Leading for Network Rail in the performance task force. Delivering improved service to all stakeholders, including passengers, through clear analysis, observation and feedback. Delivering immediate improvement action both in the trainplan and in business practice at the operational delivery level. Implementing lasting change in performance management activities, timetable development and project interface. Creating an environment of engagement in performance delivery activity.Creating a best industry practice approach to IP and Route contingency planning through exceptionally close and productive working relationships with train operators. Influencing how work is delivered to minimise risk and maximise outcome. Ensuring that passenger impacts are minimised and that plans are solid and well understood, so that when needed they are easily deliverable, efficient, and create minimal reputational risk.Delivering the operational readiness for the new Chiltern Oxford service. A hugely detailed plan was drawn up and all actions were delivered over an intense six month period leading to start up. Service delivery has been successful, with high PPM maintained and new customers attracted to rail travel. Delivery to other operators in a congested and operationally challenging area has been equally unimpacted.Leading the TCRAG process for the Route. Reforming and improving the quality and effectiveness of this process to ensure the huge volume of change with respect to rolling stock, routes operated, traffic levels and timetables is fully understood and assessed with minimal risk to the business.

I created a culture of honesty, understanding and respect throughout the whole operations team. I personally drove this culture change, leading by example and gaining the trust of my team by demonstrating the related benefits and building stronger relationships across the business as a result.I delivered performance improvement initiatives through correctly and effectively incentivising signallers, developing stronger shift signaller managers and correcting longstanding timetable and platforming issues. My actions delivered a reduction in signaller-caused delay incidents and resulting delay minutes. I engaged with trade union representatives from the RMT, TSSA and Unite on many complex issues. I built strong relationships with each of these stakeholders which facilitated delivery of excellent staff safety and welfare and moved the relationship forward to a new level of trust and openness. I achieved successful outcomes on many difficult issues and delivered high levels of staff engagement and customer satisfaction.I delivered solutions to safely and efficiently manage severe staff shortages, and did so during a period of significant change as a new Rail Operating Centre was beginning to be populated. Innovatively recruiting into roles with limited remaining life, I delivered short term operational success whilst avoiding unnecessary future financial liabilities. My fixed annual budget was subject to constantly changing circumstances and short term challenges. I used knowledge from within my team to create a strategy to tackle the root cause of arising fiscal issues. I challenged some areas under my control to outperform financially through short term activity, so as to offset underperforming budgets in other areas. Continued focus and support for my team in this area kept it high on the agenda.

I reformed the culture and structure of Anglia Route Control. Working with trade union representatives, under collective bargaining arrangements, I reduced staff levels by 40% and by following careful organisational planning and strict people selection processes, and delivered savings of £1m per annum whilst not just maintaining but continually improving the effectiveness of Control. In addition, staff engagement actually rose in this difficult change period.Creating joint service recovery processes with National Express East Anglia was a major success. Defining techniques I expected controllers to follow and setting timed targets for achieving punctual train running was a tough but successful activity. Reviewing and refining this activity after each incident moved our joint output in the right direction significantly.My positive impact on control activities ultimately gave National Express East Anglia the confidence to integrate its control function with that of Network Rail. I delivered this change seamlessly, seeing benefits for both organisations, which are still being enjoyed today and laid the foundation for the subsequent train operator’s alliance in the current franchise.

I brought about renewed focus on safe, high quality, customer service delivery for the Great Eastern Area via a team of approximately 100 signallers and mobile operations managers. I introduced initiatives based around listening to and acting upon signaller feedback which produced useful improvement material, such as correcting timetable issues and small modifications to the workstations. This not only improved performance, it gained the trust of the workforce. My focus on building up team strengths improved both outputs and the working environment. A concerted effort to train and develop the shift signaller managers and to build better relationships with control paid dividends operationally. A stronger focus on relevant people processes and targeted recruitment saw reduced operational costs, lower rates of sickness and a more resilient and engaged workforce. I also managed real time train performance, undertook analysis of performance incidents and led SPIR incident reviews. I created durable relationships with TOC colleagues which helped turn train performance around. I set the environment for this to continue sustainably into the future.This was all achieved in the context of tight financial discipline and indeed the improvements I made enabled my area to be run at reduced cost against budget.

I created an enduring and strong relationship with my customer, based on my partnering and pragmatic approach to issues arising. I facilitated delivery of the trainplan via the negotiation of access rights and managing regulated incentive regimes effectively within budgetary constraints. I also led Network Rail’s involvement in the creation of the new London Eastern Railway franchise, negotiating access rights which aligned with the re-mapping of service groups from 3 different train operating companies.I was Network Rail’s lead interface with LUL, managing the bespoke access regime, leading customer liaison with contract review meetings, progressing customer driven actions, works agreement negotiations, project sponsorship and planning with large projects such as the Jubilee Line extension in mind. I successfully negotiated a new set of track access agreements for the District and Bakerloo lines, including creating brand new performance regimes from first principles, ensuring balanced incentives for both parties.I was instrumental in assisting DRS gain its first non-nuclear traffic, with a new flow from Grangemouth to Daventry. I then carefully facilitated its development through its lease agreements, negotiation of access rights and pricing negotiations, as well as meeting DRS’ end customer to create confidence that the rail solution could deliver