Job Title: Head of Concession - London Overground
Position Type: TfL permanent
Grade: Pay Band 4
Salary: Circa £85K depending on skills, knowledge and experience
Location: Redman Place (Stratford - London)/Hybrid
Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.
Job Overview
Provide expert commercial leadership and direction with respect to the management of the London Overground concession, to deliver safe, reliable and cost effective passenger services, within agreed budgets and meet the corporate objectives of London Overground and TfL. Responsibility for the negotiation of contractual changes to the concession to deliver best value for London Overground and be the focal point for the commercial relationship with the London Overground concession operator.
Key Accountabilities
- Lead the provision of specialist commercial activity to develop accurate budgets, execute the active management of costs, and delivery of key service outputs in relation to the London Overground Rail Concession and supporting services.
- Manage the delivery of key service obligations, acting to remedy as appropriate any non delivery through effective relationships with suppliers and as necessary by applying contractual levers.
- Manage the London Overground brand and develop, implement and manage retail opportunities in conjunction with the concession operator TfL Commercial Development.
- Manage procurement services in relation to the London Overground concession including services supporting the delivery of passenger services on this railway, to ensure the timely, cost effective and compliant procurement of works, goods and services in accordance with TfL’s corporate governance procedures and purchasing systems.
- Manage commercial negotiations on changes to contracts and agreements to deliver consistent, effective and commercially sound arrangements.
- Lead and manage service quality regimes within the London Overground concession to deliver improving levels of customer satisfaction within the business. Measured using appropriate and recognised internal and external surveys.
- Lead the development of the wider relationship between the London Overground concession operator and TfL, in particular Customer, Communication & Technology and Commercial Development functions. Forge strong links between the parties to deliver mutually beneficial commercial arrangements, whilst delivering the highest standard of customer service for passengers.
- Act as the formally appointed TfL representative with the London Overground concession operator and lead decision making on the concession agreement.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
- Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills.
- Strong negotiation skills with an ability to balance the enforcement of contract obligations with collaborative working.
- Good initiative, decision-making and analytical skills.
- Excellent relationship and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to influence at a senior level and manage external contractual relationships.
- Proven leadership, management and development skills.
Knowledge
- Relevant degree level or equivalent academic qualification.
- Substantial practical knowledge of procurement, contracts and cost management processes.
- Working knowledge of risk management processes and document management systems.
- Detailed knowledge of railway industry structure and the contractual matrix within to operate passenger rail services, including best practice and associated regulatory duties and obligations.
- Knowledge of the elements which make up a successful passenger train operation and how these interact with the infrastructure.
Experience
- Extensive experience of railway industry, ideally in the commercial management of train operations delivery.
- Experience in solving complex commercial problems that may affect the delivery obligations of contracting parties, and developing solutions to ensure obligations continue to be met.
- Substantial experience of procurement and contract management.
- Experience in establishing positive relationships at executive / senior management level within a contracted / franchise rail operational environment.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion
We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria. We also use anonymising software that removes identifying information from CVs and cover letters to make the process fair.
Application Process
Please apply using your 2-page CV. Think carefully about the skills, knowledge and experience in the advert and cover this in your CV. PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. The closing date for applications is Sunday 10th May 2026 @ 23:59.
All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory right‑to‑work checks. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK. At the present time TfL is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
Vetting Process
At Transport for London, safety, trust and fairness sit at the heart of how we recruit. Our Vetting Charter (https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/careers/our-vetting-process) explains the checks we carry out before you join us, helping ensure we create a safe, inclusive and reliable network for everyone who depends on our services. We simply ask that the information you provide is honest and accurate so we can progress your application smoothly. If something doesn’t match or can’t be verified, we may not be able to move forward with your application but we’ll always treat you with transparency, respect and clear communication throughout.
Benefits
- Final salary pension scheme
- Free travel for you on the TfL network
- Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home or 75% reimbursement on a 28-day flexi ticket
- 30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays
- TfL is committed to work-life balance, operating a hybrid working approach where business and role requirements allow.
- Private healthcare discounted scheme (optional)
- Tax‑efficient cycle‑to‑work programme
- Retail, health, leisure and travel offers
- Discounted Eurostar travel
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