Head of Process Engineering

We have an exciting new opportunity for a Head of Process Engineering to join our Process Engineering team on a permanent basis, based in our Darlington office (hybrid working).

Who we are

Railpen is responsible for the safekeeping and investment of around £34 billion in assets and the administration of several pension schemes, including the Railways Pension Scheme, one of the UK's largest and longest established pension funds.

Our heritage of looking after the pension needs of the rail industry and its employees gives us our name and our unique outlook on how we serve our members. Railpen takes a holistic view, focusing on how we serve members today and how we can positively impact the communities and the world they will retire into.

To learn more about Railpen including our values, culture and purpose, visit our LinkedIn Life page here.

The role

As Head of Process Engineering, you will primarily lead the design, assurance, and continuous improvement of member service processes. Reporting into our Member Services Solutions & Delivery Director, you will ensure right-first-time delivery and measurable operational gains through innovation, collaboration, and effective implementation.

As part of this role you will lead two specialist teams of Process Improvement Analysts – responsible for designing, implementing and documenting all member service processes and implementing a programme of continuous improvement which optimises the return on investment and a Process Assurance Team who are responsible for designing and executing end-to-end assurance testing and providing hyper-care support post-implementation, optimising the change to deliver benefits.

You will foster a collaborative and high-performance culture focused on continuous improvement by effectively leading the team in identifying small, high-impact improvements, championing innovative tools and techniques, whilst developing the capability within the team to help identify key opportunities for improvement across business processes and technology within Member Services.

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

The person

We’re looking for someone with significant experience in leading the design and development of processes, documentation and systems in a fast paced Financial Services environment. You will have apparent expertise in driving transformation initiatives from analysis through to implementation and control and will be experienced in coaching and mentoring direct reports, whilst establishing a continuous improvement culture. You will be able to define and track KPIs to assess impact, ensure initiatives are underpinned by benefit realisation plans, and once implemented report on outcomes and measure success. Familiarity with pension administration systems and integration across platforms is key to this role.

As Head of Process Engineering you will have a passion for delivering excellence for members. You will look to effectively build meaningful relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders across Railpen including programme & project management colleagues, the business intelligence and analytics team and release management. Collaboration is fundamental to this role; you must be able to respectfully negotiate, communicate and influence to achieve necessary outcomes. You’ll have the ability to think strategically, holistically, analytically and lead from the front to encourage innovative solutions. You’ll lead by example and aim to maximise the potential of your direct reports by sharing your expertise, whilst helping to instil a continuous improvement mindset throughout Member Services.

Our values of integrity, community and alignment are the guiding principles that influence our behaviour. They help us make decisions and shape our relationships with others. They’re what we stand for. You will actively demonstrate our values, helping to create a safe environment, to place the needs of the community above oneself and, through a culture of ‘fair challenge’, align to the best interests of our members.

What we can offer you

Rewarding you

A competitive salary

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Generous annual bonus plan

We provide membership of the Railways Pension Scheme, a Defined Benefit arrangement under which you get a pension for life and a lump sum when you retire, based on your length of service and pay

4x Life Assurance cover

Colleague referral scheme

Heath & Wellbeing

Private Medical Insurance

Employee assistance programme

Health cash plan

Eye care vouchers

Flu vaccination

Lifestyle

We support hybrid and flexible working along with very generous family leave including 12 months full pay maternity leave and 6 months full pay paternity leave

Buy and sell holidays

Give as you earn scheme

Paid volunteering days

Flexible half days leave

Electric vehicle leasing

Cycle to work scheme

Next Steps

Please apply via the apply button by Friday 17th October 2025.

Railpen is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment, we value diversity and welcome people from all backgrounds and walks of life

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