Appointment details

Chair of East West Rail Co.

Summary

• Organisation: East West Rail Company
• Sponsor department: Department for Transport
• Location: South East
• Sectors: Transport
• Skills: Business, Major Projects, Transformation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 2 day(s) per week
• Remuneration: £75,000 per annum
• Length of term: 3 years
• Application deadline: Midday on 7 August 2026

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   8 July 2026

2. Application deadline

   Midday on 7 August 2026

3. Sifting date

   21 August 2026

4. Interviews expected to end on

   18 September 2026

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction from the Minister

Dear Applicant,  

Thank you for your interest in the role of Chair of East West Railway Company (EWR Co.).  

As one of Britain’s largest transport projects, East West Rail forms a cornerstone of the government’s infrastructure strategy, unlocking £6.7 billion of regional economic growth by 2050, enabling up to 100,000 new homes and supporting tens of thousands of new jobs along the route. Central to our mission is delivering transport that works for everyone in our society.  

At the 2025 Spending Review, the government announced £2.5 billion to progress the next stages of the scheme, bolstering government’s commitment to realising the full potential of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor and delivering improved connectivity for communities in the region. EWR Co. is now entering a critical phase, moving from definition and design to formal scheme approval and commencement of delivery where all partners are working seamlessly to deliver the benefits. 

We are seeking a politically astute individual with Board-level experience and a track record in major project delivery who can guide the organisation through complex stakeholder dynamics and demanding objectives as construction activities accelerate. This role is for someone who excels at relationship management and who can support EWR Co’s core role as the programme integrator and drive forward collaborative decision-making on infrastructure and services delivery, working with Network Rail and the DfT Operator and in future Great British Railways. 

We strongly welcome applications from all backgrounds. As part of the Department’s commitment to diversity, we believe our public appointments should reflect our customers - the travelling public – who come from all walks of life and have different experiences. We very much welcome fresh talent, expertise, and perspectives, to help us better understand the needs of the communities we serve and support better decision making for all. This includes people who may have never applied for a public appointment – but could bring new ideas, insights and energy. 

If you are interested in the role and work of EWR Co., I would like to encourage you to apply.  

Our dedicated DfT Public Appointments Team would be happy to talk through the process and answer your questions.  

Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP 

Secretary of State for Transport 

Appointment description

As a Non-Executive Chair for EWR Co., you will have recent and relevant Executive Board or Non-Executive Director experience or be able to demonstrate the ability to operate at this level. You will understand and be committed to the pivotal role that the Board plays in underpinning Government confidence. 

Candidates will need to demonstrate resilience, with experience of or demonstrate the ability to operate in a high-profile organisation tasked with delivering against demanding objectives. Success will rely on the ability to welcome diverse perspectives, navigate complex stakeholder dynamics and build a strategic partnership with Great British Railways Company as part of the drive to deliver aligned design, construction and passenger experience from the ground up. 

We are looking for someone who is politically astute and has proven experience in delivering sound, impartial advice on complex delivery programmes. The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate ability to engage positively and  collaboratively in Board discussions, bring strong relationship management skills to drive integration efforts and have a passion for delivering excellence.  

The role holder will have the ability to cope with ambiguity/change and have credibility and persuasiveness in dealings with elected members and officials. Ability to demonstrate media handling skills and being comfortable in the media spotlight would be beneficial. 

Organisation description

EWR Co. is responsible for the development, design and delivery of the new Oxford-Cambridge railway link. 

East West Rail is a new railway which will connect Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge, making it easier for people to live and work in the area, with faster and more affordable connections to get around the region, bringing people together, connecting communities and helping new ones grow. 

The strategic objectives for EWR Co. are to: 

• Connect communities with better east-west rail links, improving journey times and convenience compared to travelling by road. 
• Strengthen links with existing north-south routes across the national rail network, opening up the wider UK transport network. 
• Expand access to jobs and skills, allowing businesses to recruit from a wider labour market and creating more employment opportunities. 
• Support investment and economic growth in both the region and on a national scale. 
• Enable new homes and growing towns to be well-connected with modern transport connections. 
• Offer a sustainable alternative to road travel, allowing people to make better transport choices. 
• Take lorries off local roads by supporting rail freight as an essential part of the UK’s supply chain. 

The Company’s vision is to achieve easy everyday journeys, bringing people and places together. This vision will be measured by EWR Co’s core outcome which is creating a railway that is: 

• safe 
• reliable 
• accessible 
• sustainable 

EWR Co operates as a standalone public body of DfT and works closely with Network Rail and DFT Operator Limited to design and build the new rail connection and plan the introduction of new train services on the route. Following structural reforms to unify the sector, EWR Co will pursue close alignment with the new single rail body, Great British Railways, to streamline planning and operations ahead of introducing services in Bedford and Cambridge areas. 

The Board 

The EWR Co Board is responsible for establishing appropriate corporate policies and scrutinising major decisions, whilst holding EWR Co Management and EWR Co’s CEO to account.   

The EWR Co Board consists of seven non-executive members: a Chair and six non-executive directors (NEDs) including a Shareholder NED, and three executive directors 

EWR Co. operates ‘best practice’ standards of corporate governance, and where applicable is aligned to the Corporate Governance in Central Government Departments: Code of Good Practice. The Board is supported by the following sub-committees, each of which is chaired by a NED: 

• Audit and Risk Committee 
• Remuneration and Nomination Committee  
• Safety, Health and Environment Committee; and  
• Investment Committee 

The Board meets formally in person, in the Milton Keynes office, every two months and holds informal calls during the alternate months, with the above sub-committees meeting as a minimum on a quarterly basis.  

