TDA Insights Manager

Closing date: 28 August 2026

Salary scale: £44,389 – £58,709 per annum

Help Shape the Future of Britain's Railway 

Rail Delivery Group (RDG) partners with Britain’s train operators to put customers at the heart of everything we do, delivering essential services and dedicated experts who keep the nation’s railway running efficiently.  

From journey information, reservations and Railcards to improving performance, safety and accessibility, we drive the services and people that keep the railway moving. Anyone who has travelled by train or booked a journey for friends or family, will have used our services. We are integral to the running of the railway and play a crucial part at every stage of the customer journey – making sure we are delivering a better railway for all our customers, now and in the future. 
 
As we embark on a new era for rail, we are now looking for a Project Manager to join us. If you are motivated by meaningful work and want to play a role in the future of Britain's railway, we'd love to hear from you! 

What is the purpose of this job?

The Insights Manager provides research, analysis, business intelligence and insight expertise across the People Strategy portfolio, supporting programmes focused on traincrew workforce planning, recruitment, apprenticeships, training, competence management, operational resilience and industry capability development.

The role develops and maintains evidence-based insights, performance measures, dashboards and reporting frameworks that support strategic decision-making, continuous improvement and the successful delivery of People Strategy programmes and initiatives. This includes supporting the development, monitoring and evaluation of KPIs and performance measures aligned to People Strategy and (Train Drivers Academy) TDA strategic objectives.

 Working closely with stakeholders across the rail industry, the postholder will identify trends, opportunities, risks and good practice, translating complex data into practical recommendations that improve workforce and operational outcomes.

What can I expect to do in this job?

This is not an exhaustive list, but activities are expected to include:

 

Data Analysis and Insight Development

·       Gather, validate, consolidate and analyse quantitative and qualitative data from multiple sources.

·       Maintain and develop meaningful performance measures, KPIs and reporting frameworks that support People Strategy objectives and enable evaluation of progress against strategic priorities.

·       Identify trends, anomalies, emerging risks, opportunities and areas requiring intervention or further investigation.

·       Produce regular insight reports, briefing papers and analytical outputs that support strategic and operational decision-making.

·       Create evidence-based recommendations that inform programme development, policy decisions and industry initiatives.

Business Intelligence and Reporting

·       Design, develop and maintain dashboards, visualisations and business intelligence tools.

·       Produce performance reports, insight packs and presentations for a range of technical and non-technical audiences.

·       Improve data quality, validation processes, reporting standards and analytical methodologies and business intelligence capability.

·       Support the development of live reporting solutions that enable proactive performance management and earlier intervention.

Research and Evaluation

·       Conduct research and analysis into workforce trends, performance outcomes, industry developments and innovative approaches to support insight generation, performance evaluation and evidence-based decision-making.

·       Support benchmarking, evaluation and effectiveness reviews of programmes, projects, products and services.

·       Coordinate and analyse evidence gathered from industry partners and stakeholders to support evaluation, performance measurement and strategic insight development.

·       Monitor and evaluate outcomes to identify learning points and opportunities for continuous improvement.

Strategic and Operational Support

·       Provide analytical support to workforce planning, recruitment, training, competence management, resilience, utilisation and operational improvement initiatives.

·       Develop business cases, option appraisals and cost-benefit analyses to support investment and prioritisation decisions.

·       Contribute to policy development, guidance reviews and strategic planning activities.

·       Support industry forums, workshops, conferences and stakeholder events through insight generation, content development and post-event evaluation.

·       Build sustainable evidence bases for future projects, initiatives and improvement programmes, supporting prioritisation, investment decisions and long-term strategic planning.

Stakeholder Engagement

·       Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to obtain data, challenge assumptions and validate findings.

·       Facilitate evidence-based discussions that support informed decision-making and problem-solving.

·       Share good practice and support the development of consistent reporting standards and measures across the industry.

·       Translate complex analytical findings into clear, practical messages tailored to different audiences.

Who will my key contacts be?

·       Internal stakeholders across the People Strategy Team and wider Industry Operations directorate.

