Innovate and Lead: Shape the Future of Rail Performance as Head of NRC at Avanti West Coast!

Please note this role is available in either our Birmingham or London (Euston) office.

As Head of NRC Performance, you will oversee the  PBF scoring regime, including SQR, ensuring WCP maximises its score. This role requires utilising extensive rail industry and regulatory knowledge to identify and improve WCP’s evidence and business processes. It involves ensuring the timely and complete submission of evidence, properly documented in a shared WCP-DfT file system. Additionally, the role includes working with senior colleagues to produce high quality reports for Avanti/WCP executive committees and FirstGroup, presenting compelling assessments of WCP’s performance.

You will: 

• Champion the NRC scorecard and QTM process, refining them throughout the contract's duration. You'll ensure all colleagues, from frontline to HQ, understand their roles in maximising WCP’s scores. By auditing business processes and implementing initiatives, you'll drive measurable performance improvements.
• Use your financial planning and monitoring expertise, you'll transition from qualitative to quantitative scorecard measures, leading the benchmark-setting process with the DfT. You'll coordinate NRC evidence across FirstGroup TOCs, sharing and embedding best practices.
• Manage relationships with stakeholders Internal: Managing Director, West Coast Partnership Exec, Directors, Heads of Dept and External: DfT, First Group, Other TOC PBF Leads, ensuring they deliver for Avanti West Coast and comply with ISO44001 accreditations. team of writers and PBF managers.

You will have:

• Extensive knowledge of TOC activities, rail regulations, and Department for Transport policies.
• Strong understanding of rail commercial contracts and political dynamics.
• Over 5 years of experience in managing rail commercial contracts, with a strong grasp of franchise agreements and financial models.
• Proven skills in business planning, benefits realisation, and applying complex contractual drafting.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills, with experience handling high-value contracts.

For more information on this role, please view the profile in more detail here

Benefits:

• Railway pension scheme
• Free travel on Avanti West Coast for you/spouse/partner/dependents
• Privilege Travel card (75% off other train operators fares for leisure travel)
• 30 days holiday rising by 1 for every completed year of service to a maximum of 37 days (inclusive of bank holidays)
• 10 free journeys on other First Group Train Operator

At Avanti West Coast, we value the differences that make each of us unique! Avanti West Coast recognises the benefits of building a diverse workforce and employing people from diverse backgrounds, which includes their race, religion, age, gender, gender identity, disability and sexual orientation.

Everyone who joins Avanti West Coast becomes part of our close knit team. We're committed to ensuring that Avanti West Coast is inclusive, a place where people are encouraged to be themselves, and not an edited version to fit in. A place where differences are welcomed, recognised, accepted and put to good use!