Working with us

Location: Glasgow/Hybrid

Salary: Grade C2 £77,460 (£80,172 effective 01/04/2026)

Contract Type: Permanent

ABOUT SCOTTISH RAIL HOLDINGS

Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH) is a limited company and public body in Scotland with accountability to Scottish Government Ministers for the delivery of rail passenger services in support of the Scottish Government’s objectives as set out in the National Transport Strategy. We are focused on delivering a safe, reliable, and green railway for our passengers and guests, while providing value for money for the taxpayer.
SRH has oversight of the governance and performance of two subsidiary train operating companies: ScotRail Trains Limited (ScotRail) and Caledonian Sleeper Limited (CSL). We are also part of a group of stakeholders known as Scotland’s Railway, which includes infrastructure manager Network Rail Scotland, cross border train operating companies, statutory bodies, and suppliers. SRH commenced operations in April 2022, when ScotRail was taken into public ownership.

At Scottish Rail Holdings, our core values of Respect, Champion Ambition, Integrity, Celebrate Diversity and Growing Together underpin everything we do. We believe that fostering a respectful and collaborative working environment is essential in supporting our employees’ contributions and wellbeing. SRH is committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the communities we serve.

The Role

We are offering an exciting opportunity for a Head of Service & Performance to join our team in Glasgow on a permanent basis.

HOW OUR VALUES SHAPE THIS ROLE: 

Respect: Respect all our People, Communities, and our visitors.

Champion Ambition: Drive and celebrate a culture of creativity and ambition. Encourage challenge.

Integrity: Be reliable and trustworthy. Take responsibility and accountability for your actions.

Celebrate Diversity: Embrace our differences and celebrate them to foster a positive and supportive environment.

Growing Together: Collaborate, learn, and develop together.

Job Description

Grade C2

Scottish Rail Holdings Limited (SRH) is an organisation controlled by Scottish Ministers that has been set up with the express purpose of overseeing the governance of train operating companies under Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993. SRH act as the “owning group” of the operating companies and provides separation between Transport Scotland as strategic policymakers and the direct management of train service delivery by their subsidiaries ScotRail Trains (SRT) and Caledonian Sleeper Limited (CSL).

SRH’s role is to oversee the delivery of services, targets and KPIs by its subsidiaries, including commitments within its Business and Corporate Plans, and to support SRT and CSL in the development of policies and projects. In addition, SRH oversees performance of its subsidiaries against a Grant Agreement. SRH liaises with the Transport Scotland Sponsorship Team on matters relating to SRT and CSL and its performance.

SRH is classified as an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) and reports to the Scottish Ministers, with its obligations set out in a Framework Agreement with Transport Scotland, who are responsible for transport policy and strategy.

The role of the Rail Business Directorate is to support the activity outlined above, including monitoring, gathering, and analysing information in liaison with the subsidiaries, and proactively supporting the train operators in the delivery of its obligations in line with agreed governance procedures.

Reporting Line – Rail Business Director

Overall Accountability

The Head of Service & Performance will provide support to the Rail Business Director with the oversight and management of the subsidiary operations to deliver on their Grant Agreement obligations and responsibilities including optimising value for money, along with providing specialist guidance as required to the teams within the subsidiary. The Head of Service & Performance will also ensure that SRH complies with its obligations under the Framework Agreement with Transport Scotland.

The Head of Service & Performance will provide direct management and leadership for the Service & Performance, Safety Oversight and Rail Management Leads and their respective teams.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide oversight of the delivery of the commitments within the Grant Agreement by the subsidiary operations. This will include working with the subsidiaries to ensure that comprehensive systems are in place to audit, manage and ensure compliance with the terms of the Grant Agreement.
• Support the Rail Business Director leading the provision of oversight and constructive challenge to the subsidiary in areas to include operations, performance, contracts, rolling stock, compliance.
• Ensure that the subsidiary’s operations and plans are aligned to the overall objectives of Scottish Government (SG) Policy.
• Appraise the impact of any significant operational changes proposed by the subsidiaries and support the Rail Business Director in providing advice to the CEO and Board, being honest and open about any challenges and risks, and working with the subsidiaries to mitigate and manage them.
• Lead the Rail Oversight team in conducting regular reviews on the progress of the subsidiaries against their Grant Agreements ensuring that any potential variance in terms of the delivery or KPIs is understood, and appropriate mitigating actions are agreed and delivered. To escalate areas of concern or obstacles to delivery of Grant Agreement obligations with recommendations for further action where necessary.
• To lead development and provision of performance reporting.
• To support the Rail Business Director in leadership of development future performance standards and reporting, being aware of wider industry metrics and policy requirements of the Sponsor to develop holistic performance standards and reporting that drive public benefit.
• To manage the subsidiary to provide the reporting as required in the Grant Agreement.
• Support the Rail Business Director by ensuring the delivery of the commitments within the Framework Agreement by SRH including the reporting requirements to Transport Scotland.
• Oversee and enable collaborative working which delivers on an optimum strategic approach to timetable development, which maximises productivity, meets customer demand and ensures that the best level of service provision can be made.
• Lead your team to work closely with SRT and CSL functional leads, relevant external stakeholders, and the wider rail industry in Scotland to develop and implement initiatives to improve and maintain high, sustainable, resilient performance on the Scottish rail network.

Capability

Knowledge of desired Scottish Government policy requirements.

Good knowledge of the UK Rail Industry and the regulatory environment.

Strong operational leadership skills are required.

Analytical skills

Experience

Operational and Leadership experience in managing and overseeing performance within Rail or other transport sectors is desirable.

