Principle Consultant

For our client in the rail infrastructure sector, we are looking for a Principal Consultant to lead the design phase of a new GBR Leadership Academy. This is a high-impact assignment, working directly with C-suite and Executive Committee level stakeholders and shaping the future leadership capability of the UK railway.

The role at a glance

Title: Principal Consultant
Contract length: 12 months
Day rate: approx. £1000 - 1,065 (umbrella)
Location: London (3 days per week on site, with flexibility)
Travel: Additional UK travel as required (expenses covered)
Security clearance: BPSS (or eligibility to obtain)

Why this role is compelling

Direct ownership of the end-to-end design of an executive-level leadership academy.
Work with board-level stakeholders, shaping leadership for a nationally critical sector.
Opportunity to design immersive, future-focused learning (simulations, scenarios, system leadership interventions) linked to a live, large-scale transformation, not just standalone programmes.
Significant visibility and influence, including presenting design direction to Programme Directors and board governance.

Key focus of the assignment

Lead senior-level discovery, executive interviews, analysis and synthesis.
Define the learning architecture aligned with the organisation's culture pillars.
Run design sprints - prototype, test and iterate the learning solutions.
Create immersive simulations based around the future railway, embedding new behaviours, leadership and decision-making.
Produce pilot-ready learning packages and establish design standards, QA and governance.

Expected deliverables

Executive insight report.
Curriculum blueprint for the Leadership Academy.
Prototype and pilot-ready System Leadership Programme.
Design standards, templates and governance framework.

Ideal profile

Has personally owned the design and delivery of leadership programmes for C-suite / ExCo populations.
Extensive experience working with and facilitating senior executives (Director / MD / ExCo level).
Proven track record delivering leadership programmes as part of a live organisational transformation, not just capability-building in isolation.
6+ years in a Director or equivalent level role in L&D / learning strategy for senior leaders.
Background in consulting and learning strategy, ideally including government or infrastructure environments.
Recognised strength in change management and communication of change.
Comfortable synthesising insight from executive interviews and shaping strategic learning architecture.

This would suit a board-credible learning innovation leader who enjoys uncovering real leadership challenges, testing hypotheses quickly and designing practical, immersive learning that is tightly connected to strategic outcomes