Principle Consultant

For our client in the rail infrastructure sector, we are looking for a Principal Consultant to lead the design phase of a new GBR Leadership Academy. This is a high-impact assignment, working directly with C-suite and Executive Committee level stakeholders and shaping the future leadership capability of the UK railway.

The role at a glance

• Title: Principal Consultant
• Contract length: 12 months
• Day rate: approx. 1000 - 1,065 (umbrella)
• Location: London (3 days per week on site, with flexibility)
• Travel: Additional UK travel as required (expenses covered)
• Security clearance: BPSS (or eligibility to obtain)

Why this role is compelling

• Direct ownership of the end-to-end design of an executive-level leadership academy.
• Work with board-level stakeholders, shaping leadership for a nationally critical sector.
• Opportunity to design immersive, future-focused learning (simulations, scenarios, system leadership interventions) linked to a live, large-scale transformation, not just standalone programmes.
• Significant visibility and influence, including presenting design direction to Programme Directors and board governance.

Key focus of the assignment

• Lead senior-level discovery, executive interviews, analysis and synthesis.
• Define the learning architecture aligned with the organisation's culture pillars.
• Run design sprints - prototype, test and iterate the learning solutions.
• Create immersive simulations based around the future railway, embedding new behaviours, leadership and decision-making.
• Produce pilot-ready learning packages and establish design standards, QA and governance.

Expected deliverables

• Executive insight report.
• Curriculum blueprint for the Leadership Academy.
• Prototype and pilot-ready System Leadership Programme.
• Design standards, templates and governance framework.

Ideal profile

• Has personally owned the design and delivery of leadership programmes for C-suite / ExCo populations.
• Extensive experience working with and facilitating senior executives (Director / MD / ExCo level).
• Proven track record delivering leadership programmes as part of a live organisational transformation, not just capability-building in isolation.
• 6+ years in a Director or equivalent level role in L&D / learning strategy for senior leaders.
• Background in consulting and learning strategy, ideally including government or infrastructure environments.
• Recognised strength in change management and communication of change.
• Comfortable synthesising insight from executive interviews and shaping strategic learning architecture.

This would suit a board-credible learning innovation leader who enjoys uncovering real leadership challenges, testing hypotheses quickly and designing practical, immersive learning that is tightly connected to strategic outcomes.