Access Support Manager

Position - Full time

Location - Central Birmingham (B3)

Salary - Competitive package and benefits

This is a fantastic time to join West Midlands Trains as we embark on your new franchise to improve our passenger’s journeys. As part of the wider Abellio Group, West Midlands Trains Ltd, operates as a joint venture - West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway, delivering over 1,300 safe and reliable services per day for more than a 60 million passengers per year.  Since the start of our franchise in 2017 we have been committed to improving our services, investing a whopping £1 billion into the region’s network, £18million in the development of all our workforce.

We are looking to recruit an Access Support Manager on a full-time Permanent basis to ensure that WMT is contractually compliant with all station access regimes.You will assist with new stations and station development projects. The successful candidate will be responsible for the completion of station changes, and to support the commercial interests of the business through the management of the Qualifying Expenditure (QX) and Long-Term Charge (LTC) processes. The successful candidate will also provide support to the Franchise & Access team, with track and depot access management.

You will bring with you the following skills and experience:

• A broad understanding of the railway
• An understanding of relationships between Train Operating Companies and Network Rail
• An awareness of Station Access Conditions and the Station Change process
• An awareness of Qualifying Expenditure and Long-Term Charging regimes and charging principles
• Good comprehension of other Regulatory access frameworks
• Strong negotiation skills, ability to scrutinise and challenge to deliver measurable improvements from Network Rail and other suppliers
• Ability to develop close working relationships with other functions and external stakeholders and suppliers, including legal partners when necessary

In addition to a competitive salary West Midlands Trains offers a wealth of benefits including free travel on Abellio trains for you, your partner and dependent children, 75% discount on other train travel over most of the UK rail network, access to an Employee Recognition and Benefits Platform, development opportunities to help further your career with West Midlands Trains, and a defined benefit salary pension.

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.