European Rail System Advisor

That is why you want to work as a European Rail System Advisor at NS

• You will influence European choices that determine the future of the Dutch railway for the next ten to twenty years;
• You connect technology, innovation, strategy, and policy and translate these complex developments into clear choices for NS;
• You provide direction without taking over responsibilities and build a European network that delivers knowledge, collaboration, and opportunities for influence.

Bart: "This is a role for someone who gets energy from complex issues, international cooperation, and influence without formal power. You don't always have to see immediate results, but you know that the contacts you make today and the choices you help make now can be decisive for the railway of the next ten to twenty years."

The European rail system is changing due to new technology, regulation, and international cooperation programs. Decisions being made in Europe now will have long-lasting consequences for passengers and NS. As a European Rail System Advisor, you will monitor and interpret these developments at an early stage. You will make visible where opportunities, risks, and possibilities for influence arise. In this way, you will build structural European expertise and direction within NS and help reduce dependency on external support.

You work at the intersection of technology, innovation, strategy, policy, and governance. You distinguish between main and secondary issues, connect the right NS experts and decision-makers, and organize a collective European position. In doing so, you make roles, interests, decision moments, and follow-up steps explicit, without taking over the substantive responsibility of experts. You coordinate the European activities of NS and NS Techniek and ensure that the right people are engaged in a timely manner.

An important part of your work focuses on Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking (ERJU) and its potential successors. You help NS determine which European work packages and programs NS participates in, for what purpose, in what form, and with what level of commitment. You also interpret new European regulations and system leaps such as ERTMS, DCO, FRMCS, and ATO, as well as developments in the field of digitalization and AI. You translate the possible consequences for, among other things, the fleet, infrastructure, and operations into scenarios, impact, priorities, and concrete follow-up steps. In this way, you help decision-makers determine where participation, positioning, or influence delivers the most value for NS.

With your analytical sharpness, organizational sensitivity, and connecting approach, you will make a difference in:

• monitoring and interpreting developments at, among others, ERJU, the European Commission, ERA, UIC, and CER, and making visible early on what becomes relevant for NS;
• translating European strategy, innovation programs, regulation, and technology into scenarios, impact, priorities, and concrete courses of action;
• organizing internal alignment between Corporate Affairs, the Europe Technology Table, the Europe Steering Group, and substantive experts, with clear roles, decision-making, and follow-up;
• analyzing the European field of forces and advising on the right moment, channel, and narrative to effectively position the interests and expertise of NS;
• purposefully building and maintaining sustainable relationships within the European rail sector, whereby you tailor your communication to different cultural and institutional contexts and utilize signals from your network for knowledge, collaboration, and opportunities for influence;
• drafting concise analyses, position papers, progress reports, and administrative advice that accelerate decision-making.

You work within the Asset Strategy department in the Future Rail System team. This team consists of eight substantively driven professionals, including lead architects and an asset manager. Together, you look ahead to new regulations, technology, and system leaps and translate these into direction for NS.

You work closely with Asset Strategy, Corporate Affairs, NS Techniek, and European partners. Your location is Utrecht and you work 28 hours per week. To remain connected to the team and important decision-makers, you work at least two days per week in the office.

At NS, we find diversity and inclusion important. It makes working together more fun and the result often better. Whatever your background or beliefs may be: we are primarily curious about your vision for the role of European Rail System Advisor.

• You have a university-level working and thinking ability and at least five years of relevant experience with strategy, innovation, policy, stakeholder management, or international cooperation.
• You have experience with complex European or international dossiers and can make concrete how your analysis and approach have led to results.
• You recognize formal and informal interests in an administratively or politically sensitive environment, handle confidential information carefully, and align timing and communication accordingly.
• You connect experts, management, directors, and external stakeholders and help them reach supported decisions. In doing so, you make roles explicit and secure actions without taking over responsibilities.
• You connect facts to interests, adapt your message to the target group, and create support for a course or action even without a formal mandate.
• You create overview in multiple long-term dossiers by working with clear priorities, owners, milestones, and decision moments, and you adjust in a timely manner regarding risks and dependencies.
• You have the stamina to achieve results in multi-year European dossiers, take initiative independently, and maintain course when representing a substantiated position on behalf of NS. In doing so, you communicate concisely and persuasively in Dutch and English and have experience with analyses, advice, position papers, or similar administrative documents.

At NS, we believe it is important that we dare to call each other out and can always speak our minds. We seek colleagues with courage who are open to change. For this position, these are crucial success factors to achieve results together with the team and the organization.

Working at NS means that you can make *the* difference in the dynamic world of sustainable mobility. You help keep the Netherlands accessible, for everyone. At NS, you get a lot of freedom. The possibilities to develop yourself are great. We promise you that no day is the same. And as one of the most beautiful employers in the Netherlands, we have even more to offer. For this position, including:

• A salary between € 4,488 and € 7,515 gross per month (scale 61) (based on 36 hours - scaling based on work experience).
• A 28-36 hour work week.
• 144 hours of statutory leave (based on full-time employment) + extra leave depending on age (at least one week).
• The possibility to exchange 3 Christian holidays for 3 non-Christian holidays.
• 3% end-of-year bonus, 8% holiday allowance, and an excellent pension scheme.
• Your train travel in 2nd class is free; travel in 1st class is possible with a small personal contribution.
• Your family travels for free during off-peak hours.
• Discount on European train travel once you have worked at NS for 1 year.
• Professional development opportunities
• A choice plan including, among others, a bicycle plan, extra pension accrual, or extra vacation days.
• Want to know more? View our employment conditions and collective labor agreement.
• The possibility of working from home and flexible working hours (in consultation).

Do you want to exert influence on European choices that shape the railway of the future? Do you get energy from complex issues, international cooperation, and connecting technology, strategy, and policy? Then this is your chance to make an impact from NS on developments that will affect passengers and mobility for years to come.

Apply directly via the application button, but no later than November 9, 2026. Within a few minutes, you will receive an automatic application confirmation. We will respond to your application within two weeks.

You can address your application to Cem Bayrak, Recruiter.

Any questions about the application process? Email Karin from the front office via recruitment@ns.nl.

Would you prefer to contact us by telephone? Then call our front office at 088-6713666.

• A background check, including a VOG (Certificate of Conduct), is part of the application procedure. Please also consider the signing of an integrity statement and a non-disclosure agreement.
• We believe it is important that everyone who works with us feels at home. You can see this in everything we do, and therefore also in our hiring policy. Read more here.
• With this vacancy, we wish to recruit our new colleague ourselves. This is therefore not a call for acquisition. With this vacancy, we wish to recruit our new colleague ourselves. This is therefore not a call for acquisition. This position cannot be filled on an interim basis. For that, please view our hiring page.