As part of the Transport UK Group, West Midlands Trains delivers around 1,300 train journeys a day, for more than 60 million passengers a year, across our two brands - West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway.

We are committed to delivering a safe and reliable train service, by investing in our fleet of trains, stations and employees. As part of this investment, we are looking to recruit a Equality Impact Assessment Manager on a full-time, permanent basis, based in Birmingham.

You will Take ownership of the EqIA process within the business by ensuring completion of assessments by project owners and managers

What does the job involve?

• Ensure that the needs of our customers and colleagues are accounted for, particularly individuals with protected characteristics, and that any mitigations in place as a result of the EqIA’s are sufficient and robust.
• Create an internal framework and process for maintaining a high standard of assessments across the business, monitoring the necessity in carrying out EqIA’s for every project or change, engaging with colleagues across the business to ensure that all departments understand the importance of undertaking EqIAs and have received the appropriate training.
• Manage the internal EqIA governance process to ensure all EqIAs receive the appropriate level of review and sign-off.
• Ensuring that West Midlands Trains is fully compliant with its oblations under the Equality Act 2010, and the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).
• The EqIA manager will take ownership for the EqIA process to ensure all colleagues within the business are aware of their responsibility to complete EqIA’s for any project or change and that colleagues understand the importance of these assessments.
• Ensure the requirement to complete EqIAs is embedded in relevant business processes, such as the business case process, project management, organisational change, and safety validation.
• Manage the governance process and work closely with colleagues when they require support and advice for completing EqIA’s.
• Manage the EqIA training package to ensure that colleagues have the ability to complete EqIA’s to a high standard.
• Support the business to complete appropriate consultation as part of the EqIA process, which would also include engaging with external stakeholders that represent people with protected characteristics.
• Support the Accessibility Strategy & Projects Manager as required with accessibility-related compliance activities, projects and initiatives.

What skills and experience do I need to do the job?

Essential:

• Experience of delivering diversity and inclusion or accessibility strategies and processes.
• Demonstrate working knowledge and technical understanding of the Equality Act 2020 (EA2010) and the ability to translate this into clear advice and guidance with which to influence business decisions/outcomes.
• Strong interpersonal skills and be able to liaise effectively with different stakeholder groups and communicate complex and challenging information clearly and simply. 
• Collaborative team player.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity and address complex problems within a changing work environment.
• Have good working knowledge of all Microsoft office packages, including capability to learn specific railway industry systems and processes

Desirable:

• Desirable but not essential - experience in writing and reviewing compliant EqIAs (or equivalent, such as Diversity Impact Assessments).
• Experience in a rail or a public sector organisation.
• Experience in managing or supporting consultation for EqIAs, ensuring that this feedback is considered (as relevant).
• Comfortable with manipulating and interpreting demographic and other forms of complex data.
• Demonstrated experience in developing collaborative relationships with colleagues to influence / engage the completion of EqIAs for relevant projects / work.

What are the salary and benefits?

• Competitive salary + excellent Benefits
• Defined Benefit pension – one of the best in the UK
• Free travel on all our trains and those of other train companies within our parent group company - for you, your partner and any dependent children
• 75% off all other train company travel tickets
• Retail discounts
• Career development opportunities

Due to the volume of applications, we receive, the advert may close earlier than the published closing date. Please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

As an inclusive employer, we welcome applications from all backgrounds and ensure no-one receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender, race/ethnicity, religion, belief and sexual orientation.

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience gaining employment and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including people from ethnic minorities, people who are neurodivergent, people with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions, and people with diverse gender identities. We will offer an interview to any candidate who meets the minimum criteria and the definition of disability within the Equality Act 2010.

Applications will be considered from colleagues with 6 months experience, after completion of their probationary period and a full check of absence and disciplinary records.