LTC Highways Asset and Operations Advisor

Job summary

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is the independent economic and safety regulator for Britain’s railways and monitor of performance on England’s strategic road network.

ORR is responsible for regulating the performance and efficiency of National Highways to maintain, renew, operate and improve the motorways and main 'A' roads in England. We also advise government on the appropriate level of funding and performance requirements for the future. This role includes assessing National Highways’ delivery of the outcomes and commitments set out in the Road Investment Strategy, and providing independent, evidence‑based advice to government on performance, efficiency and value for money.

This is an exciting time to join ORR, we are delivering a significant transformation programme to create a consistently agile and enabling organisation, with the right capability and a strong, inclusive culture that reflects our talented people. This will ensure we continue to operate as an independent, expert regulator, fit for the future contributing to the government’s broader agenda on regulatory reform and economic growth. Further detail on our future role is set outhere.

Job description

We oversee how National Highways manages and upgrades England's motorways and major A-roads, ensuring it delivers better outcomes for road users through its asset management and capital investment projects. The strategic road network in England (the motorways and A roads) are critical connectors of growth, commerce and leisure. The SRN is managed, operated and enhanced by National Highways, a government-owned company. ORR’s Highways Team ensures that the company efficiently delivers better, smoother and safer roads on behalf of road users, taxpayers and communities.

The Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) is a new crossing of the Thames east of London and will alleviate pressure on the Dartford Crossing. The circa £10.6 billion project will be privately funded, built and run by a new company called LTC Co. It will also include the transfer of the existing Dartford Crossing to the private organisation. Charges for both will be set through a Regulated Asset Base (‘RAB’) model. We expect to take on a new and significant regulatory role for the Lower Thames Crossing and are looking to expand our Highways Team to accommodate this new role.

The Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) Highways Operations Advisor will provide expert advice and high‑quality insight into the performance of the private sector organisation responsible for the delivery and operation of the Lower Thames Crossing and Dartford Crossing, focusing on outcomes for road users.

You will lead the day-to-day monitoring of the operational performance of Dartford Crossing. This includes the organisational performance against legislative requirements, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Performance Indicators (PIs), across areas such as asset management, environmental impact and network delay. The role will be responsible for producing robust, regular performance reports for stakeholders, culminating in the annual performance assessment.

The post will play a critical role in shaping the design of the performance regime and associated monitoring requirements, ensuring the private sector organisation is held to account for delivering its statutory obligations and agreed commitments for operation and construction. You will also work closely with the existing Highways team, maintaining oversight of National Highways and assessing how performance and operational interactions between the two organisations are managed and optimised.

The position is within ORR’s Highways Team reporting to the Head of Engineering LTC but will be required to work across the organisation within a matrix management structure with our Economics, Finance and Market’s Team.

Person specification

For key responsibilities please see the attached job description.

Additional Information

ORR operates a hybrid working model, working from a workplace location other than home for at least 40% of each month. This may be higher depending on the role and business needs. Workplace locations include ORR offices, inspection sites, off-site meetings, conferences, and other approved business locations.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Strong understanding and application of asset management best practice, including ISO 55001 and whole-life asset management principles.
• A proven ability to deliver robust and clearly structured analysis and reporting on complex and varied technical topics

Benefits

A Civil Service Pension with employer contribution of 28.97%

Details of our employee benefits can be found in the attached Candidate Information Pack.

Find out what our colleagues have to say about their ORR careers Our people Office of Rail and Road (orr.gov.uk).

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.For information on the selection process, please see the attached Candidate Information Pack and Job Description.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
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