Join Our Team at Network Rail!

This is an exciting time to join Network Rail as we celebrate 200 Years of Passenger Rail: Innovating for the Future. It is not just a celebration, though — it's a commitment to continue delivering a simpler, better, greener railway. Investing in our people is key to enhancing the safety, reliability, and efficiency of our railway system.

Network Rail operates and maintains the railway infrastructure 24/7, 365 days a year. From the first passenger railway in 1825 to today’s AI-driven predictive maintenance, the rail industry has continuously evolved. Now, as we enter Network Rail’s Control Period 7 (CP7), the focus is on modernisation, sustainability, and operational efficiency.

We’re passionate about great service and commit to our service equation vision by “Putting Passengers First”. Performance, safety and getting the fundamental basics right is something we strive for, as well as asking ourselves - what can we do to put our passengers and freight users at the centre of everything we do?

Are you ready to make a difference in people's lives? At Network Rail, we connect passengers and freight customers, ensuring safe and efficient transportation across the country. We're an organisation where people truly matter, and when you join us, you matter to us and millions of others. Click here to watch our inspiring video to learn more about us!

We're committed to creating a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. To discover more about our ED&I commitments click here. We value flexibility and understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. As a Disability Confident Leader, we'll do everything we can to accommodate any needs throughout the recruitment process. You can visit Evenbreaks Career Hive for advice on accessibility support.

As a Network Rail employee, you will enjoy a wide range of benefits!

• 28 days annual leave – with the opportunity to buy and/or sell up to 5 days

• Access to a range of contributory pension schemes and the potential to top up your competitive salary with a bonus

• A subsidy of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets if you travel to work on the train

• Privileged staff travel – Leisure travel discount of 75%

• We can offer you a season ticket loan; annual season tickets are discounted.

• A 35-hour-per-week contract with flexible working options available to help support your work-life balance

• Hybrid working and enhanced family-friendly support

• Take advantage of childcare vouchers, healthcare offers (including discounted healthcare club membership), discounted cycle hire, and online shopping sites

• 5 days of paid volunteering leave

• 2 weeks paid reserve leave for the Armed Forces community

Discover more at www.networkrailcareers.com/benefits

About the Role

This opportunity involves effective coordination and management of incidents, accidents, and emergencies on the operational railway. This includes managing responses to infrastructure and operational incidents to restore normal train services and maintaining communication systems. Within this role you'll be required to foster strong relationships with industry partners to minimise disruption impacts. You will be collaborating with Network Rail, customer organisations, and other agencies to ensure a seamless response to any incidents that may arise.

Who Are We Looking For?

We’re seeking individuals with a sharp operational mindset and the ability to manage incidents, accidents, and emergencies with confidence and precision. You’ll need:

• Exceptional coordination skills to lead multi-agency responses and restore train services swiftly
• Strong communication abilities to maintain clear, timely updates across Network Rail, customer organisations, and emergency services
• Situational awareness and decision-making under pressure, ensuring safety and minimising disruption
• Relationship-building skills to foster trust and collaboration with industry partners
• Proactive problem-solving and a commitment to continuous improvement in incident response

If you thrive in fast-paced environments and bring a calm, decisive approach to operational challenges, we’d love to have you on our team.

Join Our Route Control Team!

As part of our dynamic Route Control Team, you'll be at the forefront of managing operational incidents that affect the railway route. Your role will be crucial in ensuring these incidents are handled safely, effectively, and promptly. When situations arise, you'll lead both internal and external parties to re-establish network operations successfully, minimising the impact on train passengers and freight operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Excellence: Work during both normal train running and disruptive events to deliver the best service that meets the diverse needs of the rail industry and our customers.
• Incident Management: Manage the call-out and coordinate the activities of response staff, including maintenance, operations, train operators, contractors, emergency services, and other key industry partners. Ensure safe and speedy recovery as highlighted in the Service Specification.
• Clear Communication: Disseminate accurate, concise, and timely information to train operator staff, Network Rail, passengers, and other Railway Group members, in accordance with company standards and statutory requirements.
• Record Keeping: Maintain a daily log of all notable operational safety, infrastructure, and performance events using the available systems, in line with relevant company standards and instructions.
• Infrastructure Management: Identify and classify infrastructure failures, manage input to FMS and other systems as appropriate.
• Coordination: Handle short notice variations to possession and isolation plans, and design and implement temporary and emergency speed restrictions.
• Remote Monitoring: Actively manage information from remote condition monitoring equipment, coordinate appropriate staff, and record information to deliver a prompt response to alerts.
• Emergency Planning: Work closely with the Route Control Manager and Train Running Controller to develop emergency plans and resources for major incidents.
• Support: Assist the Train Running Controller with VSTP train movements and help set up ‘gold command’/Incident Room during times of disruption.

Essential Criteria

• Knowledge and demonstrable experience of operating procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Experience within a control environment, area operations, or infrastructure role.
• Understanding of fault management procedures.
• Good geographical and organisational knowledge of the applicable ICC controlled area.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and control-specific software (e.g., CCF, TMIS, P2v2, TRUST, TRUST DA, TOPS, FMS, Nexus Alpha, and Alpha Page).
• Working knowledge of the NRN system and its correct use.
• Knowledge of Train Operating Companies within the route.
• Strong team working skills and the ability to make objective decisions.
• Ability to influence others and work under pressure.
• Understanding of the commercial/business landscape within Network Rail and TOCs.

Desirable Criteria

• Geographical knowledge of adjoining routes.

If you have the skills and experience to thrive in this role, we’d love to hear from you! Join us and be a part of a team that keeps the railway running smoothly and efficiently.

Salary: Controller 3 - £65,850

Closing date: 1st September 2025. Please get your application in as soon as possible, we may close the advert before the listed closing date if we receive enough applications. Late applications may not be accepted.

We're dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the passengers we serve. To achieve this, we're committed to becoming an open, diverse, and inclusive workplace, leveraging the skills and expertise of our talented workforce. Together, we strive to create a safe and accessible railway for everyone. We pride ourselves on creating safe and welcoming workplaces with fair cultures that encourage innovative and fresh ways of thinking. Discover more about the importance of Diversity and Inclusion at Network Rail by clicking here.

What does our recruitment process look like?

Once you have applied, our Recruitment Specialist & the hiring manager will look at your CV.

If your experience matches what we're looking for, you'll be contacted by our Resourcing Team and invited to an interview.

We're a Disability Confident Leader employer and we'll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles.

You can visit Evenbreak's Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available. Should you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please add a note to your application.

To apply for this role, click ‘apply now.

Drugs and Alcohol Standard:

All prospective candidates offered a prospective role will be required to undergo and pass a drugs and alcohol test. Your application will be rescinded if you record a positive test. All positive drug and alcohol test results for prospective candidates will be securely held on the Sentinel database, and a 5-year suspension from applying for a safety critical role, a role which requires PTS certification or a Key Safety role on Network Rail Managed Infrastructure, will be enforced.

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information.