Working with us

An ambitious journey you will be proud of.

Build a career to be proud of at SRH

Scottish Rail Holdings Limited (SRH) is a company wholly owned and controlled by the Scottish Government. It has been set up with the express purpose of overseeing the governance of train operating companies in Scotland.

What we are about

At SRH our People matter SRH is a great place to work, filled with great people, who are ambitious , caring and deliver great work

As well as providing the everyday work expectations, here are some of the additional benefits:

Annual leave 25 days increases to 30 days after 4 years. Plus 11 1/2 public & privilege holidays per year
Civil Service Pension Scheme
Rail Staff Duty and Leisure travel benefits
Employee Discount and Cashback Happi shopping portal
Employee Assistance Programme
Generous Heath Plan for all employee

Current Opportunities

Scottish Rail Holdings

Role: Audit & Risk Manager

Location: Glasgow/Hybrid

Salary: Grade C1 Max 3 £62,111

Contract Type: Fixed Term 12 months.

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 an Audit & Risk Manager to join our team in Glasgow on a Fixed Term 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

Scottish Rail Holdings Limited (SRH) is a limited company owned by Scottish Ministers which provides oversight of train operating companies under section 30 of the Railways Act 1993. We act as the “owning group” of our operating companies and provides separation between Transport Scotland as strategic policymakers and the direct management of train service delivery by our subsidiaries, ScotRail Trains Limited (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 strategic and annual business plans, and to support SRT and CSL in the development of policies and projects. In addition, SRH oversees SRT and CSL’s performance against their respective Grant Agreement. SRH liaises with the Transport Scotland Rail Sponsor team on matters relating to SRT and CSL and their 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.

The SRH Board has taken the decision that the provision of internal audit services for the SRH group of companies (the Group) should be largely outsourced and that this arrangement is managed by the SRH Audit and Risk Manager.

Risk management arrangements across the Group are at various stages of development, but the objective is to establish an approach which can be applied consistently across the Group. This appointment is key in finalising the establishment and management of those arrangements.

Key Accountability:

The post holder will lead on all matters associated with audit and risk and make recommendations on how best practice can be implemented across the Group. They will be responsible for the oversight of internal audit for SRH and its subsidiary companies working in partnership with the outsourced internal audit service and colleagues within SRT and CSL. They will be responsible for ensuring that systems and processes for managing risk across the Group are consistent and comply with guidance in the Scottish Public Finance Manual and wider best practice. In doing so, the appointed post holder will manage the Group Corporate Risk Officer, who will assist in the delivery and development of the Group’s risk management As necessary, this will require supporting the development of existing systems and processes, including reporting to the respective boards and the Group Audit & Risk Committee.

Main Duties

Taking the lead in ensuring the delivery of arrangements for internal audit which comply with best practice (including the Global Internal Audit Standards) and fully meet the assurance needs of SRH and its two subsidiaries. Provide oversight of the outsourced internal audit service on behalf of the Group.

Advising and supporting the development and implementation of consistent and best practice compliant risk management arrangements across the Group.

Advising and supporting the development and implementation of Risk Appetite across the Group, with emphasis on the practical application and benefits of this aspect of risk management.

Taking the lead in the development of a Group wide Assurance Framework, based on the three (or four) lines of defence model which fully meets the operational and governance needs of the SRH Group.

Advising and supporting the development of integrated assurance and organisational performance reporting to the respective boards and the Group Audit and Risk Committee.

Ensuring compliance across the Group with the audit and risk assurance requirements within the Framework Agreement and Grant Agreements.

Provide support to the Chair of the Group Audit and Risk Committee and attending Committee meetings.

Provide direct management for the role of Group Corporate Risk Officer

Person Specification

The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant, auditor, or risk management professional with considerable experience of internal audit and risk management in a public sector environment.

Where public sector experience is absent, the candidate will need to demonstrate sound understanding of public sector requirements.

The candidate will have excellent analytical and decision-making skills, coupled with the ability to communicate information on audit and risk requirements in an accessible way for a non-expert audience.

Proven organisational and planning skills, including the ability to manage complex requirements and meet tight deadlines.

Excellent inter-personal skills and proven ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment, building constructive relationships with internal and external colleagues to deliver business objectives.

Behaviour Competency

Setting Direction

Seeing the Big Picture

Anticipates economic, social, legal, political, environmental, and technological developments to keep activity relevant and targeted.

Identify and shape how own area fits within and supports the work of the organisation and priorities for the national interest, public and economic good.

Creates policies, plans and service provision to meet citizens’ diverse needs based on current knowledge of needs, issues, and relevant good practice.

Ensures relevant issues relating to their activity/policy area are effectively fed into strategy and bigger picture considerations.

Adopts a government-wide perspective to ensure alignment of activity and policy.

Brings together views and perspectives of stakeholders to gain a wider picture of the landscape surrounding activities and policies

Changing & improving

Understands and identifies the role of technology in public service delivery and policy implementation.

