Governance Lead

A little bit about us

East West Rail is an infrastructure programme connecting communities between Oxford and Cambridge, a region currently underserved by transport. We have a once in a generation opportunity to change that, improving prosperity for people and places along the way.

East West Railway Company (EWR Co) was created by the Department for Transport (DfT) to oversee delivery of East West Rail, from design and construction through to services running, making sure the railway comes together in the right way. The programme is projected to deliver a £6.7 billion annual boost to the regional economy by 2050.

Role Summary
As Governance Lead, you will own the operation and continued development of EWR Co's corporate governance framework. Working directly with the Chair, Board, Executive Committee and senior leaders, you will help shape governance at a defining stage in EWR Co's development. You will connect Board governance, delegated authority and organisational decision-making, creating arrangements that support delivery today and remain clear and defensible under future scrutiny.

You will provide independent, practical advice on governance, decision-making and accountability with autonomy, exercise sound judgement, constructively challenge at the most senior levels and lead the governance team.

Function
The Governance Lead reports to the Director of Legal and is accountable for the day-to-day operation of governance within EWR Co. The role leads and develops the governance team, which includes a Governance Manager as a direct report, and sets its priorities, standards and ways of working.

The role operates across organisational boundaries, with direct access to the Chair, Non-Executive Directors, Executive Directors and senior leadership. It builds working relationships with committee chairs, paper owners and decision-makers across EWR Co, as well as governance and sponsorship counterparts within the DfT.

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you will:
- Lead the day-to-day operation and development of the governance function, setting clear priorities, service standards, controls and ways of working.
- Maintain a clear view of EWR Co's governance architecture, including the relationship between the Articles of Association, Framework Document, Development Agreement, delegated authorities, remit and delegation letters, matters reserved, terms of reference and internal governance arrangements.
- Build a governance service that combines reliable secretariat delivery with sound governance advice, keeping a coherent map of governance forums, decision rights, assurance routes and escalation paths and identifying duplication, gaps or unclear accountabilities.
- Operate the conflicts of interest and business interests regime for Board and Executive members, alongside the gifts and hospitality registers, ensuring records are live and auditable.
- Develop and support the governance team, establishing clear accountabilities and building professional capability and resilience.
- Advise the Chair, Board, Executive Committee and senior leaders on governance, authority, accountability and effective decision-making, planning forward agendas with the Chair, committee chairs and executives around the company's strategic, delivery, risk and assurance priorities.
- Provide independent and practical advice on where and how decisions should be taken, constructively challenging where proposals do not meet the required governance or evidential standard.
- Anticipate governance requirements and identify emerging gaps, ambiguities or conflicts before they affect programme delivery or expose the company to challenge.
- Promote a culture in which governance is understood as an enabler of sound and timely delivery, rather than an administrative process.
- Produce proportionate guidance, training and communications that help colleagues understand decision rights, delegated authority and governance requirements.
- Contribute to corporate governance reporting to the DfT and, where required, HM Treasury.
- Embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in all your work, and support organisational EDI initiatives, policies and procedures.
- Undertake other duties reasonably required by the Director of Legal to support the function.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

Essential Criteria
You will bring:
- A background in delivering corporate governance and company secretarial services within a complex, regulated, publicly accountable or similarly scrutinised organisation.
- Experience of advising and influencing at Board and executive level, including forward planning and maintaining accurate, auditable records of decisions.
- Working knowledge of UK corporate governance and company secretarial requirements.
- A background in managing or developing others, whether through formal line management, professional supervision or leadership of a specialist service.
- Sound independent judgement and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential matters.
- A continuous-improvement mindset, with the ability to challenge unnecessary process while strengthening accountability and control.
- The ability to manage a demanding forward pipeline and deliver within agreed timescales.
Desirable Criteria
It would also be great if you have:
- Chartered, graduate or advanced-stage professional status with the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland, or equivalent experience.
- A Qualification as a solicitor or barrister, supported by relevant corporate governance or company secretarial experience, or equivalent experience.

Benefits

- Competitive salary that reflects your skills and experience
- Up to 12% employer pension contribution to support your future
- 36 days annual leave (including bank holidays) plus the option to buy up to 2 extra days
- 2 volunteering days, a chance for you to give back to the community
- Enhanced family-friendly policies to support you and your loved ones
- Life assurance (4x your annual salary) for peace of mind
- Employee Assistance Programme for confidential support when you need it
- Access to Perkbox for a wide range of discounts and wellbeing benefits
- Recognition programme, including on-the-spot and annual awards
- Advanced learning and development opportunities to help you grow.
Diversity and Inclusion:

At East West Railway Company, we’re committed to building an inclusive railway for all. We believe that to do that, we must nurture a diverse team that represents the UK communities that we impact. Our approach is simple - to create an environment where everyone is welcome and able to be themselves. We celebrate diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, encouraging applications from all backgrounds and experiences.

If you want to connect lives and unlock the future, then we’d love to hear from you.