Senior Strategic Planner

About the role

The Senior Strategic Planner will lead the creation and delivery of strategic documents aligned with the Long Term Planning Process for the Southern Region’s rail network. You will work closely with internal and external stakeholders, managing virtual teams of rail experts to shape advice that supports long‑term railway needs and immediate service improvements.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and develop the production of strategic documents in line with the Long Term Planning Process (LTPP).
• Support and maintain stakeholder relationships, both internal and external, to ensure alignment of key strategic outputs.
• Manage virtual, cross‑functional teams to incorporate industry expertise into strategic advice.
• Facilitate cross‑functional input to the development of Strategic Advice.
• Contribute to Strategic Advice for specified routes, addressing internal operating perspectives and external strategic routes.
• Manage analysis for capacity studies, considering existing capability, contractual and regulatory obligations, and future traffic forecasts.
• Review Strategic Advice for consistency with other industry plans, especially new rolling stock initiatives.
• Review maintenance and renewal plans to ensure strategic fit and alignment with overall advice.
• Provide ad‑hoc support to the Strategic Planning team as directed by the line manager.

Required profile

• Adaptable individual with proven ability to lead and develop relationships across route, cross‑regional, technical, and external stakeholder groups.
• Experience in strategic planning within a transport or rail context is preferred.
• Understanding of performance analysis and rail network constraints is advantageous but not mandatory.
• Strong analytical mindset with the capacity to assess capacity studies and regulatory impacts.

Required skills