Strategic Priorities in 2026-27 

• Lock down the baseline and deliver the programme. EWR Co will establish programme cost and schedule and will begin enabling works. Alongside this, EWR Co will continue to refine the design and submit their Outline Business Case in early 2027. 
• Build a high performing project delivery capability. The Company will strengthen client and partner capability as procurement for main works contracts progresses, and deliver a step change in safety, commercial and delivery capabilities.
• Drive meaningful engagement with external stakeholders. EWR’s route-wide public consultation will be a key opportunity before the submission of plans to the Secretary of State for development consent. 

Further information can be found on www.eastwestrail.co.uk or East West Railway Company Limited - GOV.UK 

Board composition

East West Rail | Our company

Person specification

Essential criteria

1. Proven experience in leading large-scale or complex projects/programmes and ability to steer the organisation through different phases while fostering clarity. 
2. Recent and relevant Executive Board or Non‑Executive Director experience, or clear ability to operate at this level in a high-profile organisation with impartial judgement, the ability to engage collaboratively in Board discussions and constructively challenge and encourage; 
3. Ability to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes and build strategic partnerships, handle public scrutiny, manage differing viewpoints, with a strong demonstrable understanding of working with Government and ensuring strategic alignment; 

Please note, should a large number of applications be received, a shortlist may be undertaken using a lead criteria 1.

Desirable criteria

• experience or knowledge of working in capital-intensive programme delivery, large civil engineering programme or overseeing complex commercial arrangements;

Application and selection process

How to apply

To help you succeed, we have provided application guidance on our public appointments campaign page. In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in. Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions. To apply, all applicants are required to provide:

• equality information (including the option of ‘prefer not to say’)
• information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues
• a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• a supporting statement
• a short professional biography (150 words)

We will ask you to check and confirm your personal details to ensure your application is accurate. You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application. 

If you require any adjustments or have questions about the process, you should contact the team as early as possible using the email listed under 'Contact details' at the end of the advertisement.

Overview of the application process

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.

The assessment process

1. Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.

2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.

3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.

4. Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.

5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.

6. Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.

7. Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.

8. Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

Further information about appointments, including tips on applying, can be found on our guidance pages on gov.uk.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

Richard Goodman – Departmental Official

Panel Chair. Director General for Rail Reform and Strategy, Department for Transport

Richard Goodman has no political activity to declare.

Julia Gregory – Independent Panel Member

Currently serving as NED of an NHS Foundation Trust, SID of Conserv Solutions Limited and Chair of Greater Essex Business Board

Julia Gregory has no political activity to declare.

Lynnette Ryals – Public Body Representative

Senior Independent Director, East West Rail Co.

Lynnette Ryals has no political activity to declare.

TBC – Additional Panel Member

TBC

TBC has no political activity to declare.

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

If you need further advice, please contact DfTPublicAppointments@dft.gov.uk

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Public Offices and bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s commitment to breaking down barriers to opportunity.

We collect and monitor diversity data about applicants’ characteristics, including people’s educational and professional backgrounds, to understand the diversity of applicants and appointees. As set out in section 3 of our privacy notice, we do this to ensure we are attracting a broad range of people and our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it is difficult to see whether the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups or our changes are making a positive difference.

When you apply, you can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. Once you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. We use this anonymised data to create reports on the timing and outcomes of our recruitment campaigns, as well as the diversity of our appointees. This transparency helps us create a fairer environment for everyone by highlighting where we need to do better.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol to show our commitment to good practice in appointing disabled people. The scheme helps our organisation recruit and retain the expertise of these applicants, supporting their journey into leadership roles in public life. 

As part of the scheme, the panel will aim to offer an interview to those who meet the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advertisement, and who have asked that their application be considered under the scheme. If a high volume of applications is received, the panel will ensure that a proportionate number of interviews are offered to disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria, rather than all of those candidates.

Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will not prejudice your application. By ‘essential criteria' we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates how you meet the level of competence required under each criteria. This does not mean that all disabled applicants are entitled to an interview. If you have any questions or want to discuss your application in confidence, please contact the team as early as possible using the email listed under 'Contact details' at the end of the advertisement.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to ensure applicants with disabilities and/or, long term conditions, covered under both the Equality Act 2010 (England, Scotland & Wales) and Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Northern Ireland) are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. We aim to create an accessible and supportive experience that allows every applicant to demonstrate their full range of talents and perspectives and work closely with applicants to ensure that any necessary reasonable adjustments are in place to remove any barriers. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats (for example, large print);
• making adaptations to interview locations including hybrid arrangements;
• allowing applicants to present their skills and experience in a different way, for example receiving interview themes in advance, having additional processing time during assessments, or choosing a communication style that best showcases their skills. Examples of different styles may include a video or audio application or a presentation in place of a supporting statement;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection and interview process in advance to allow applicants time to prepare themselves;
• arranging support such as British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters or allowing support workers;
• making provision for support animals to attend where possible;

If you require any reasonable adjustments, you will have the chance to request these early in the application process;

If you have any questions or want to discuss your application in confidence, you should contact the team as early as possible using the email listed under 'Contact details' at the end of the advertisement.

Principles of public life

The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.

1. Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

2. Integrity

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

3. Objectivity

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

4. Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

5. Openness

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

6. Honesty

Holders of public office should be truthful.

7. Leadership

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers. Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or ten years in any one post. 

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying.

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact the DfT public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at DfTpublicappointments@dft.gov.uk. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

Attachments

• EWR Chair Candidate Information Pack

• Top Tips for Applications

Contact details

Please contact Julia Weston, Senior Campaign Manger on julia.weston@dft.gov.uk if you have any questions or wish to discuss the role in any more detail