Location Milton Keynes, GB Department Name GC External Engagement (358450) G4 About Network Rail About Network Rail Join Network Rail - Where People and Connections Matter If you're ready to make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you! Vacancy Details Duration: Permanent. Location: This role is based in the Quadrant:MK. This role is a full-time opportunity, flexible working patterns will be considered. For Quadrant:MK, you must live within 90 minutes. Band & Salary: Band 2B, £71,163 - £84,437 Brief Description As the railway continues to evolve, so too does the way we connect with the public, communities, and customers - including the 25 million people who live, work, or travel beside our railway every day. This is a pivotal moment for Network Rail, with growing expectations, complex challenges, and increasing demand for transparency, responsiveness, and genuine engagement. Were looking for an experienced, influential communications leader to shape how Network Rail listens, responds, and builds trust across the communities we serve. This includes setting the strategic direction for how we use new technology, digital tools, and smarter ways of working to strengthen our engagement and continually improve the experience for the people who depend on us. About the role (External) About the team In this role, youll lead a dedicated, skilled team that brings together public contact, engagement, and insight capabilities. Its an agile, collaborative environment where ideas are encouraged, rapid response is often essential, and every day brings new opportunities to make a meaningful difference. What does the average day look like? Working closely with teams across the business - from operational colleagues to senior leaders - you will: Lead the strategic direction and delivery of community engagement and public contact strategies, including the National Helpline for Network Rail and engagement with 25-million-line side neighbours. Ensure consistent, compliant, and high-quality engagement that strengthens public trust, setting the standards for the business, including National Scorecard targets. Provide clear, confident advice on complex or sensitive issues, helping leaders land messages in the right way. Oversee day to day delivery: reviewing progress, managing external partners, monitoring budgets, and ensuring activity stays on track. Evaluate whats working (and what isnt), using insight and data to improve how we listen and respond to our communities. Champion the use of new technology - from smarter customer contact platforms to digital engagement tools - to modernise how the team works and improve responsiveness and insight. Foster a culture of learning, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the team. No two days are the same - but each one is driven by strong leadership, sound judgement, and a shared commitment to meaningful engagement and positive customer experience. Who are we looking for? Were looking for an experienced, influential communications leader to shape how Network Rail listens, responds, and builds trust across the communities we serve. This is your chance to lead the strategic development of our external community engagement and public contact programmes - ensuring they are aligned, impactful, and fully integrated with our wider corporate communications approach. Were seeking a confident, highly capable communications leader with: Substantial experience developing and delivering corporate community engagement strategies. A strong background in customer relationship management. Evidence of leading high-performing teams and guiding outsourced providers. Excellent judgement and the ability to grasp and communicate complex or sensitive issues. Proven success influencing stakeholders at senior levels. Strong planning, organisational, and financial management skills. Outstanding written and verbal communication skills. A data-led approach to evaluating impact and shaping improvement. ILM or equivalent professional leadership qualifications. Essential Criteria Substantial experience in developing and maintaining customer relationship management strategies and programmes. Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) or equivalent professional qualifications. Proven ability to grasp, understand and promote complex and sensitive issues in a persuasive and sensible way. Excellent proven influencing skills at a senior level within large organisations. Experience of managing and directing outsourced providers. Evidence of proven leadership and team management skills at senior level. Strong planning and financial skills, with the ability to deliver projects and activities on time and within budget. Desirable Chartered institute of Marketing (CIM) accreditation. Ability to maintain and develop a wide network of stakeholder contacts. A proven track record of interpreting data and promoting business process change. High standards of written and spoken communication. Demonstrable understanding of Section 106 Planning obligation and formal public consultation. Please see attached job description for full details. How to apply (External) Some of our great benefits: Flexible/hybrid working arrangements considered. Generous annual leave (28 days plus statutory days), with the option to buy/sell days. Discounts at stations with your Network Rail pass. Defined benefit pension scheme 75% subsidy on train tickets. ️ Interest-free travel loan for train and car park season tickets. ️ Volunteer leave to make a positive impact. Plus more .