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- Tasks: Lead marketing strategies and drive customer engagement for a dynamic train operator.
- Company: Join Grand Central, a pioneering open-access train operator connecting communities.
- Benefits: Enjoy unlimited free travel, a contributory pension, and wellness packages.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on brand growth while working in a vibrant environment.
- Qualifications: Degree-level education with strong marketing experience and leadership skills.
- Other info: Be part of a team that values community and innovation.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
Organisation: Grand Central
Location: York
About Us: We are an open-access train operator linking the North East and West Yorkshire with London, which means we don't get any sort of help from the government and our only loyalty is to our customers - it's in our interest to give you the best journey possible. We've been connecting London Kings Cross, Yorkshire and the North East since 2007. Calling at the smaller stations means we're always looking to be active in the local community, through our various social responsibility programs and helping local organisations.
The Role: The Senior Marketing & Communications Manager leads Grand Central’s brand, marketing, PR, and digital retail strategy, driving customer acquisition, retention, and revenue growth. They oversee integrated campaigns, digital channel performance, and the evolution of the brand across all touchpoints, using customer insight and data to deliver strong commercial results. Working closely with commercial leadership, they manage key suppliers, guide the marketing team, and ensure effective budget oversight while supporting wider Arriva initiatives to maximise business value.
Principal Accountabilities:
- Lead, implement and develop Grand Central’s Brand, Marketing, PR and Digital Retail strategy. Define, adapt and refine the brand and customer acquisition/retention strategies to ensure the current and future positioning is competitive, customer centric and distinctive.
- Create the strategies and conditions for industry-leading revenue growth and customer satisfaction through digital retailing and online marketing.
- Create value for Arriva through proactive contribution to Arriva strategy and project delivery.
- Work in close partnership with Senior Revenue Manager to jointly lead the Commercial team and ensure it delivers and exceeds its objectives; principally by providing expert and excellent commercial services to the 3 businesses within the Rail Services portfolio (Grand Central, ARTS, ATC) and to work with commercial colleagues across the AUKT portfolio to maximise the value of those businesses from working together where it makes commercial sense.
- Develop a holistic marketing and PR strategy that delivers business targets for passenger revenue and footfall, ROI and other KPIs as agreed.
- Lead an innovative marketing approach which identifies opportunities for new customer acquisition and drives quantified customer retention.
- Maintain an integrated marketing strategy and communication plan, which delivers activity in a continuous 12-month cycle.
- Use customer insight and wider consumer intelligence to lead a customer lifecycle management approach which actively drives EBIT growth.
- Maintain a roster of key supplier partners, ensuring delivery against contractual targets and quality metrics.
- Evaluate fit with brand and commercial objectives on an ongoing basis; tendering for services as required.
- Own and continuously develop digital retail channels (ACE), simultaneously championing customer-centric strategic developments and optimising current performance to increase channel share, conversion and EBIT contribution.
- Overall accountability for Grand Central’s Digital Strategy, Digital Customer Acquisition, User Experience (UX), eCommerce, Data Science, Analytics and Content and SEO Management.
- Identify and leverage external partnerships which deliver commercial benefit, shared brand values and increase brand equity.
- Lead the strategic evolution of the GC brand across all internal and external touchpoints, reviewing its relevance and effectiveness on a regular basis and evolving the visual identity and marketing deployment accordingly.
- Participate in and draw value from AUKT, Arriva Group and RDG initiatives and workstreams.
- Lead the production of the annual marketing and digital retail budget and provide regular forecasts throughout the year.
- Ensure marketing team expenditure is within agreed parameters and company policies are upheld.
- Proactively explore opportunities to provide MarComms support to AUKT’s non-TOC businesses, using your specialist skills to add value.
Essential Requirements:
- Educated to degree level (or similar) with strong written and numerical skills.
- Strong marketing background and experience, and ideally specialist marketing qualifications.
- Membership of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
- Experience in simultaneously delivering customer acquisition and retention marketing workstreams.
- Experience of delivering and sustaining digital transformation in an environment where digital retailing performance is high profile and business critical.
- Strong people management experience, including dotted line reports within divisional teams.
- Experience of appointing and leading a roster of specialist suppliers as an extension of the in-house team, including inter-agency collaboration to deliver to Grand Central’s business objectives.
- Ability to work within a global organisation, in a regulated industry, and treat these as opportunities to drive value for the business and for customers.
- Passion for understanding customers, influencing them, and creating advocacy which drives EBIT.
- Project management approach to delivering new initiatives.
- Business case creation and delivery of activity against ambitious KPIs.
- Strong financial acumen and >£1m budget management experience.
- Dynamic and positive individual with the enthusiasm for getting to grips with complex issues and juggle multiple responsibilities.
Grand Central Benefits:
- Contributory Pension Scheme: Arriva Workplace Pension Plan (AWPP) provided by Standard Life.
- Unlimited Free Travel for you and your immediate family on all Grand Central services. In addition, we currently offer concessionary travel on other Arriva Trains UK franchises.
- Employee Assistance Programme provided by Health Assured: free, confidential 24-hour telephone counselling and information services.
- Benefits available upon completion of probation period (3-6 months): Friends & Family Passes pro-rata allocation of return standard class journeys (terms & conditions apply).
- Company Medical Insurance provided by AXA PPP Healthcare (taxable benefit).
- Company Wellness Package (including dental/optical treatment) provided by WPA (taxable benefit).
- Child Care Vouchers Scheme.
- Cycle to Work Scheme.
- Arriva Village employee rewards and benefits scheme.
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager in York employer: Grand Central Railway Company Limited
Contact Detail:
Grand Central Railway Company Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Marketing & Communications Manager in York
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups on social media, and don’t be shy to reach out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with your own. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you’re genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or family to get comfortable with common questions. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel when it’s time to shine in front of the real interviewers.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search. So, go ahead and hit that apply button!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Marketing & Communications Manager in York
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Senior Marketing & Communications Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in brand strategy, digital marketing, and customer acquisition to show us you’re the perfect fit!
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; we want to see your impact! Use numbers and specific examples to demonstrate how you've driven revenue growth or improved customer retention in previous roles.
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We value authenticity, so share your passion for marketing and communications, and why you’re excited about the opportunity to work with us at Grand Central.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands and shows us you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Grand Central Railway Company Limited
✨Know Your Brand Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into Grand Central's brand values and mission. Understand their commitment to customer satisfaction and community engagement. This will help you align your answers with their goals and demonstrate that you're genuinely interested in contributing to their success.
✨Showcase Your Marketing Expertise
Prepare specific examples of your past marketing successes, especially those related to customer acquisition and retention. Be ready to discuss how you've used data and customer insights to drive results, as this is crucial for the role. Tailor your experiences to reflect the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Senior Marketing & Communications Manager, you'll need strong people management skills. Think of instances where you've successfully led teams or projects, particularly in a collaborative environment. Highlight your ability to manage suppliers and work across departments to achieve common goals.
✨Prepare Questions That Matter
At the end of the interview, have insightful questions ready that show your interest in the company's future. Ask about their digital strategy evolution or how they measure the success of their marketing campaigns. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also your strategic thinking.