Join us as a Transition & Operational Readiness Lead and play a key role in delivering a major transformation programme. Working on a 12-month fixed term contract, you'll lead transition and operational readiness activities across our DC and CARE arrangements, ensuring a safe, controlled and successful bulk transfer and move into our future operating environment. This role is based in Darlington, with Hybrid working available.
Who we areRailpen 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 roleAs Transition & Operational Readiness Lead, you'll own and lead an integrated workstream covering transition planning, business readiness, cutover, operating model readiness, asset transfer activity and post-go-live support.
You'll develop and maintain integrated transition plans, coordinate readiness activity across programme workstreams and ensure go-live criteria are agreed and successfully delivered before implementation
You'll also lead the planning and execution of asset transfer activities, ensuring accuracy, control and clear governance while minimising operational and member impact. Alongside this, you'll work with colleagues across the business to ensure future operating models, processes, training and communications are in place to support a successful transition and stable operational delivery from day one.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading the Transition & Operational Readiness workstream across DC and CARE schemes.
Developing and managing the DC bulk transfer transition, readiness and cutover plans.
Coordinating asset transfer and reconciliation activities.
Defining and tracking minimum go-live criteria.
Leading end-to-end transition rehearsals and readiness assessments.
Managing programme risks, dependencies and contingency planning.
Supporting colleague readiness through training, operational documentation and knowledge transfer.
Leading hypercare activities following implementation to support a smooth transition into business-as-usual operations.
This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.
The personWe're looking for a highly organised and experienced programme professional who can bring together multiple workstreams, stakeholders and operational activities to deliver successful business change.
You'll have experience working within pensions administration and delivering large-scale transition, operational readiness or cutover programmes, ideally within DC and CARE environments.
You'll also bring:
Experience leading large-scale transition, migration, cutover or operational readiness activities, ideally within DC and CARE pension environments, including DC bulk transfers, asset transitions or platform migrations. Strong knowledge of pension administration, ideally including DC and CARE schemes.
Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of an organisation.
Strong planning, governance and delivery management capability.
Experience managing risks, dependencies and critical programme milestones.
The ability to simplify complex challenges and develop practical, effective solutions.
Excellent communication skills, with experience supporting business readiness, training or change initiatives.
A collaborative, proactive and outcome-focused approach with a proven track record of successful delivery.
To be successful you'll be someone who combines strategic thinking with hands-on delivery, bringing energy, pragmatism and a focus on achieving successful outcomes for members, colleagues and the wider business
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 of our members.
What we can offer youRewarding youA competitive salary (depending on experience)
28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
Defined Contribution pension
Employee assistance programme
Health cash plan
Eye care vouchers
Flu vaccination
Private Medical Insurance
Give as you earn scheme
Paid volunteering days
Please apply for the apply button or visit Careers by 5pm on 30th July 2026.
Railpen is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment, we value diversity and welcome people from all backgrounds and walks of life.
Skills Required
- Experience working within pensions administration and delivering large-scale transition, operational readiness or cutover programmes
- Experience specifically within DC and CARE pension environments (DC bulk transfers, asset transitions or platform migrations)
- Strong knowledge of pension administration, ideally including DC and CARE schemes
- Experience leading transition planning, cutover, operating model readiness and post-go-live hypercare
- Experience coordinating asset transfer and reconciliation activities with governance and control
- Strong planning, governance and delivery management capability
- Experience managing programme risks, dependencies and contingency planning
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills across all organisational levels
- Excellent communication skills, including supporting business readiness, training and change initiatives
- Ability to simplify complex challenges and develop practical, effective solutions; collaborative and outcome-focused approach with proven delivery track record
- Legal right to work in the UK (role not eligible for visa sponsorship)
What We Do
The Railways Pension Scheme is one of the UK’s largest and longest established pension funds. Railpen is responsible for the safekeeping and investment of around £34 billion on behalf of the scheme’s 350,000 members who are connected to the railway industry. Railpen's purpose is to secure our members' future. To achieve this we invest the scheme’s assets to generate strong returns over the long term. Our members and their employers trust us with this very significant responsibility. We are proud of this responsibility, take it very seriously, and are committed to, and passionate about, improving their future lives. Generating the required returns is challenging. To be successful we must constantly strive to be considered a world-class asset owner by our stakeholders, with a proven track record of adding value for our members. This means we have to have excellent people, doing exemplary work, in every part of our business. We use the size of our assets to invest wisely and influentially. Our convictions and a clear set of investment beliefs guide us through complex and changing markets. We’re not afraid to think innovatively or act boldly in the best interests of the members we are proud to serve
.png){kind=logo}
