Lee Philbin

Senior Engineering Director | Rail Systems Integration

Salary / Daily rate

Marbella, Málaga, Spain

Mobility: London, Bordeaux, ...

Freelance

Can come onsite

Skills

Risk ManagementCybersecurityFinanceRegulatory ComplianceSupply Chain ManagementNegotiation

Languages

English (Native)

About me

Intro

Engineering Director with 25+ years leading multi-billion pound rail infrastructure projects across UK and Europe. Delivered strategic engineering governance for HS2 (£160bn), Midland Mainline Electrification (£1.5bn), and Bombardier Rolling Stock (£4bn) with expertise in CSM compliance, systems integration, and regulatory assurance. I provide comprehensive rail consultancy ensuring project success through proven leadership in design assurance, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.

Links

Work experience

Engineering Director

Govern (UK) and Govern Systems (Fr)

Sep 2018 - Present

8 years 2 months

– Consulting professional services provided to clients to promote positive business growth and project success to rail industry specialists and delivery partners. – Ensuring strategic engineering governance is a prime focus to gain positive competitive advantage within projects, achieving relationships with new clients throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. – Undertaking leadership responsibilities of operational business management, contractual analysis of CR-Ts and Technical Specifications. – Focusing on the core values of the business by supporting delivery partners to achieve legal obligations thus delivering assured and fully integrated rail systems. – Assurance Director – Automated People Mover £523m: Supporting HS2 for the APM project, managing CSM, CDM, Cableway Installation Regs 2018 and EU reg 2016/424/EU. Gaining Entry into service by creating and managing key assurance documents and processes. – CEM & CSM Governance – Engineering Management & System and Safety Assurance for Birmingham New Street Station refurbishment (£27m): Guiding Sisk to achieve overall compliance, managing temporary works, client interfacing, HazID workshops, risk reduction, and engineering governance. – CEM & Systems Integration Manager – Oldfield Road Remodelling (£7m): Delivering multi-disciplinary deliverables, managing V&V, CSM, and 02009 compliance. Integrating Track, Signalling, Telecoms, E&P, TOC / FOC Operations and Civils. – CEM – Engineering Manager for the LNW Asset Management Framework (£450m): Supporting Amco Giffen with engineering assurance for all design and construction activities along the LNW route section. – CEM – Engineering Manager for the Core Valley Line CVL Wales & Borders Project (£750m): Helping Amey Consulting by leading Engineering teams to achieve optimised designs, managing feasibility, approval in principle, and detailed integrated designs. – Engineering Manager for the Trans Pennine Route Upgrade TRU West (£1 bn): Managing the integration of multi-disciplinary designs, inter-disciplinary review, and management processes. – Engineering Manager for the Midland Mainline Electrification Phase 3 (£1.5 bn): In partnership with Amey to lead Engineering deliverables and interfaces for the GRIP 3 optioneering process, ensuring immunisation against existing and upgraded lineside assets. Managing signal sighting, OLE design, track, civils, telecoms and E&P with integration of the new Hitachi bi-mode. – High Speed 2 Engineering Assurance and Governance (£160 bn): Supporting HS2 by being accountable for assuring deliverables on the EWC Contract, South and North Sections with entire engineering leadership and governance. Managing Civil Engineering contracts, Utilities, enabling and excavation works. Portfolio management with systems integration, financial control, and programme governance. – Key Sector Manager & Professional Head of Rail (£1.2bn): Supporting Segula as their Head of Rail and Key Sector Manager by providing Commercial, Financial and Engineering governance within UK. Integration & management of back-office skillsets. Creation & implementation of standards and common practices. Diversification strategies. – Bid Governance & Product Development Management for Bombardier (Alstom) Rolling Stock Aventra (£4bn): Application of lean management & process changes, leading bid phases & off cycle development, ensuring product is fully integrated, safe, efficient & lucrative. Direct utilisation of 150+ staff.

Senior Engineering Manager

Atkins

Jul 2014 - Sep 2018

4 years 3 months

1180 Uccle, Belgium

– Engineering Support & Governance for the route wide On Network Works areas. Managing the complex engineering issues where HS2 fringes or directly affects the NR infrastructure. – Crossrail North East Anglia (£50m): The highest engineering authority of the Atkins Engineering team, overseeing all engineering for the designated contract. – East Kent Phase 2 (£145m): Engineering management of multi-discipline interfaces which proved imperative for harmonious project delivery. – Level Crossing (£11m): Undertaking CEM duties as required by NR/L2/INI/02009 - Engineering Management for Projects; managing Atkins' interests by acting as SEM when managing internal design teams. – Electrologixs CBI Introduction: Managing the product approval for the introduction of GE's Logic Controller (ELIXS) into UK use.

