NSW rail agencies seek IT heads

NSW rail agencies have advertised for the first permanent chief information officer since the controversial departure of RailCorp’s Vicki Coleman in 2009.

Recruitment documents posted by state transport authority Transport for NSW sought a chief information officer and head of IT for Sydney Trains and NSW Trains respectively.

The advertisements were listed among hundreds of senior management positions as the two new agencies prepare to replace RailCorp this July.

RailCorp called off its protracted search for a CIO in 2011, as a newly elected Coalition Government firmed up plans to reform the state’s transport services.

In May 2012, the State Government announced a “Fixing the Trains” initiative that would see RailCorp split into two new agencies, with Sydney Trains responsible for the greater Sydney suburban area, and NSW Trains serving long-distance travellers.

At the time, RailCorp was expected to cut up to 750 middle management jobs “to simplify processes and reduce bureaucracy”.

In its new search for senior managers, Transport for NSW has called for “people who want to ‘fix the trains’, put customers first, and make a difference”.

“Sydney Trains and NSW Trains represent real and exciting change,” the authority posted on its recruitment site.

“We’re recruiting literally hundreds of passionate, committed leaders and senior managers from across the public and private sectors to join Sydney Trains and NSW Trains.”

IT job requirements

Transport for NSW sought a Sydney Trains CIO who would drive the development and implementation of IT strategies, plans and standards in alignment with the authority’s wider architecture and the agency’s finance, IT and procurement objectives.

The CIO would be responsible for the IT division, its services and operations and report into Sydney Trains’ Director Finance, IT and Procurement – a role for which applications closed on 15 December last year.

Recruitment documents indicated that the CIO would have four direct reports and an undisclosed budget.

They would also be required to liaise with the Transport for NSW Group CIO Tim Catley on architecture and policy, ICT contractors and vendors on service level agreements, other rail organisations on best practices, and regulators.

Meanwhile, the NSW Trains head of IT would be responsible for managing the IT group, building workforce competency and “coordinating the work of a professionally diverse workforce”.

They were required to provide IT input into NSW Trains’ organisational strategy and policy and report to the agency’s General Manager of Finance and IT.

Recruitment documents indicated that the head of IT would have three direct reports and, like the Sydney Trains CIO, liaise with Catley, IT suppliers, other rail organisations and regulators on relevant issues.

Applications for both positions close on 16 February.

Transport for NSW formed from three transport authorities in November 2011 and has been reviewing its ICT strategy since last October to reflect its broader span of responsibility across all transport agencies.

The year-long review was expected to examine “ICT practices which are contemporary and responsive to an integrated transport agency”, a spokesman told iTnews last month.

“The new structure will support the Transport for NSW goal of putting the customer at the centre of everything we do.”