Log In
Sign Up
About DFT Operator Join Our Team at DFTO
DFTO is the government’s public sector rail owning group. Its purpose is to bring all currently privately-owned train operators into public ownership in advance of the creation of Great British Railways in 2027 – and deliver improvements in the here and now by unifying and integrating train operations under common public ownership.
DFTO has over 30,000 employees, runs over 8,500 services a day and delivers over 640 million customer journeys across its networks every year. 7,000 people joined the railway family in the last year
Major improvements are being delivered by DFTO train operators (TOCs) that are already under public ownership – these are LNER, Northern, TransPennine Express (TPE), Southeastern, South Western Railway (SWR), c2c, Greater Anglia and WM Trains.
We work closely with the DfT but operate independently with our own governance and leadership teams. Our priority is ensuring efficient, dependable rail services for everyone.
Primary Purpose Of Job
The Intercity Express Programme Contract Manager role is the key point of contact between the Department and the private train supply contractor Agility Trains.
This role encompasses close collaborative working across the whole of the DfT, DFTO, relevant Train Operating Companies, wider stakeholders, advisors and external partners. This role is responsible for ensuring delivery of contractual obligations and managing the day-to-day mechanisms and processes of the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) contracts.
The role is varied and fast paced, and you will be responsible for ensuring delivery of benefits to passengers by working with the train suppliers, operators and project teams, supporting management of day-to-day issues as they arise securing delivery of contracted obligations. Monitoring train availability and performance, managing contract changes, drafting reports or Ministerial briefings and correspondence as well leading on administration, and widerinformation management.
This role also leads on the management of advisory and other supporting contracts. This includes procurement (and re-procurement), ongoing management of deliverables andperformance monitoring.
In this role you will gain practical delivery experience in stakeholder and supplier management as well building up strong contract management capability. As you learn to manage these high value, complex contracts, you develop the commercial awareness to support the Department for Transport to drive and deliver positive outcomes for rail passengers.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage the day-to-day contractual relationship between the internal experts, train operators ensuring that the delivery of obligations and responsibilities are monitored through to completion and that appropriate auditability is in place.
- Develop a collaborative working relationship with the operator and train suppliers to ensure that the interests of passengers and taxpayers are protected.
- Build up an expert knowledge of the IEP contracts and contracting framework. Using this knowledge to effectively manage the contracts on a day-to-day basis. Proactively address day-to-day commercial issues as they arise and provide advice to senior colleagues on emerging risks to the delivery of franchise obligations.
- Work in partnership with colleagues to manage contractual changes, ensuring proper and accurate records of these are maintained. Lead and support contractual negotiations, variations and enforcement procedures as required.
- Lead on specific work streams on contract management excellence as they relate to the IEP.
- Organise contractual meetings with delivery and supply advisory partners and produce or review accurate meeting minutes. Using the outputs of these meetings, prepare emerging results and reports each month providing accurate evidence and information.
- Lead the procurement, and management of contracts relating to technical, legal, financial and other support.
- Management of the IEP budget and financial management.
- Undertake duties and responsibilities as the Local Information Manager
- Support briefings and correspondence from external stakeholders and the public.
Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Technical Qualifications
We are looking for candidates with:
- Excellent planning, administrative and organisation skills
- Effective communication skills, both orally and in writing and able to collaborate with team members and stakeholders at all levels.
- A proactive approach to delivering results and ability to take own initiative.
- Ability to work under pressure supporting large projects and able to adopt to ever changing demands.
- Demonstrated excellent communication skills
- Effectively built positive relationships with key partners
- Demonstrated excellent planning and organisation skills
Vacancy Details
Duration: Permanent or Secondment
Location: Leeds
Salary: up to £42,596
Closing date: 6th May 2026
DFTO Benefits
Annual Leave: Starting at 25 days and rising to an additional day per year of service completed within the first 5 completed years up to a maximum of 5 additional (30 days)
DC Pension Scheme: 10% Employer contribution, 5% Employee contribution
Opportunities to learn and network across the wider industry
Additional Information…
Disclaimer: Candidates applying for this position on a secondment basis must inform their line manager prior to submitting their application. This is to ensure transparency and facilitate any necessary discussions regarding workload and responsibilities.
About our people and the recruitment process – We’re an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don’t always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we’ll do our best to help and invest in your career with us, whilst you have a healthy work life balance.
Contact: If you have any questions or reasonable adjustments, please contact Amra.Hurley@dftoperator.co.uk.
Please do not email any CV’s to us, your application must be made by clicking the ‘Apply’ button.