Alstom (Signalling Solutions)

Apr 2011 - Jul 2014

3 years 4 months

1180 Uccle, Belgium

Engineering Management

Jan 2013 - Jul 2014

1 year 7 months

1180 Uccle, Belgium

– Bristol Area Signalling Renewal & Enhancement Project (£197m): Undertaking the duty of the Principal Engineer; boasting the biggest UK signalling renewal project undertaken in the last 40 years. GRIP 4 – 8.

Engineering Safety Assurance

Apr 2011 - Jan 2013

1 year 10 months

1180 Uccle, Belgium

– Governing project critical decisions relating to system compatibility, first type V&V, interoperable use and benefits realisation. Systems Engineering, Gate Reviews, Engineering Meetings, HAZID analysis meetings, RAMS analysis, Hazard Log management, Tendering and team management.

Technical Manager (Ballasted, Slab, Deep Tube & Crossing work)

Balfour Beatty & LUL

Mar 2007 - Apr 2011

4 years 2 months

London, UK

– Governance of all Engineering concerns to manage the overall development and competency of Engineers and produce recognised documents clarifying results. Strategic analysis of railway operations and comprehending whole life cycles in order to promote innovative solutions to assist in stabilising contractual security between Balfour Beatty and London Underground, stabilising communication interfaces between London Underground and Metronet Alliance. – Secondment in 2010 to France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland enabled a system analysis of ERTMS, infrastructure construction, track renewal techniques, interoperability, Plasser machinery construction and system interfaces.

Engineering Consultant (P-Way)

P.A. Peachy Rail Engineering Services

Mar 2006 - Mar 2007

1 year 1 month

West Coast TAS 7321, Australia

– In partnership with Carillion in the West Midlands to establish railway efficiency analysis having direct communication with Senior Management Team to create an improved strategic approach to complex/diverse Engineering Issues

Principal Technical Officer

Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services

Jan 1998 - Mar 2006

8 years 3 months

Midlands, East Anglia, UK

– Track Survey, Design, Construction and Maintenance. Management of 50+ Technical staff with direct reporting to Contract Management and NR IMT structure.


Education

The University of Birmingham

PhD, Rolling Stock Battery Traction

2025 - 2030

5 years 1 month

Arden University

MA, Design Management

2025 - 2028

3 years 1 month

The University of Birmingham

PhD, Integration of ETCS into the Great Britain

2012 - 2026

14 years 1 month

The University of Birmingham

MPhil, Railway culture in GB

2020 - 2024

4 years 1 month

Wrexham Glyndwr University

MBA, Business Administration (Corporate Finance)

2020 - 2022

2 years 1 month

The University of Birmingham

MSc, Railway Systems Engineering & Integration

2008 - 2010

2 years 1 month


Licenses & certifications

Temporary Works, General Awareness

Issued: –

Certified by CITB

Fire Safety Awareness in Construction & the Built Environment

Issued: –

Certified by CITB

GNVQ Level 3 (Advanced) in 'The Built Environment'

Issued: –

Certified by West Nottinghamshire College

Certificate in 'Setting Out for Engineers'

Issued: –

Certified by Bryan Madge Associates

ALC software qualification

Issued: –

Certified by Plasser

Clear Route (Vehicle profile clearance verification)

Issued: –

Design Route (Vertical track design)

Issued: –

Track Quality Supervisor

Issued: –

Lean Management Techniques Level 2

Issued: –

Certified by London Learning Consortium

Equality & Diversity Level 2

Issued: –

Certified by Havering College

Intermediate Signalling Technology - Control Tables

Issued: –

Intermediate Signalling Technology - Aspect Sequence / Scheme calcs

Issued: –

Basic Signalling Technology

Issued: –

Signal Works Testing Mod 5

Issued: –

Yellow Book Certified, Book 4 (Engineer)

Issued: –

Certified by Network Rail

Qualified Competence Assessor EAL Level 3

Issued: –

Certified by EAL

European Engineer Status (Eur Ing)

Issued: –

Certified by Feani

Chartered Engineer (CEng)

Issued: –

Certified by Engineering Council

IRSE License - Senior Engineering Manager 7.8.230F Engineering

Issued: –

Certified by IRSE

CDM 2018 Principal Designer Competent

Issued: Jan 2018

Certified by UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

International Engineering Safety Management

Issued: Jan 2015

CRT (Critical Rail Temperature) Trained

Issued: Jan 2013

Certified by Network Rail

Corporate Coaching (Advanced integration)

Issued: Jan 2010

The best place to find your next move

© 2026. All Rights Reserved.