned by sound strategic planning and have robust transport business cases including suitable designs, relevant approvals & consents, sufficient funding & financing, and appropriate commercial & management arrangements.
- Shape schemes up to a point of handover to delivery teams for execution to time, cost and quality and sponsor them through to ensure benefits are realised.
- Build strong and effective relationships to secure necessary input and support for schemes.
- Drive continuous improvement and embed a positive, supportive team culture that results in high performance.
- For more information, please see the role profile at the bottom of the advert.
Through this advertisement, TfGM may also establish a talent pool for the role of Senior Strategic Development Manager for any vacancies that may become available over the next six months, as we work towards delivering Greater Manchester’s transport priorities.
Who are we?
Rapid Transit Development is a service area within TfGM’s Transport Strategy Directorate. We lead on the early-stage development of rapid transit projects and programmes on behalf of Greater Manchester, by taking policies and strategies and developing them into actionable plans and deliverable schemes. We break our work into three broad areas, each with a Lead Strategic Development Manager:
- Interchanges, Stops and Hubs
- New Lines, Extensions and Network Planning
- Fleet and Tram-Train
Greater Manchester is entering a new phase of devolution. With this comes exciting new opportunities for growth, powered by the delivery of joined-up London-style transport system: the Bee Network. All the time we need to hold to the Greater Manchester 2040 Transport Strategy, and Greater Manchester’s target of being a carbon-neutral city-region by 2038. This role is a unique opportunity to make a real difference to the residents, businesses and visitors who use Greater Manchester’s rapid transit system on a daily basis by acquiring a next-generation Metrolink fleet and the complementary infrastructure.
What you’ll bring
What you do and how you do it is important whatever type of role you work in at TfGM and even small behaviours and actions can have a really big impact. At TfGM, our behaviours bring to life our values of Deliver, Adapt and Care.
As a Senior Strategic Development Manager (Fleet and Tram-Train), you’ll have a background in project development toward the front end of the lifecycle and the ability to shape proposals that represent robust value for money and are deliverable.
Your track record will be one of building productive working relationships and engaging with a diverse variety of professional, political and public stakeholders in pursuit of scheme development. With strong verbal and written presentation skills, you’ll be able to communicate transport solutions at all levels, working across technical and non-technical issues.
Working to tight deadlines and within funding and operational constraints, this role will involve day-to-day line management of a small team and therefore you will have evidence of motivational people skills, and a commitment to developing both the team and individuals.
Experience of transitioning schemes from development into delivery (including the procurement, management and coordination of multi-disciplinary teams) is highly desirable.
What we can offer you
The role is a permanent position with a salary of £57,770 - £65,024 depending on skills and experience. You’ll be working as part of a supportive service area and directorate, across TfGM, and with wider partners.
At TfGM we encourage candidates to discuss flexible working options at any stage of the recruitment process.
Our benefits include:
- 28 days holiday per annum (plus bank holidays)
- Free bus travel within Greater Manchester and free Rail or Metrolink travel to and from work within the Greater Manchester boundary
- Local Government Defined Benefit Pension Scheme which includes life cover of 3x your salary and options to increase your pension contributions
- Commitment to learning and personal development and upskilling with reimbursement of professional fees, where essential to the role
- We promote good physical and mental health and can provide additional support to staff via our employee assistance programme when required
Transport for Greater Manchester is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment. To help our employees thrive both personally and professionally we have enhanced family-friendly leave policies, including those supporting fertility treatment, alongside flexible and hybrid working and a special leave policy to support a range of unexpected events. Please note that qualification criteria may apply, including a requirement to have been employed with the organisation for a minimum specified period of time.
What's next?
If you believe you have the skills and experience required, we’d really like to hear from you. To apply please submit your CV and also provide a covering letter providing clear examples of how your experience meets the requirements of the role, all appointments will be based on merit. Our short-listing process is anonymised, so please do not include your name or contact details on either of these documents. If any personal details are included these will be visible to the hiring manager.
Internal candidates - check with your line manager before applying for a secondment, to make sure you can be released from your substantive role.
We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success.
Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment, if using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.
TfGM is proud to be an equal opportunities employer that encourages and celebrates diversity. We want to recruit and retain a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and welcome individuals from all backgrounds by committing to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We will offer support and reasonable adjustments if required and we also have a Guaranteed Assessment Scheme which you can find out more information on here.
For this opportunity, you must be able to prove you have the right to work in the UK - if in doubt please visit the following link Employers' right to work checklist - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please note we are not a licensed sponsor.
Please note we may close the advert early if we receive a high volume of applications.
NOTE TO AGENCIES we will be accepting direct applications only for this role. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired for this position as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral CV.
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