Chiltern Railways
Hook Norton, Oxfordshire
Jun 30, 2026
Full time
Role: Performance Planning Manager Location: Banbury Contract Type: Permanent Salary: Up to 41,500 per annum Role Purpose Chiltern Railways provide journey opportunities between London Marylebone and Aylesbury, Oxford, Birmingham, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and other destinations. The Performance Team support this work by understanding how punctual our trains are, the way that they interact, and how effective or reliable our equipment and systems are, and then use this knowledge to make improvements. The Performance Planning Manager is a crucial part of the Performance team. They are responsible for managing performance improvement by reporting against key performance targets, developing Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) for Chiltern departments, suppliers, Network Rail and London Underground (LUL), and to identify forthcoming risks / opportunities to performance. The job holder will need to develop and promote a culture of continuous performance improvement. They will lead on the performance response to seasonal and weather-related issues by owning the Seasonal Preparation Plan, tracking risks, and monitoring mitigations. The Performance Planning Manager reports to the PIMS Assurance & Engagement Manager, and will assist them in assessing capabilities and embedding PIMS good practice. Key Accountabilities To support the PIMs Implementation manager in applying an effective Performance Improvement System (PIMS) at Chiltern Railways To work with functional heads to identify performance improvement opportunities, develop and track performance improvement schemes, and to identify and update performance risk registers. Facilitate the improvement of Chiltern performance in line with the targets set. Develop business cases to support Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs). To organise and facilitate an annual performance assurance session, and assist with the development of the Joint Performance Strategy. Produce routine and ad hoc internal performance reports for the business. To lead the operational performance response to seasonal and weather-related issues, updating the Seasonal Preparation Plan, tracking seasonal risks and monitoring mitigations Attending performance improvement and seasonal management meetings with LUL and Network Rail. Ownership of the Performance Incident Analysis (PIA) process Take meeting minutes and set actions for the Performance Meeting and deputise as Chair when necessary. Identify and drive the adoption of best practice for performance improvement Maintaining the portions of the Performance Training Manual (PTM) that are relevant to their core job tasks. Person Specification Essential Criteria Experienced user of Microsoft packages including Windows, Excel, Word, Outlook. Developed or supported a culture of continuous performance improvement. To communicate clearly and concisely in written, numeric and verbal form. Numerate with good IT skills and able to adapt to bespoke software. Able to manage own workload and prioritise. Highly motivated. Strong desire for continual improvement Good inter personal skills Sound analytical aptitude Ability to influence and persuade staff and managers at all levels across the business-on-business specific matters. Desirable Criteria Experience of using Railway performance systems (e.g., TRUST, Compass) Knowledge of railway performance processes Knowledge of Chiltern operations and performance regimes Experience of the Risk Management Maturity Model for Performance (RM3P) Knowledge of PIMS or the Industry Performance Knowledge Hub