Lead Technical Assurance Manager, High Speed Rail

Overview

In this role, you will lead programme-level technical assurance for a major rail programme, ensuring a coherent, evidence-based assurance case across sub-systems and the overall system. You will manage a team of Technical Assurance Managers, coordinating across contracts and workstreams to gather verification and validation evidence for stage-gate sign-off. The role requires strong communication with engineers, commercial teams and external bodies to support final authorisation. You’ll drive process improvement and contribute to the department’s ways of working, with a focus on whole-system thinking and risk-aware decision making.

Pay / Benefits

• Pension 12%
• Hybrid (3 days office)

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate a team of Senior Technical Assurance Managers and Technical Assurance Managers across multiple contracts and workstreams
• Assess assurance submissions from supply chain organisations and project teams, escalating risks as needed
• Maintain performance reporting against key metrics and support stage-gate integration sign-off
• Apply V lifecycle, configuration management, and requirements engineering principles at programme level
• Contribute to process improvement and develop departmental ways of working
• Interface with cross-functional stakeholders and external bodies to communicate assurance positions clearly
• Support development of evidence-based assurance cases and associated audit activities

Key requirements

• Background in technical assurance, quality assurance or systems engineering on major infrastructure or rail projects
• Programme-level experience across multiple contracts and disciplines
• Strong knowledge of systems engineering, safety management, configuration management and requirements compliance
• Familiarity with CENELEC EN 5012x, ISO 9001, ISO 10007, CDM Regulations and Common Safety Methodology
• Experience with large-scale data-centric environments and risk/requirements management tools
• Experience with NEC3 or NEC4 contracts
• Chartered Engineer status or equivalent experience is advantageous

• Clear communication of complex assurance positions
• Leadership and team management
• Stakeholder engagement with senior stakeholders
• Systems engineering principles
• Safety management and requirements compliance
• Configuration management

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