Head of Vehicle Track Integration

Join Network Rail ! Where People and Connections Matter

At Network Rail, we're dedicated to keeping passengers and freight moving safely and efficiently across the country. When you join us, you're not just part of a team- you're part of something that matters to millions. We believe that our people are at the heart of what we do, and every role plays a vital part in building a better, more connected railway.

We're committed to creating a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. To discover more about our ED&I commitments. We value flexibility and understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. As a Disability Confident Leader, we'll do everything we can to accommodate any needs throughout the recruitment process.

Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision .

We are looking for an exceptional engineering leader to join our organisation as Head of Vehicle Track Integration
, a highly influential role reporting into the Executive team.

This is an opportunity to drive the future performance, safety, sustainability and resilience of the railway by leading the integration between rolling stock and infrastructure. You will operate at the heart of system-wide decision making, bringing together engineering, standards, operational and commercial expertise to optimise outcomes across the vehicle-track interface.

As a recognised authority and strategic leader, you will influence investment decisions, technical standards, industry partnerships and innovation programmes that improve reliability, reduce whole-life costs and enhance customer experience across the Southern network. You will play a pivotal role in establishing a single regional vision for rolling stock and infrastructure compatibility, ensuring that engineering standards, asset strategies and system interfaces are harmonised across the Southern Region.

If you are motivated by solving complex systems challenges and creating meaningful industry-wide impact, we would love to hear from you.

The Head of Vehicle Track Integration is accountable for leading the strategic interface between rolling stock and fixed infrastructure at a regional level.

You will provide independent technical leadership and assurance across the train-track interface, ensuring assets are specified, operated and maintained in a way that delivers optimal safety, performance, sustainability and efficiency.

Working across multiple business units and external partners, you will champion a whole-system approach that enables smarter engineering decisions, improved integration and greater collaboration across the rail industry.

• Lead the alignment of vehicle, track, signalling, power and implement operational strategies to deliver best whole-system outcomes.
• Resolve and direct the resolution of complex cross-disciplinary and organisational interface issues which drive cost, risk or underperformance.
• Provide expert technical advice to executive leaders on critical system trade-offs, risks and opportunities.

• Provide independent technical and professional assurance for rolling stock, infrastructure and system integration requirements.
• Ensure alignment between operators, infrastructure teams, maintainers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other industry partners.
• Promote innovative, predictive and condition-based approaches that improve performance and asset management.

• Drive collaboration between infrastructure, fleet, operations and maintenance organisations to optimise whole-life railway performance.
• Drive interventions that reduce whole-life cost, improve reliability and strengthen network resilience.
• Lead the development of integrated approaches to wheel-rail interaction, braking performance, gauging, dynamic performance and power supply interfaces.
• Support the transition towards more sustainable and low-carbon railway solutions.

• Develop and improve data ownership, governance and sharing across rolling stock and infrastructure domains.
• Enable the integration of vehicle and infrastructure data to provide advanced decision-support capabilities.
• Champion evidence-led asset management and systems engineering solutions.