Highly effective leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, negotiate and collaborate with a range of staff and stakeholders.

Strong planning and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage a diverse workload and team; able to adapt to changing situations and managing competing priorities.

Leadership Responsibilities:

• Support SRH to create a culture within the Rail Oversight team and across SRH that ensures there are there are mutual levels of respect, collaboration, and professionalism at all times.
• Sets clear, value add performance objectives and development opportunities with their team, managing performance through regular one 2 one meetings and mid / year end appraisals.
• To work as part of the SRH leadership team, including supporting on the annual and Corporate Business Planning for Scottish Rail Holdings.
• To foster and support progress with collaboration and alignment of Scotland’s Railway partnership.
• To be a visible leader in managing and monitoring performance across Scotland’s Railway

Person Specification

Highly organised, with excellent communication skills (both written and oral). Numerate with the ability to analyse information. A self-starter who can multi-task with excellent planning skills and operational grip who gets things done. Good influencing capability, with a professional approach and high levels of personal gravatas.

Success Profile Level 4 – Behaviours

Seeing the big picture

• develop and maintain an understanding of economic, social, political, environmental, and technological developments to ensure activity is relevant.
• ensure plans and activities in your area of work reflect wider strategic priorities and communicate effectively with senior leaders to influence future strategies.
• adopt a government wide perspective to ensure alignment of activity and policy.
• bring together views, perspectives, and diverse needs of stakeholders to gain a broader understanding of the issues surrounding policies and activities.

Changing and improving

• encourage, recognise, and share innovative ideas from a diverse range of colleagues and stakeholders.
• give people space to take initiative and praise them for their creativity.
• create an environment where people feel safe to challenge and know their voice will be heard.
• make changes which add value and clearly articulate how changes will benefit the business.
• understand and identify the role of technology in public service delivery and policy implementation.
• consider the full impact of implementing changes on culture, structure, morale, and the impacts on the diverse range of end users, including accessibility needs.
• identify early signs that things are going wrong and respond promptly.
• provide constructive challenge to senior management on change proposals.

Making effective decisions

• clarify your own understanding and stakeholder needs and expectations, before making decisions
• ensure decision making happens at the right level, not allowing unnecessary bureaucracy to hinder delivery.
• encourage both innovative suggestions and challenge from others, to inform decision making.
• analyse and accurately interpret data from various sources to support decisions.
• find the best option by identifying positives, negatives, risks, and implications.
• present reasonable conclusions from a wide range of complex and sometimes incomplete evidence
• make decisions confidently even when details are unclear or if they prove to be unpopular.

Leadership

• promote diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity, respecting difference, and external experience.
• welcome and respond to views and challenges from others, despite any conflicting pressures to ignore or give in to them.
• stand by, promote, or defend own and team’s actions and decisions where needed.
• seek out shared interests beyond own area of responsibility, understanding the extent of the impact actions have on the organisation.

Communicating and influencing

• communicate with others in a clear, honest, and enthusiastic way in order to build trust.
• explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand.
• take into account people’s individual needs.
• deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, being persuasive when required.
• consider the impact of the language used.
• remain open-minded and impartial in discussions, whilst respecting the diverse interests and opinions of others
• introduce different methods for communication, including making the most of digital resources whilst getting value for money.
• monitor the effectiveness of own and team communications and take action to improve where necessary.

Working together

• actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on shared objectives.
• challenge assumptions while being willing to compromise if beneficial to progress.
• build strong interpersonal relationships and show genuine care for colleagues.
• ensure consideration and support for the wellbeing of yourself and individuals throughout the team.
• understand the varying needs of the team to ensure they are supported, and their experiences are utilised.
• create an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are taken into account and bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable.
• remain available and approachable to all colleagues and be receptive to new ideas.

Developing self and others

• prioritise and role-model continuous self-learning and development.
• identify areas individuals and teams need to develop in order to achieve future objectives.
• support colleagues to take responsibility for their own learning and development.
• ensure that development opportunities are available for all individuals regardless of their background or desire to achieve promotion.
• ensure individuals take full advantage of learning and development opportunities available to them, including workplace-based learning.
• encourage discussions within and between teams to learn from each other’s experiences and change organisational plans and processes accordingly.

Delivering at pace

• ensure everyone clearly understands and owns their roles, responsibilities, and business priorities.
• give honest, motivating, and enthusiastic messages about priorities, objectives, and expectations to get the best out of people.
• comply with legal, regulatory and security requirements in service delivery.
• set out clear processes and standards for managing performance at all levels.
• ensure delivery of timely quality outcomes, through providing the right resources to do the job, reviewing, and adjusting performance expectations and rewarding success.
• maintain own levels of performance in challenging circumstances and encourage others to do the same.

WHAT WE OFFER

• 25 days annual leave (plus 11.5 Public / Privilege holidays), increasing to 30 days after two years’ service.
• Civil Service pension scheme
• Rail Staff Travel on Scotrail for yourself.
• Rail Leisure travel on Caledonian Sleeper for you and eligible family members
• Healthcare cash plan
• HAPI Benefits membership offering discounts at selected retailers, hospitality venues, and gyms etc.
• Winter vaccine scheme
• Learning & Development programme
• Employee Assistance Programme

To apply for this dynamic role, please email your CV and covering letter to:

Email Contact: srhrecruitment@railholdings.scot

Closing date: 01 December 2025

Interviews are expected to be held in person week commencing 08 December 2025.

We will require to process your personal data when considering your application and throughout the recruitment process. For information on how we process your personal data visit Privacy Policy – Scottish Rail Holdings