Jobs, fresher vacancy - Head of Rail Engagement • UK

Company: Connected Places Catapult

UK

Location London or Milton Keynes (minimum of two days a week in the office. You can do more than two days if preferable)Reporting to Rail Director, Alan PetersWorking hours Full time (9day Fortnight companywide)Contract type/duration Permanent Band 4.3Salary £81,000 to £89,000 (Dependant on proven ability and location)Closing date 9am 30th September 2025Internal Role Code RC299The roleAs Head of Rail Engagement, you will lead the strategic engagement activities across the Rail Directorate, acting as a key interface between Connected Places Catapult and its rail stakeholders. This role is pivotal in shaping and sustaining a robust pipeline of commercial and collaborative opportunities, ensuring they are underpinned by alignment with our rail strategy. Working collaboratively with other ‘Heads of’ within the Rail directorate, you will look to create and maintain meaningful and impactful  client relationships and ensure the new opportunities match with CPC delivery capability.     The role demands a proactive leader who can translate strategic account ambitions into tangible engagement outcomes, while continuously evolving CPC’s rail engagement approach in response to ever-changing industry needs. ResponsibilitiesMeet revenue targets. Drive the development and presentation of client proposals collaborating with teams across CPC. Lead the development of collateral to support ‘go to market’ propositions and service offerings. Manage accounts – working with account leads and teams to support opportunity identification, qualification and contracting. Oversee and ensure compliant use of CRM process and system. Ownership of pipeline management for accounts and business development. Manage the contracting with Legal and Commercial team. Shape, lead and deliver value through guiding innovative delivery projects/ engagements. Assure the quality of client delivery. Ensure dissemination and feedback on CPC standard internal communications. Lead stakeholder management and relationship building at senior levels to ensure buy in to innovation delivery. Recognised thought leader. Support the development of professions member's skills to ensure consistency of service delivery and expertise. Coach and mentor junior colleagues. Drive high attendance at Heads of Profession activities and events. Maintain own professional development. Ensure an ethos of equity, inclusivity and diversity underpin your work activity, contribute to inclusive innovation across all Catapult activities. You may be required to undertake any other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations. RequirementsProvide coaching and feedback that drives development, innovation, creativity, and delivery in team using key metrics and data points, offers challenge and support as required to maintain high performance. Use emotional intelligence to create an environment where team members feel safe to experiment, challenge and try new things. Seek, encourage and create the conditions for continuous improvements in processes, systems, behaviours and ways of working. Build motivation and engagement in the team through understanding of the person, their aspirations and development needs. Manage performance through effective goal setting based on business and role objectives and development needs or desires. Complete regular one on one discussions and performance reviews that ensure clarity over performance levels and development areas. Provide clarity of expectations and takes ownership of wider team performance. Managing change, navigating the team through the 'transition fog', mitigating resistance, and ensuring everyone's on board with the new direction. Organise the work and team around multiple simultaneous initiatives, with reference to key policies, practices and procedures, effectively prioritises tasks and delegates effectively. Use management information to understand trends, gaps, challenges and opportunities and make commercial decisions. Actively build an inclusive and sustainability focused team culture that celebrates the value of diverse experiences and perspectives, ensures team compliance with policies, and apply equalities impact assessments on all aspects of work at CPC.Benefits 9 day fortnight for everyone, we have a full company shutdown every other Friday. 23.5 holiday entitlement for everyone, with pro-rata calculations for part-time employees, along with a Christmas shutdown period for additional days off. Competitive pension, up to 10% company contribution to help you save for your future. Two paid days of volunteering leave per year (pro-rata for part-time employees) to support charitable activities. Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing 24/7 confidential work/life support services to you and your immediate family members. Cycle to Work Scheme encouraging a healthy and sustainable commute. Cash Health Plan, offering reimbursement for a wide range of essential and everyday healthcare expenses, promoting your well-being. Payroll Giving scheme, allowing regular charitable contributions from pre-tax income, maximizing the impact of your donations. Discounts and offers from a wide variety of retailers, enhancing your purchasing power and providing savings opportunities. Mortgage Advice benefit, delivered in partnership with Charles Cameron & Associates – provides employees with free, expert mortgage advice and end-to-end mortgage support from the application process through to completion. Employment here is based solely upon individual merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. We strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by law. We also make all reasonable accommodations to meet our obligations under laws protecting the rights of the disabled.