Brief Description
Who are we looking for?
Someone with experience of managing graduates who understands when to support, guide, challenge and direct and uses those skills appropriately. You will be organised, so you can create and manage cohort wide training plans (for two year groups at a time) as well as manage up to 40 graduates nationally. You will also be able to balance guiding the graduate to make career choices that help them find their direction and succeed, whilst also representing the business requirements. You will need to engage and coach placement managers to ensure they support the graduate learning journey and not leverage a resource. You will be a self starter as well as a team player and in return, you will be empowered to make the role your own, and supported in making decisions where two heads are better than one.
About the role (External)
About the team..
Working in the CFO directorate, the Rail Investment Centre of Excellence are responsible for driving continuous improvement in rail investment to deliver a Simpler, Better and Greener railway. This is achieved by providing a number of products and services to support the rail investment projects and programmes nationally.
You will form a vital part of the Professional Development team who look after competence, learning and development, talent and new entrants for the project management community.
What does the average day look like?
Driving the success of Project Management New Entrant Programmes, this role ensures the effective management, development, and pastoral care of new talent, shaping the future capability of Project Managers and Sponsors. From implementing tailored training and development plans to managing budgets, coaching, and mentoring, it fosters a culture of personal growth, accountability, and excellence. Collaborating with Resource Planning teams and business leaders, it aligns skills and resources with industry demands while promoting best practices and career progression. Partnering with HR, it leads recruitment, onboarding, and university engagement, ensuring a seamless transition for graduates and placements. With a strong focus on performance management, engagement, and reporting, this role champions the continuous evolution of project management talent to meet both individual aspirations and business needs.
Essential Criteria
·Excellent people management skills, including proven track record of coaching and people development techniques
·Extensive experience in managing people in a project management environment including all aspects of performance and reward management.
·Demonstrable experience of providing leadership and/or management in a project management discipline or environment.
·Strong interpersonal skills including effective written and verbal communication.
·Appreciation of university academic lifecycles
Desirable Criteria
·Training delivery and design
·Knowledge of the rail industry
·Previous experience of delivering high quality graduate and industrial placement programmes
·Extensive experience of managing graduates whilst on scheme