Lead Forward Planner - Temp Opportunity up to 6 Months

If you’re looking to make a difference in your own backyard, this career is for you. 

You know that to make a meaningful contribution there needs to be connection and collaboration across the teams. Here’s your opportunity to help our people make a big impact. 

In this role, you'll:

Be the strategic force behind how we forecast, plan, and deliver crew training across Sydney Trains. You will lead end-to-end forecasting for trainers and trainees, identify supply challenges, and design smart strategies to meet both current and future workforce needs. Your work will directly impact our ability to run a safe, reliable, and customer-focused network, every single day.
You will be developing strategies to maximise trainee throughput, ensuring we meet operational demands without compromising on performance or safety. You will build and refine data models to forecast long-term crew supply and use workforce planning systems to spot constraints; whether it’s training resources, rolling stock availability, or anything in between.

You will monitor how forecasts stack up against reality, dig into the reasons behind any gaps, and implement solutions to keep things on track. You’ll also manage the handover from long-term planning to short-term rostering, making sure trainees and trainers are scheduled efficiently and in line with workplace agreements.

Innovation is key here. You will be improving planning processes, introducing smarter tech, and helping us forecast and roster resources with greater precision. You will work closely with our Learning & Development team to validate assumptions and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives. And of course, you will play a vital role in upholding our safety standards and governance frameworks.
This is a high-impact role in a fast-changing environment. You will be solving complex problems, working across multiple business areas, and helping us build a more mature, tech-enabled planning capability.

This is a temporary full time opportunity up to 6 months, based in Petersham, NSW.

Please see the role description and information pack for more information.

About you

You thrive in complexity. You’ve been responsible for rostered staff in 24/7 operations large scale rostering and have demonstrated knowledge of Industrial Awards, Agreements and Conditions . You bring deep experience in workforce planning and long-term forecasting, ideally in transport or logistics and you’re confident with data, systems, and finding smarter ways to get things done.

You’ve got the qualifications to back it up, and you understand the importance of compliance, collaboration, and continuous improvement. But more than that, you’re ready to lead.

We’re looking for someone who’s been in the thick of it—someone with hands-on experience in heavy industry who understands the pace, pressure, and precision it takes to keep things moving.

You’ve worked with train crew before, so you know what effective planning really looks like. You’re a strong communicator, especially when it comes to union negotiations and stakeholder engagement. You juggle multiple priorities with ease, stay focused under pressure, and deliver results.

And when it comes to Excel? You’re an advance Excel user and comfortable building scenario formulas, modelling and reporting. 

Sound like you? We’d love to hear how you’d bring your experience, insight, and leadership to our team.

Who we are

Transport for NSW provides a safe, integrated, and efficient transport system. We connect people, communities and industry every day. 

At Sydney Trains, our rail services keep Sydney moving by putting our customers at the centre of everything we do. We work with our local communities to deliver safe, timely and efficient rail services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Our trains and network are evolving to meet the needs of our customers now and well into the future. We’re continuing to integrate technological innovations that help us deliver a smarter and more sustainable network. 

Join us

Our workforce is as diverse as the community we serve. If you’d like further information on our inclusion and diversity initiatives, visit Transport careers.

We offer a wide range of employee benefits, like our award-winning flexible and hybrid work options.

This role is hybrid-friendly, meaning you can mix in-person days at your team’s home base location with remote days. 

What are you waiting for…? Connect with us.  Apply now!

Applications close: 11:59 pm Sunday, 12th October 2025.

For more information about this role, please contact GURVEEN.KAUR2@TRANSPORT.NSW.GOV.AU.

Aboriginal people and people living with disability are supported throughout the recruitment process and at work, and we encourage you to apply. Visit Supporting Aboriginal people or Supporting people with disability for more info or speak to your talent team member to arrange any adjustments to how you interact with us. 

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