Senior Consultant (Rail Delivery)

Job Description

Contract type/Duration: Fixed Term (until Feb 2027), Part Time


Working hours: 24hrs p/w


Band: 3.1


Salary: £51, 500 - £62,000 (depending on office location and proven ability)


Reports to: Head of Rail Delivery


Location: Milton Keynes/London (minimum of two days a week in the office. You can do more than two days if preferable)


Internal Job Code: RC284F


Closing date: 9am on the 12th January 2026.
Recruiter Interviews: week commencing 12th January 2026
Panel Final Stage: 20th January 2026

The Role

Based within the Rail Directorate of the Connected Places Catapult, this role is for someone with a strong background in design thinking, human-centred design, and qualitative research or related field. The role is to be a key part of our ability to understand requirements and opportunities for innovation, and by working as part of a matrix team to help deliver innovation within UK transport sector, primarily rail. Candidate will be required to:

• Conduct robust qualitative research, and delivering research outcomes to stakeholders for onward use.
• Work with SMEs to help assess and understand their value propositions, market readiness and trial plans from a human-centred perspective.
• Deliver human-centred expertise when working together with commercial/business and technology-centric professionals so collectively innovation can be progressed.
• Design and facilitate workshops to help stakeholders assess and progress innovation related situations

Overall this is an excellent opportunity for someone who can work independently as well as within a team, someone who can organise and facilitate workshops, stepping up to work at pace when required, all whilst leveraging their human-centric and transport experience.

Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities

• Meet revenue targets​.
• Spot opportunities​.
• Contribute to bids and proposals.
• Increase client confidence in and credibility of CPC, manage sell ons and 2nd phase wins.
• Ensure CRM system is updated stakeholder contact and any account information including opportunity management.
• Scope and lead streams of work​.
• Shape the planning and budget​ing of work.
• Shape and design the deliverables​.
• Manage the PMO and commercial control​.
• Organise the work stream for the core and virtual team members​.
• Provide excellence in delivery​.
• Meet (or exceed) utilisation targets.
• Design and plan innovative and professional delivery.
• Develop senior client buy in across a range of stakeholders​.
• Hold face off accountability at senior management levels.
• Update CRM system with contact of client information.
• Contribute profession/specialism into delivery and proposal development​.
• Provide thought leadership​.
• Work in profession virtual community​.
• Provide learning opportunities.
• 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.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Required Competencies

• Spark creative thinking across all tasks.
• Apply systems thinking to problem solving.
• Create effective networks.
• Use personal influence to progress beyond challenges and blockers.
• Use experience to provide the voice of the customer in all activities.
• Effectively manage communication across teams and stakeholders, lead meetings and contribute to publications and events.
• Co-ordinate plans across activities.
• Role model agility and adaptation.
• Champion and promote inclusion and sustainability.

Benefits

• 9 day fortnight for everyone, 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.