Project Management Assistant

About DFT Operator

Join Our Team at DFTO

DfT Operator Ltd (Department for Transport Operator - DFTO) is the public sector owning group behind eight key train operators: LNER Northern Southeastern TransPennine Express South Western Railway c2c Greater Anglia and WM Trains.

Were here to make your rail journeys smoother safer and more reliable. Since taking on LNER in 2018 weve focused on delivering better train services enhancing customer experiences and boosting performance across the network.

Stats about DFTO:

• 8500 services each weekday
• 640 million customer journeys across the networks every year
• 30000employees
• 7000people joined the railway family in the last year

We work closely with the DfT but operate independently with our own governance and leadership teams. Our priority is ensuring efficient dependable rail services for everyone.

Primary Purpose of Job:

To provide high-quality project support within the DFTO PMO enabling Project Managers to deliver projects safely efficiently and to agreed time cost and quality parameters. The role supports project controls reporting risk safety compliance and administrative coordination across the project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support project planning and scheduling maintaining timelines milestones and updates to keep the project on track.
• Prepare maintain and manage project documentation including risk logs issue registers change logs meeting minutes and action trackers.
• Assist in progress monitoring and reporting gathering data from team members and compiling reports for stakeholders and governance forums.
• Coordinate project meetings including preparing agendas taking minutes tracking actions and ensuring follow-up.
• Support financial and resource tracking including monitoring expenditures and preparing updates for budget reports.
• Provide administrative and logistical support such as diary coordination document control system updates and communication management.
• Assist with procurement-related activities liaising with suppliers and supporting the preparation of purchase requests or documentation.
• Monitor adherence to project methodology and standards ensuring documentation processes and governance requirements are followed.
• Support risk and issue management helping identify risks updating risk registers and coordinating reviews with project stakeholders.
• Act as a central point of coordination supporting communication between project team members PMO stakeholders and external partners.

Knowledge Skills Experience & Technical Qualifications:

Essential

• Some management experience including project management.
• Educated to HND/HNC or similar standard.
• HSQE awareness issues and principles.

Desirable

• Membership (or working towards membership of) the Association for Project Management.
• A degree or equivalent.
• Knowledge of safety quality environmental planning RAID or commercial and financial aspects.

Vacancy Details:

Duration:2 year Fixed Term contract/secondment
Location:London Waterloo/Hybrid
Salary:up to 34000
Closing date: 20th March2026

DFTO Benefits:

Annual Leave: Starting at 25 days and rising to an additional day per year of service completed within the first 5 completed years up to a maximum of 5 additional (30 days)

DC Pension Scheme: 10% Employer contribution 5% Employee contribution

Opportunities to learn and network across the wider industry

Additional Information

Disclaimer: Candidates applying for this position on a secondment basis must inform their line manager prior to submitting their application. This is to ensure transparency and facilitate any necessary discussions regarding workload and responsibilities.

About our people and the recruitment process - Were an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly as we know traditional working patterns dont always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly just let us know and well do our best to help and invest in your career with us whilst you have a healthy work life balance.

Contact: If you have any questions or reasonable adjustments please contact

Please do not email any CVs to us your application must be made by clicking the Apply button.