VolkerRail Ltd is seeking to appoint a Strategy Development Director to shape and drive the company’s strategic growth across the UK rail sector. This senior leadership role will focus on identifying, developing and delivering growth opportunities across the market, working closely with public sector clients including Network Rail, Local Authorities and Transport Executives.
The role will lead the development, ownership and ongoing maintenance of a clear strategic growth framework for VolkerRail across UK rail markets, translating strategy into robust, actionable plans that directly support work winning and long-term market positioning.
The post holder will operate at both strategic and operational levels, ensuring that strategy translates into executable plans, aligned to VolkerRail’s capabilities, resources and commercial objectives.
In addition to delivering commercial growth, the Strategy Development Director will ensure that VolkerRail’s strategies reflect its People–Planet–Purpose commitments, creating long‑term value for clients, employees, communities and the environment. The role will champion responsible growth, ensuring that strategic decisions are ethically sound, environmentally conscious and socially beneficial, while reinforcing VolkerRail’s core values of Integrity, Passion, Innovation, Collaboration and Winning.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own and drive VolkerRail’s UK growth strategy across the markets, shaping long‑term market leadership.
- Analyse rail market trends, funding cycles and procurement models to inform strategic decision‑making and investment priorities.
- Identify and prioritise target markets, routes, clients and frameworks aligned to VolkerRail’s long‑term ambitions.
- Work closely with Business Development, Bidding, Estimating and Operational teams to shape opportunity pipelines.
- Develop and lead a Network Rail strategy, aligned to route structures, regional priorities and national investment programmes.
- Translate strategy into delivery, producing clear tactical plans, ownership, timescales and capability requirements.
- Convert strategy into secured work, supporting opportunity pipelines, major bids and compelling value propositions.
- Build and maintain senior stakeholder relationships with Network Rail, transport authorities, industry partners and suppliers.
- Champion sustainable, ethical and responsible growth, balancing commercial success with people, planet and long‑term value.
- Act as a senior leader and role model, embedding strategy through governance, business planning and performance management.
About you
- Degree‑qualified with chartered status (engineering or commercial) and a senior professional profile within the UK rail or transport infrastructure sector.
- Proven executive‑level experience leading strategy, market growth or commercial development in a complex rail environment.
- Strong understanding of Network Rail, including route structures, investment controls and procurement routes, gained through direct engagement.
- Credible experience operating within devolved and client‑led transport environments, including Local Authorities, Passenger Transport Executives and/or light rail system owners.
- A strong track record of turning strategic intent into secured work, shaping market entry, pipelines, major bids or frameworks.
- Highly commercially astute and influential, with the presence to operate at board and executive level and balance ambition with long‑term value, risk and responsibility.
Why work with us?
VolkerRail is under the umbrella of VolkerWessels UK which is a multidisciplinary contractor that delivers innovative engineering solutions across the civil engineering and construction sectors including rail, highways, airport, marine, energy, water, and environmental infrastructure.
By utilising the specialist skills of each business unit within VolkerWessels UK, VolkerRail are able to ensure our staff provide unrivalled resources and expertise to our clients.
We offer competitive rewards and benefits, recognising the value we place on our employees.
We offer a range of benefits, including:
- Competitive salary
- Competitive annual leave and an additional day off on your birthday
- Private medical care
- Pension
- Life Assurance
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Shopping and restaurants vouchers, rewards, and discounts
- Training and development opportunities-comprehensive skills-based training
- Family friendly polices including enhanced maternity benefits
- Employee Assistance programme
- Mental health, physical health, and financial support
- 24/7 Virtual GP service
Fairness, inclusion and respect
We believe in pushing boundaries in the pursuit of fairness, inclusion and respect. So, our teams can be comfortable that, whatever their background, VolkerWessels UK is a place where they can be themselves and thrive.
If you need support with your application, please contact us at careers@volkerwessels.co.uk
Additional information
Note for Recruitment Agencies:
Our preference is to hire directly, and we will reach out to our Preferred Supplier List (PSL) agencies if this particular role qualifies for release.
We kindly request that you refrain from sending speculative CVs. In the event of speculative CV submissions, no fees will be applicable, and we kindly ask that all inquiries to be directed to careers@volkerwessels.co.uk
VolkerWessels UK is committed to maintaining healthy, safe and productive working conditions for its
entire staff and therefore a drugs & alcohol screening is mandatory for all.