·       Programme leads and practitioner groups across People Strategy portfolios.

·       Members of industry forums and working groups.

·       Practitioners, managers and subject matter experts from TOCs, FOCs, Network Rail, GBR and railway owning groups.

·       Suppliers, educational institutions, research organisations and sector partners.

·       Trade Union representatives where appropriate.

·       Industry bodies including RSSB, NSAR and the ORR.

 

What experience, skills and knowledge do I need?

Essential

·       Experience in a research, insight, analytics, business intelligence, workforce planning, performance reporting or similar role.

·       Strong analytical capability, including the ability to interpret complex datasets and identify trends, risks, opportunities and recommendations.

·       Experience developing dashboards, reports, presentations and visualisations that support decision-making.

·       Experience producing high-quality written outputs for diverse audiences.

·       Ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely.

·       Experience engaging with stakeholders to gather evidence, challenge assumptions and develop shared understanding.

·       Ability to translate data and research into practical recommendations and actionable insights.

·       Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Desirable

·       Experience in traincrew performance measurement, benchmarking, evaluation or continuous improvement.

·       Experience developing business cases, option appraisals or cost-benefit analyses.

·       Experience supporting product, programme, project or policy development through evidence-based analysis.

·       Experience using business intelligence and data visualisation tools.

·       Knowledge of traincrew workforce analytics, recruitment, apprenticeships, learning and development, competence management or operational performance.

·       Experience supporting operational improvement, resilience planning or resource management activities.

Railway Knowledge (Desirable)

Experience within the rail industry, particularly in operational, training, workforce planning or people-focused environments, would be advantageous but is not essential.

Knowledge of any of the following would be beneficial:

·       Traincrew resourcing and establishment planning.

·       Recruitment and apprenticeship programmes.

·       Training capacity and competence management.

·       Rostering, diagramming and utilisation.

·       Operational resilience and performance management.

·       Traincrew KPI reporting and industry workforce initiatives.

Key Competencies

Listening - Ability to analyse information from multiple sources, understand differing perspectives and investigate assumptions thoroughly.

Communication - Ability to communicate complex information clearly, confidently and effectively to a range of audiences.

Problem Solving - Ability to identify underlying issues, evaluate evidence and develop practical solutions and recommendations.

Critical Thinking and Innovation - Ability to challenge existing approaches, identify opportunities for improvement and apply creative thinking to complex issues.

Adaptability - Ability to respond positively to changing priorities and continuously improve approaches and outputs.

Planning and Organisation - Ability to prioritise workloads, manage competing demands and deliver high-quality outputs to deadlines.

Leadership and Influencing - Ability to facilitate evidence-based discussions, build consensus and influence decision-making without direct authority.

Collaboration - Ability to build effective relationships and work collaboratively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

Why Join Us?

This is more than just a job. 

It's an opportunity to be part of an organisation that puts customers at the heart of everything we do, bringing the industry together to keep Britain connected. You'll work alongside passionate colleagues, contribute to projects with national impact and help shape the future of rail travel for generations to come. 

At Rail Delivery Group, we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcomed, respected and able to be themselves. We are continually working to build an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive. Some of the ways we support our people include: 

• Employee networks  

• Flexible and hybrid working  

• Inclusive hiring practices  

• Wellbeing initiatives  

• Learning and development opportunities 

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, we will work with you to provide the support you need.

 

Why Work for RDG?

We offer a highly competitive package, including:

• 75% discount on rail travel (for work and leisure), plus international rail discounts
• 30 Days annual leave (plus buy/sell options and additional leave for key life events)
• Two Personal Development Days are granted to employees annually
• Interest-free Season Ticket Loan for commuting costs
• Enhanced family leave – 30 weeks full pay for maternity, adoption, surrogacy, and shared parental leave
• Pension scheme – up to 8.64% employer contribution
• Subsidised Private Medical Insurance (Vitality PPP) and Health Cash Plan (Healthshield)
• Access to our flexible benefits portal - a central hub for accessing retail discounts, shopping, dining, travel, and entertainment perks
• Flexible working arrangements available