BUSINESS FUNCTION: People GRADE: ML2/SB1 SALARY: Circa £60,000 ROLE TYPE: Hybrid HOURS : 37 per week Take the lead in shaping the future of our Engineering function. As the Engineering People Lead – TRU (TransPennine Route Upgrade), you’ll drive long-term people strategies and deliver key projects that enable organisational change and growth across a major transformation programme. This is a unique opportunity to influence a large-scale, multi-year programme within our Engineering function and your role will be instrumental in helping to build a robust, future-ready rail network within the North of England. With major change on the horizon, you’ll be responsible for developing and implementing the people plan that enables programme delivery, ensuring teams are equipped to meet the operational requirements and milestones over the next five years. You’ll lead on the People Strategy workstream, working collaboratively with stakeholders, engaging with people team centres of excellence, managing timelines, resources, and reporting to keep activities on track. Working closely with senior leaders, specialist teams, and community stakeholders, you’ll champion cultural development and deliver a positive colleague experience at every stage. If you’re passionate about driving impactful change, thrive on managing complex projects, and want to make a lasting difference, this role offers the chance to be at the heart of a transformational journey. Key responsibilities: This is a varied and challenging role, but here is a taste of what your day-to-day activities could include: Lead the People Workstream: Deliver the Engineering TRU People workstream activities, ensuring milestones are met and reporting requirements are fulfilled, deputising for the Head of Engineering People Transformation when needed. Develop and Deliver Project Plans: Own the creation and implementation of people project plans, managing timelines, reporting progress, and holding stakeholders accountable for delivery. Support Organisational Design and Change Management: Provide HR expertise to shape organisation design, lead consultation activities, and deliver change management plans to ensure smooth transitions and stakeholder engagement. Risk Management and Workforce Planning: Identify and mitigate short and long-term people risks, including skills gaps and retention challenges, ensuring plans align with programme objectives. Stakeholder Collaboration and Communication: Work with leaders, internal teams, Trade Unions and external stakeholders to embed Northern’s identity and values, creating a culture that supports long-term business goals. Recruitment and Training Strategies: Develop workforce attraction, recruitment, and training plans to ensure operational readiness and skills development at Shipley and other TRU sites. About you: We’re seeking a dynamic and experienced HR professional with a proven track record of delivering large-scale change in complex, multi-site, and unionised environments. You’ll be a confident communicator and skilled relationship builder, able to influence senior leaders and stakeholders while providing expert advice and guidance. We’re looking for someone with strong project management experience, particularly within a People or HR environment. You’ll have a solid understanding of project planning, timelines, and resource management, with the ability to deliver both short-term goals and long-term projects on time and within scope. Experience in coordinating multiple workstreams, managing stakeholders, and keeping projects on track is essential. You’ll also need a working knowledge of project management tools and methodologies, along with the ability to adapt plans and priorities as projects evolve. If you’re passionate about shaping culture, enabling growth, and delivering impactful results, this role is for you. We’re also looking for the following: Experience delivering organisational design and change management activities. Strong project management experience. Proven ability to coach, guide, and challenge senior leaders effectively. CIPD Level 5 qualification or equivalent experience. Expertise in managing employee relations, including trade union negotiations. Ability to interpret strategy and translate it into clear delivery plans. Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making skills. Our Benefits: Because we value our people and reward hard work, we’ve created a benefits package that we think you’ll love. So, you’ll be able to make the most of: Cycle to Work Scheme - save up to 42% on the cost of a bike, while also spreading your payments throughout the year. Free Travel on Northern services - everyone who works at Northern, plus their partners/spouses and dependents, can travel for free right across our full network of services. Certain eligibility criteria will apply. 75% discount with other Train Operating Companies - after 1 year with us, you’ll also get discounted travel on many other rail services in the UK and Europe. Defined Benefit Pension Scheme - you’ll rarely find a pension as good as a Northern pension, and we top up your pension with a generous 1.5 times your contribution. Maternity and Paternity Benefits - we go above and beyond the standard, and mums can enjoy 9 months’ maternity leave on full pay while dads can make the most of 2 weeks’ paternity leave on full pay. Employee Assistance Programme - advice, support and useful information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on everything from family issues to lifestyle matters. Exclusive benefits with Northern Perks - enjoy retail discounts, instant vouchers, cashback, wellbeing support and much more. Holiday Purchase Scheme - if you join us at Manager or Executive level or above, you can use your salary to buy up to 5 additional days of annual leave each year. You can find out more here Connecting millions of people and communities across the North is our mission. With 2,500 trains a day, we connect people to jobs, friends, family, and the wonders of the North. We're improving rail travel, enhancing the experience on board and at stations. Customers are at the heart of our business as we improve performance and create a better way to go. We're driving economic value and sustainable growth for the North and its people. Our commitment to the environment means reducing our impact and enhancing the world around us. Make a difference. Make it last. Make it yours. Make it easy. Make it happen. These are our values. Ready to make them yours? Join us on this journey. Please note that Northern reserves the right to close recruitment for this role before the published closing date, if high volumes of applications are received. However, if you miss the application window for this particular role, please keep checking back for other opportunities. We are always on the lookout for great people to join the Northern Team We’re an equal opportunities employer and a promoter of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds, regardless of gender, sex, ethnicity, race, religion, education, socioeconomic background, disability, or sexual orientation. We also have Disability Confident status, which means we’re committed to making the most of the talents that disabled people can bring to the workplace.