Encourages and recognises a culture of initiative and innovation focused on adding value – gives people space and praise for creativity.

Effectively captures, utilises and shares customer (internal and external) feedback from a diverse range of stakeholders to ensure better policy and delivery.

Spots warning signs of things going wrong and provides a decisive response to significant delivery challenges.

Provides constructive challenge to senior management on change proposals which will affect own business area.

Considers the cumulative impact on own business area of implementing change (culture, structure, service, and morale)

Analysis & Making Effective Decisions

Pushes decision making to the right level within their teams, not allowing unnecessary bureaucracy and structure to suppress delivery.

Ensures the secure and careful use of all government and public data and information within their area.

Analyses and evaluates data from various sources to identify pros and cons and identify risks in order to make well considered decisions.

Draws together and presents reasonable conclusions from a wide range of incomplete and complex evidence and data – able to act or decide even when details are not clear.

Identifies the main issues in complex problems, clarifies understanding or stakeholder expectations, to seek best option.

Makes difficult decisions by pragmatically weighing the complexities involved against the need to act

Engaging People

Leading & communicating

Is visible to colleagues and stakeholders and regularly undertakes activities to engage and build trust with others.

Clarifies strategies and plans, communicates purpose and direction with clarity and enthusiasm.

Stands by, promotes or defends own (and team’s) actions and decisions where needed.

Confidently engages with stakeholders and colleagues at all levels to generate commitment to goals. Seeks to build high performing teams.

Leads by example, communicates in a truthful, straightforward manner with integrity and impartiality, and supports SRH values, and strategic objectives.

Is open and inviting of the views of others and responds despite pressure to ignore, revert or concede

Collaborating & partnering

Actively builds and maintains a wide network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on objectives and shared interests.

Demonstrates genuine care for colleagues and others, is approachable and builds strong interpersonal relationships.

Encourages contributions and involvement from a broad and diverse range of colleagues by being visible and accessible.

Works as an effective team player, managing team dynamics when working across SRH boundaries and other boundaries.

Actively involves partners to deliver a business outcome through collaboration that achieves better results for rail passengers.

Seeks constructive outcomes in discussions, challenges assumptions but remains willing to compromise when it is beneficial to progress

Building Capability for All

Ensures that individual and organisational learning and talent development opportunities are fully exploited to enhance organisational capability.

Role models work-place based learning and encourages development, talent, and career management for all colleagues.

Coaches and supports colleagues to take responsibility for their own development (through giving accountability, varied assignments, and on-going feedback)

Establishes and drives intra and inter-team discussions to learn from experience and adapt organisational processes and plans.

Identifies capability requirements needed to deliver future team objectives and behaviours which supports teams to succeed in delivering to meet those needs.

Prioritises and role models continuous self-learning and development, including leadership, management, and people skills

Delivering Results

Delivering Value for Money

Understands impacts of financial position in own area and that of the organisation and uses insight to curtail or support business and investment activities.

Achieves the best return on investment and delivers more for less on specific budgets by managing resources and maximising the use of assets.

Balances policy aspiration and delivery, outlines risk and benefits of different options to achieve value for money ensuring all submissions contain appropriate financial information.

Understands the commercial drivers that influence suppliers and levers that can be used in negotiating/influencing contractual arrangements, taking appropriate advice from commercial and procurement experts.

Able to recognise and understand the commercial tools such as pricing models, open book accounting, supply chain management that commercial experts can deploy to extract value from contracts.

Motivates improved performance by suppliers, challenges any gaps between contractual commitments and actual delivery through joint working with commercial /procurement experts

Demonstrating Commitment & Drive

Gets the best out of people by being positive and encouraging about priorities, objectives, and expectations.

Clarifies business priorities, roles and responsibilities and secures individual and team ownership.

Adopts clear processes and standards for managing performance at all levels.

Acts as a role model in supporting and energising teams to build confidence in their ability to deliver outcomes.

Maintains effective performance in difficult and challenging circumstances, encourages others to do the same.

Reviews, challenges and adjusts performance levels to ensure quality outcomes are delivered on time, rewarding success

Ensure High Quality Delivery

Exemplifies positive customer service behaviours. Promotes a culture of putting passenger first.

Makes clear, pragmatic, and manageable plans for service delivery using programme and project management methods.

Promotes and advocates for regular opportunities for colleagues and customers to help improve service quality and demonstrates a visible involvement.

Responds to passenger’ needs promoting new technology where relevant.

Ensures adherence to legal, regulatory and security requirements in service delivery and builds diversity and equality considerations into plans.

Establishes how the rail industry in Scotland compares to customer service expectations and industry best practice and identifies necessary improvements

WHAT WE OFFER

25 days annual leave (plus 11.5 Public / Privilege holidays)

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 short cover email to:

Email Contact: srhrecruitment@railholdings.scot

Closing date: 30 July 2026

Stage 1 Interviews will be held week commencing 10 August 2026, with a Stage 2 interview expected week commencing 17 August 2026.

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