England’s Economic Heartland

Contact:
Region:	England - South East
Location:	Hybrid - Aylesbury and Working from Home
Category:	Rail
Closes:	29 May 2022
Salary:	£50-75K
More info:

Principal Lead - National Networks

Job Description

Overview

England’s Economic Heartland (EEH) is the Sub-national Transport Body for the region that stretches from Swindon across to Cambridgeshire and from Northamptonshire down to Hertfordshire. As a strategic partnership of Local Authorities, EEH provides leadership on strategic transport, and wider strategic infrastructure.Our region is a national priority by the Government and our work plays a key role in supporting the Oxford – Cambridge Arc initiative.

As Principal Lead - National Networks, it’s a great time to come join our team as we deliver the ambitious programme of work in support of the region’s Transport Strategy, published in February 2021. EEH’s programme is about delivering a challenging agenda at pace: focusing on enabling growth, achieving net-zero carbon and realising a step change in connectivity for the region’s residents, communities and businesses.

About Us

The work of England’s Economic Heartland requires strong collaborative working between the local partners and more widely across the region. Its activities involve regular engagement, at a senior level, with Government departments, infrastructure owners and service providers.The team at England’s Economic Heartland is dynamic and motivated, operating in a high energy and professional environment: creativity and innovative thought are encouraged and allows the team to develop their own capabilities and ambitions. A ‘can do’ attitude is at the heart of the way we work, with a strong team spirit ensuring that we stay focused whilst maintaining a friendly working environment. Flexible working enables the team to deliver efficiently and effectively.We are hosted by Buckinghamshire Council as the Accountable Body for EEH.

About The Role

On 25th February 2021, England’s Economic Heartland submitted its final Transport Strategy (to 2050) to the Secretary of State for Transport. The Transport Strategy sets a long-term vision that will enable the region to have a transport system that supports our growth aspirations while still responding and delivering a net-zero carbon transport system by 2050, ideally by 2040. To deliver these aspirations requires a credible, evidence-based plan that can challenge conventional approaches and set a path for the future that is deliverable.

As Principal Lead for national networks, this role is responsible for providing oversight of EEH’s strategic transport network, focusing primarily on rail and key freight routes. In support of the Transport Strategy’s policies, the role will lead EEH’s approach to planning strategic movements on the rail network, including prioritising and advocating investment in the region’s rail priorities, building on the EEH Rail Passenger Study, published in July 2021. In addition, the Principal Lead will ensure the region’s strategic rail and road networks are being used in the most effective way to support a growing freight sector, building on the Freight Topic Paper, published in July 2019.The role requires regular engagement and collaboration at a senior level with Government departments, national infrastructure organisations, including managing EEH’s relationship with Network Rail, the emerging Great British Railways Body as well as service providers. The successful postholder will need to operate with credibility and authority across these sectors.The role will lead EEH’s secretariat of the East West Rail Consortium and as such requires regular engagement and collaboration with the elected Leaders and Executive Directors from across our local authority partners.Within the framework of the overarching Transport Strategy, the role will also be responsible for commissioning professional advice that will support our work, this will include technical analysis through to developing strategy implementation plans. As a Lead Officer, the postholder is responsible for managing the commissioned work within agreed budgets.England’s Economic Heartland is a collaborative partnership and the postholder will need to establish, develop and maintain strong working relationships with our partners.

Hybrid Working

This is ‘mobile’ role giving you the flexibility to schedule your own diary, so you can meet with colleagues and clients in a variety of locations. You’ll access digital folders and resources on your laptop and be able to use the network wherever you are based. Working from home will be common, as well as meeting your team in the office where necessary. The team meet face to face on a weekly basis, where possible in Aylesbury - generally this will be on Mondays. However, reflecting the scale of the area served by England’s Economic Heartland, we welcome applications from across the EEH region and beyond.

About You

As Principal Lead for National Networks, you will need to:

To be a credible thought leader in the sector, representing England’s Economic Heartland across the region and nationally.
To manage delivery of EEH’s Rail Programme, working with Network Rail, the East West Rail Consortium and Strategic Transport Leaders Board to ensure it addresses issues of strategic importance and priority.
To manage delivery of EEH’s Freight Programme and establish our relationship with the logistics sector, working with Local Enterprise Partnerships and the Strategic Transport Leadership Board to ensure it addresses issues of strategic importance and priority.
To respond to, investigate and develop solutions to unresolved problems and anticipate issues by working collaboratively with partners from across the region, Government departments and associated organisations. To move priority rail projects closer to pre-SOBC stage through improved evidence, creative problem solving and identifying funding opportunities.
To actively engage in maintaining a strong and effective working relationship with the Department for Transport, other Government departments, the Sub National Transport community and to manage EEH’s strategic relationship with Network Rail, Great British Railways Transition Team and East West Rail Company.
To produce a pipeline of activity, building on evidence and to comment work to develop business cases for the top priority schemes identified. For each prioritised project, to work with Network Rail and others to develop the methodology for each project (via a commission, working in house, or asking other partners, such as Network Rail to lead the work)
To be responsible for ensuring the technical work programme is delivered, including being responsible for ensuring that commissioned pieces of work are let in a timely manner in accordance with all relevant financial and legal requirements.
To prepare papers for information and decision for England’s Economic Heartland’s governance structure – at political and local level. To work collaboratively at the political and officer level across all of our partners to ensure the work of England’s Economic Heartland captures their expectations and ambitions.
To undertake horizon-scanning to identify opportunities for England’s Economic Heartland to continue to lead the region, and inform the national, approach to transport decarbonisation, the future of rail and balancing logistics, business and resident needs.
To deputise for the Managing Director as required.

Working knowledge of the EEH region would be an advantage but not essential.Our values and cultureThe EEH Business Unit embraces the set of values that have been adopted by our Accountable Body and which represent what we are – Proud, Accountable, Collaborative and Trustworthy.By joining the EEH Business Unit, you can expect:

a fair and inclusive culture
the chance to really make a difference to those around you
health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

As a member of the EEH Business Unit, you will have access to the benefits offered to employees of Buckinghamshire Council. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. You will have access to discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto-enrolment onto the Buckinghamshire Council Pension Scheme. You will have access to a salary sacrifice personal car lease scheme and the opportunity to gain membership to Costco. You will also have access to discounted gym memberships, Travel discounts with Arriva and Chiltern Railways and much more.