Head of HS2 Operational Transition
| Posting date: | 29 July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £67,313 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 11 August 2025 |
| Location: | Leeds |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 418855/2 |
Summary
Have you successfully influenced senior leaders or external stakeholders to align with a strategic vision or policy?
Can you confidently navigate commercial and legal frameworks to drive outcomes that make a real difference?
If so, we’d love to hear from you!
DfT is a high-profile department at the heart of UK government. We work with agencies and partners to support the transport network that helps businesses and gets people and goods travelling around the country. We plan and invest to make journeys better.
Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:
- Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
- 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
- Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
Read more in the Benefits section below!
Find out more about what it's like working at DfT.
We’re looking for someone to lead the future strategy for the HS2 Operator, within the context of public ownership and wider rail reform, as part of the Department for Transport’s Major Rail Projects Group. This is a high-impact role shaping the operational phase of High-Speed 2 — the largest infrastructure project in Europe.
The role sits in the HS2 End State and Shadow Operator Division within the Policy and Benefits Directorate. The team leads policy development and implementation for HS2 end-state operations, working closely with HS2 Ltd and the West Coast Partnership Development.
You will initially focus on developing and delivering proposals for continued operational advice on the HS2 programme. With the current model no longer sustainable under public ownership and wider reform, you’ll lead the transition to a new approach, ensuring a smooth path to HS2 operations and the running of high-speed services.
This involves working closely with senior colleagues at HS2 Ltd, the West Coast Partnership Development, and internal rail reform and commercial teams to align your plans with the broader modernisation agenda and HS2 programme needs.
A key part of the role is ensuring strong policy links between HS2 operations and wider rail reform, supporting coherence across the sector and contributing to the successful delivery of HS2.
This is a high-profile and strategically important position at the heart of the UK’s future rail operations.
Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:
- The development and implementation of a transition strategy for the HS2 Shadow Operator following public ownership. This will need to be developed at pace to support the transition to public ownership and involve influencing external stakeholders and Senior internal boards and Ministers on the merits of the preferred option.
- Ensuring a smooth implementation of the agreed strategy to maintain a positive operator influence in the HS2 programme.
- Manage relationships with the rail reform teams to integrate HS2 operational considerations into the rail reform policy development and implement Rail Reform initiatives into High-Speed operations where possible. This will include the future operating model for HS2 and how it interacts with Great British Railways through the opening operating stages, as well as the ownership model for HS2 and its interaction with other bodies with a financial interest in HS2.
- With the other Grade 6s in the Division, deputising for the Deputy Director as required in a range of areas.
For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.
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