Job Description
2026 – Programme Controls Graduate
HS2’s Graduate programmes have been designed to create meaning opportunities for hands on experience and broad exposure across the project and within specified discipline areas.
Graduates will learn directly from industry experts, gaining valuable insight into real world practices whilst building their professional network.
The programmes offer a range of learning and development opportunities from technical development to core skills development, equipping graduates with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to grow and succeed at HS2 and beyond
There are four x Programme controls graduate opportunities available this year - two based in London and two based in Birmingham. All positions will involve regular travel to various site locations along the HS2 route.
The Programme Controls graduate programme has been specifically tailored to build capability and competence in various aspects of programme and project controls. It will provide you with experience and exposure to the different aspects through role rotations, ‘on-the-job’ training, technical qualifications and support from technical leads and mentoring.
Programme Controls
At HS2 Ltd Programme Controls plays a key role in setting standards and establishes integrated controls to provide clear and consistent views of project progress. These controls ensure timely, informed decision making and provide confidence that projects are being managed on time, within scope and budget.
What you’ll do
As a Programme Controls Graduate, you will support the Chief Programme Office Directorate (CPO) and wider Project Controls teams to support the overall management and coordination of multiple projects within a programme. You will be involved in all facets of programme controls including risk, cost, schedule and change management.
Responsibilities may include:
1. Supporting administration of CPO and Project Controls processes on a project under the supervision and mentorship of more senior Project Controls or Project/Programme Management professionals assigned to commission.
2. Risk management – supporting the identification, assessment and mitigation of risks across the programme. Help in maintaining risk registers and ensuring risks are communicated and managed effectively.
3. Monitoring and reporting – assisting in tracking progress of projects against timelines, budgets and milestones.
4. Change control – help manage changes to the programme’s scope ensuring that any changes are documented, assessed for impact and approved according to change management processes.
5. Stakeholder management – support effective communication between project teams, programme managers and stakeholders, ensuring that key information is shared and understood.
Graduate rotations will likely include the following Programme Controls placements:
6. Risk & Opportunity: own and manage HS2’s Strategic Risks. Apply the Risk Management Processes and oversee the risk management standards, policies and processes, ensuring that critical risk categories are being identified, mitigated and managed, using both Qualitative and Quantitative tools
7. Scope & Change: the Scope Function is responsible for gathering and assessing stakeholder requirements whilst setting out the steps to control and assure the design development and delivery of HS2 Programmes. The Change Function is responsible for capturing and assessing potential changes to scope, ensuring that only beneficial changes are made to the approved HS2 Client Baseline or a Contract Baseline.
8. Cost Control & Cost Estimating: provides subject matter expertise and advice in Cost Management, Cost Estimating, Cost Intelligence. Implementing cost management and estimating policies, processes and standards, ensuring these are effectively executed across the organisation.
9. Planning: responsible for the development and management of the integrated schedules and interface plans. Primavera P6 is the main tool used for highly complex planning carried out over the HS2 whole programme of work scope.
CPO: A CPO placement will provide an understanding of how consistent standards are developed and deployed to ensure the HS2 project is on target to deliver its benefits and that HS2’s Executive Team, Senior Leadership Team and external sponsors are given accurate, timely and consistent performance updates.
Project Controls teams: A project controls placement will enable you to develop an understanding of the interfaces between the controls and delivery teams, and the controls and the CPO teams.
About You:
Skills:
10. Ability to build effective and collaborative working relationships within multidisciplinary teams and with a variety of stakeholders
11. Ability to compile, assess and analyse information, data and reports
12. Planning and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and deliver day to day tasks to agreed deadlines and agreed standards
13. Ability to communicate effectively using a range of mediums, including presentations
14. Ability to evaluate complex issues and problem solve
Knowledge:
15. On track to achieve or already hold a minimum of a 2:2 degree (or non-UK equivalent)
16. Knowledge of IT software such as MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint (or equivalent)
Does HS2 offer sponsorship if I do not have the Right to Work in the UK?
To be eligible to apply for HS2’s 2026 Graduate programmes, all applicants will need to already hold the on-going Right to Work in the UK, that is not timebound in any way.
Due to the nature of our organisation, HS2 are not able to sponsor any applications as we do not hold the required sponsorship license from the UK Home Office and candidates are not allowed to sponsor themselves.
We appreciate the Right to Work question can be complex to understand, so if you are unsure of your Right to Work status in the UK, please email us at HS2Jobs@hs2.org.uk and we will be happy to advise further.
Please note, to enable HS2 to comply with UK Home Office policy, Right to Work status will be checked early in the recruitment process.
Graduate programme salaries:
Salaries are currently pending pay review however please see below figures based on 2025;
17. London: Basic £26,871 + 15% Flexible allowance = £30,902
18. Birmingham: Basic £24,022 + 15% Flexible allowance = £27,625
Please note the rotational placements may vary and are subject to business requirements.