Business Technology Manager

Who are we?

First Rail is one of the UK's most experienced rail operators, carrying more than 345m passengers across franchises (Great Western Railway and Avanti West Coast) and our open access operators (Hull Trains and Lumo). We operate all types of passenger railways - intercity, commuter, regional and sleeper services.

Lumo and Hull Trains are part of First Group, the largest rail operator in the UK and second largest bus operator in the UK outside London. First Group operates services throughout the UK and Ireland, with over 30,000 employees providing services that make travel smoother and life easier. First Group works hard to reduce its impact on the environment, introducing cleaner and more environmentally responsible methods of transport.

Reporting into the Head of Commercial and working across Open Access Businesses. This role is central to ensuring First Rail Open Access maximises the value of its data, enabling informed, data-led decision making across the business. Working closely with commercial, operational and support teams, the successful candidate will ensure colleagues have access to the right data, systems and insights to drive performance, innovation and customer value.

Acting as the key business interface with First Group IT and Mistral Data, the role will oversee the delivery of agreed data services while representing the evolving needs of First Rail Open Access. The position will champion the use of digital solutions, including dashboards, analytics and AI-enabled tools, helping the organisation remain responsive, efficient and future-ready.

• Co-ordinate the development and maintenance of operational data models used across required business units that align with the First Group IT policy
• Coordinate internal and supplier-led development, ensuring all systems integrate cleanly with a central data model
• Maintain a cohesive data suite, which provides data to downstream systems, allowing other departments to easily access consistent, accurate data. This must adhere to First Group IT standards and best practice.
• Lead internal proofs of concept (POCs) to test and validate AI and data innovations. Use of AI must adhere to First Group IT policy
• Implement and maintain data flowsto support dashboards, reporting, AI functionality, and future system needs
• Align all new and existing systems with strategic goals, including non-functional priorities like accessibility, interoperability, and sustainability
• Guide structured migrationof operational data from legacy systems into the consolidated model
• Support external teams delivering automation or tooling, by ensuring appropriate access to clean, structured data
• Maintain documentation, schema design, and support long-term data governancefor core operational data
• Collaborate with business leadsto understand data challenges and translate them into scalable digital approaches
• Support responsible, efficient use of AI, aligned with industry ethics and the business's sustainability goals

• Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline (e.g. Information Technology, Data, Computer Science, Engineering or similar) or equivalent practical experience
• Strong experience in business-facing technology, data, or digital roles, ideally within a complex operational environment
• Experience working with third-party technology providers or managed service environments, acting as an intelligent client
• Demonstrable experience of translating business needs into scalable technical or data solutions
• Experience of implementing or supporting data-driven decision making, including dashboards, reporting, or analytics tools
• Understanding of modern data platforms, integration methods, and system interoperability principles
• Experience of working with or delivering digital innovation initiatives (e.g. AI, automation, new tools), including proof-of-concepts
• Knowledge of data governance, data quality, and information security principles
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience working across multiple business functions
• Experience of producing technical documentation, data schemas, and architectural diagrams
• Commercial…