About the job

Summary

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Salary: £48,774 (National minimum) £54,105 (London minimum)

Do you enjoy working on a broad range of analytical projects that provides exposure with industry partners?

Would you relish an opportunity to take ownership of revising and updating the Department’s appraisal guidance?

If so, we are looking for an experienced analyst to join our Rail Modelling team, and we would love to hear from you.

Job description

As Head of Guidance, you will play the vital role of leading our research which creates the evidence base for analysing a multi-billion pound rail investment programme.

Rail Modelling sits within Rail Analysis, a division made up of 7 teams covering Services, Strategy, Reform, Infrastructure, and Modelling. We work collaboratively with teams across the department, including those who lead on providing analysis to inform decisions around infrastructure projects and reform, as well as statistics, research, and fares. Externally we work with industry and consumer groups on projects such as improving investment appraisal guidance and schemes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the rail sector.

Our team welcome people with a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, we have members of various governmental professions including the Government Economic Service (GES), Transport Modelling and Operational Research.

Responsibilities

In this role, your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading on improving our understanding on the drivers to rail demand and putting into practice in updating the short, medium and long-term demand forecasts that feed into appraisal decisions through Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG)

• Owning specific units of TAG for rail demand forecasting which is published on Department for Transport’s (DfT) website

• Steering and shaping the research agenda to ensure an accurate evidence base for decision making

• Attending and representing Rail Modelling and/or the Department in key research groups and boards which relate to rail demand forecasting and TAG.

You will have the option to be based in our London office attracting the London salary, or in Leeds or Birmingham attracting the National salary.

About you

You will be a highly experienced analyst with knowledge of demand modelling and/or Transport Analysis Guidance and will demonstrate the capability to understand TAG. You will think creatively to find analytical solutions to novel or complex issues.

You will display excellent communication skills to articulate highly technical and complex messages from analysis to a diverse audience. You will be team focused with the ability to build trusted working relationships with diverse teams and industry partners to influence business decisions.

With a strategic awareness and understanding of project management techniques, you will balance multiple and challenging workloads.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace