Who We Are
About FTR
Transforming how passengers buy and use rail
Britain's railways must deliver for passengers now and in the future. That's why the government and the rail industry are delivering a programme of reforms to make rail easier to buy and use:
- Easier to understand, better value fares - Straightforward ticket choices and fair, consistent prices, including more lower fares.
- Confidence you have the right ticket - Simple to understand the ticket you need and better protection for honest passengers through industry-wide action to tackle fare dodging and fraud
- Easier ways to buy tickets - A high quality GBR website and app selling and serving passengers' rail journeys, alongside independent retailers.
- Rail integrated with other public transport in major urban areas - Tap-in tap-out expanded to Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and more of the South East, with new mobile payment trials testing future innovation.
- Better, more accessible retail experience - More support for passengers including those who rely on paper tickets or cash, or who need extra assistance.
We're not waiting. As we become Great British Railways, a programme of reform is already making rail easier to buy and use, helping rebuild trust in rail and encouraging more people to travel by train.
About the role
The Product & Proposition Lead for PAYG is the authoritative PAYG representative within the Fares, Ticketing & Retail (FTR) programme, providing proposition leadership and expert insight across design, delivery, and operational activity.
This role plays a critical part in connecting strategy with delivery, ensuring PAYG initiatives remain aligned with passenger needs, industry direction, and government policy. Working closely with internal teams, industry partners, and external stakeholders, the successful candidate will help shape decision-making and support the sustainable transition of initiatives into business-as-usual operations.
The role requires oversight of the end-to-end project lifecycle, with accountability for the final "Operate" phase. By bringing operational expertise into design and delivery decisions, the Product & Proposition Lead will help ensure PAYG solutions are practical, customer-focused, and operationally sustainable.
Your experience and skills
Essential
- Significant experience in proposition leadership or senior product leadership.
- Significant experience with technology and digital products, with a focus on the passenger experience.
- Demonstrated ability to operate across complex organisational landscapes, managing stakeholders, dependencies, resolving competing priorities, and guiding multi¿party decision-making at a senior level.
- Exceptional communication and relationship¿building skills, with the ability to simplify complex, politically or technically nuanced issues and convey them clearly to senior leaders.
- Experience of delivery through both Agile and Waterfall methodologies.
- Ability to manage ambiguity and shape direction in an evolving environment.
Desirable
- Experience working within the UK rail industry.
- Understanding of PAYG, contactless payment systems, or smart ticketing.
- Degree or professional qualification in a relevant subject such as Product Management, Transportation, Business Management, or equivalent qualification or experience.
- Experience of rail suppliers, systems, and retail.
This role is available on permanent contract or secondment for 12 months
We're an inclusive employer of choice and welcome applications from everyone. For this specific role, there is an expectation to be able to come to our London or Derby Offices for a minimum of three days per week. We encourage people to work flexibly and we're open to hybrid working! We'll also try our best to adapt the recruitment process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities.
If you're working within the rail industry and considering applying via a Secondment, we encourage you to have a conversation with your line manager early in the process to support a potential secondment into Network Rail and where successful to support your release.