Programme Manager

Arriva Rail London
Southwark, London/ Hybrid
12 month FTC/ Secondment
Closing Date: 15th October 2025
Arriva Rail London is an industry-leading train operating company, responsible for running the London Overground network under a Concession Agreement with Transport for London (TfL) and is part of the Arriva group.

Here at Arriva, we are on our way to becoming the leading passenger transport partner across Europe, delivering more than 2.2 billion passenger journeys across 14 different European countries every year. We have a vision to help shape a future where passenger transport is the best choice, through digitisation, sustainability, and continuous improvement, we want you to join us at the forefront of the passenger transport industry

Are you a skilled programme professional with a passion for shaping business-wide transformation? We're looking for a Programme Manager to play a pivotal role in delivering high-impact projects across ARL. This is a unique opportunity to lead cross-functional change initiatives, with a particular focus on Concession end and transition activities. You'll provide critical oversight and assurance across our business transition programme, ensuring robust governance, streamlined processes, and effective delivery at every stage.

Responsibilities

• You will be responsible for supporting the planning and design of projects and programmes, proactively monitoring progress and resolving issues to keep delivery on track.
• The Programme Manager will lead emerging change projects linked to Concession transition activities, ensuring business continuity is fully understood and maintained.
• This individual will define and uphold programme governance, ensuring compliance with all relevant business processes and procedures.
• You will be responsible for maintaining quality assurance and programme integrity, aligning delivery with strategic objectives.
• The Programme Manager will ensure projects are delivered to the right quality, on time and within budget, in line with agreed plans and governance.
• This individual will collaborate with management, procurement, finance, IT and infrastructure teams to support seamless, cost-effective delivery.
• You will be responsible for managing dependencies and interfaces across projects to ensure cohesive programme execution.
• The Programme Manager will identify and mitigate risks to safeguard successful outcomes throughout the programme lifecycle.
• This individual will support smooth transitions into business-as-usual operations where appropriate, embedding sustainable change.
• You will be responsible for initiating additional activities or interventions where delivery gaps or issues arise, and reporting progress at agreed intervals.

Qualifications

• The ideal individual will need to be educated to a degree level, or will need to have equivalent experience, as well as a Project Management certification (PRINCE2/APM) and will need to be familiar with Lean Six methodology, but this isn't essential.
• You will need to have a proven track record of leading projects/ programmes within a multi-stakeholder environment, with strong experience and skills of writing and gaining support for business cases.
• A track record of developing strong relationships within a multi-discipline environment is essential for this role, as well as fantastic stakeholder management skills.
• You will need to have a basic understanding of railway operating principles, with strong commercial acumen and excellent political awareness.
• This individual will need to have effective and persuasive written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at any level.
• You will need to be able to work under pressure and require the ability to work effectively towards tight deadlines.

Benefits

• Free Travel for you and a nominated person at your address on TfL Network - this alone worth total £5,200 per annum
• Discounts on European rail services after 1 year of service
• Free travel on Arriva branded rail services around the country
• 75% discount off of season tickets on other Train Operating Companies
• Arriva Village - web based discounts on various products/services on the high street
• Employee Assistance Programme - 24hr helpline, covering a multitude of subjects

At Arriva we acknowledge the importance of our people's diverse experiences, talents, and cultures. Embracing diversity and creating inclusion is a key component of our talent strategy. The creation of a diverse, inclusive workforce is central to our ability to unlock potential and enhance our success...
If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made to the application or interview process, please don't hesitate to let us know.