Rail Safety Manager

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Job description

This role is responsible for leading and continuously improving the organisation's safety strategy, ensuring robust governance, statutory compliance, and alignment with rail industry standards. You will design and deliver safety improvement initiatives, oversee the implementation and assurance of the Safety Management System (including fire safety), and provide clear direction on occupational safety matters. The role also involves leading and developing the safety team, promoting a strong, positive safety culture across the business, and engaging stakeholders through reporting, safety tours, investigations, and key safety initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Act as the corporate lead for rail safety, serving as the primary point of contact for government bodies and regulators, including the London Fire Brigade and the Office of Rail and Road, and supporting external audits and regulatory activity.
• Represent HAL Rail at a range of internal and external stakeholder forums, including Heathrow Engineering, Heathrow Express, Transport Operating Companies, and corporate safety and assurance panels.
• Work closely with Rail Training, Engineering, Operations, and Safety & Compliance teams to ensure rail safety risks are effectively identified, managed, and mitigated across all operational areas.
• Provide expert input into safety standards and the Safety Management System, ensuring the business operates a safe, compliant, and efficient railway in line with legislation and industry best practice.

Qualifications

• Proven senior safety management experience within a regulated environment, ideally rail and/or airport operations.
• Demonstrable experience developing and delivering safety strategies and continuous improvement plans.
• Strong background in occupational safety, ensuring ongoing statutory and regulatory compliance.
• Experience briefing senior leadership teams on new and emerging safety risks with confidence and clarity.
• Expertise in safety auditing, investigations, and risk assessment, including coaching and supporting teams in these areas.
• Fire safety experience and/or industry-recognised fire safety qualification.
• Environmental experience and/or an industry-recognised environmental qualification.

Our rewards

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we'll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we'll provide varied learning and development opportunities too.

Working location

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow. Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You'll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.

Sustainable Travel to work

Heathrow's Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.

Equal Opportunities

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger - not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.

About the Team

Be part of this city within a city. Every year, millions of people travel through Heathrow. Joining our Engineering team means being at the heart of a complex operation whose size, scale and reputation for innovation are unique. We make sure the airport is always running smoothly and keep passengers and planes moving.

Our team touches all aspects of airport life - from water to energy, rail to roads, baggage systems to runways. The scope and variety of what we do is vast, spanning mechanical, electrical, water, civil, rail and environmental disciplines. Together we are responsible for the performance of 500,000 assets worth £14bn. It means there are always a wide range of interesting development, construction and maintenance projects to get involved with. And a lot of ways to develop your skills, career and reputation.

You’ll be part of a close-knit, driven team, taking on work that you can take real pride in and feel passionate about. It's an exciting place to be, where every day, you'll discover a world of fresh possibilities and you'll be mentored by world-class experts every step of the way.

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