PPC Analyst in Hampshire, Portsmouth

At Great Rail Journeys, we’re the UK’s leading provider of holidays by rail, offering escorted tours, river cruises and tailormade adventures across more than 40 countries worldwide. With five decades of experience, we’re experts in showcasing the beauty and diversity of the destinations we travel to, taking people to places only rail can reach. Every year we proudly take over 50,000 customers on unforgettable journeys, creating moments of great connection through thoughtful planning, exceptional service and a genuine passion for what we do. We care deeply about our customers and never lose sight of the small touches and attention to detail that make a holiday truly special. Our customer first ethos sits at the heart of every decision we make, helping us deliver the high-quality tours our customers love and return to year after year.

Our stunning Hudson Quarter office in York right opposite the station is a modern, collaborative space designed to bring people together, with 4 days in the office, it’s the perfect place to maintain our strong culture and teamwork. Don’t worry, we’ve got coffee on tap AND even a balcony for those sunny days!

Our brilliant benefits package includes:

• Up to 25% off Colleague Discount on our tours
• 33 days Holiday (incl BH) Plus the Option to Buy 3 Extra Days
• Commuter Club discount
• Westfield Health Cash Back Plan
• Eurostar Agent Rates
• 5% matched Pension Plan & Salary Exchange

The Role

Salary Range: £35,000 - £42,000 (DOE)

The PPC Analyst plays a key role in turning data into smart, confident decisions that improve our paid search performance across the UK and US. We’re looking for someone who genuinely enjoys and has experience digging into data, spotting patterns, testing ideas, and using evidence to guide spend optimisation. This role suits someone knowledgeable, hungry, adaptive, and comfortable working in complexities, someone who uses logic, structure, and curiosity to move performance forward.

You will take a hands-on approach: analysing trends, validating data accuracy, and translating signals into clear actions for the team. Your work will strengthen our digital acquisition performance through thoughtful analysis, fast learning, and a strong bias for action. If you love using data to shape decisions and enjoy solving problems in a constantly changing environment, this is the role for you.

Daily Responsibilities

• Support the structure and optimisation of paid search activity that aligns with our marketing and product strategies.
• Conduct precise keyword research and review ad copy performance using clear performance evidence.
• Work with the eCommerce teams to ensure landing pages are performing as expected and highlight any issues that affect conversion.
• Analyse campaign data through platforms such as Google Analytics and Looker Studio, ensuring accuracy before insight is shared.
• Run controlled A/B tests, documenting outcomes clearly so decisions are grounded in fact.
• Track platform updates, competitor shifts and performance signals that may influence results.
• Provide clear, timely reporting and insight to stakeholders, ensuring recommendations are supported by sound data.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to ensure performance data is aligned, up to date and fully understood.
• Any other duties reasonably expected for the role.

Skills

• A naturally analytical thinker with a logical, structured approach to solving problems.
• Comfortable working with data in Excel, including pivot tables, SUMIFS, XLOOKUP and other core formulas.
• Strong bias for action, enjoys testing ideas, learning fast, and making informed decisions even when the answer isn’t obvious.
• Curious, hungry, and adaptable; able to work through and adjust quickly as digital performance shifts.
• Confident analysing trends and using insight to inform spend optimisation and campaign performance.
• Strong communicator, able to translate analysis into clear, actionable recommendations for the team.
• Comfortable collaborating across teams and working within an eCommerce environment.

Who you are

You’re confident working with data in Excel and enjoy using formulas, pivot tables, and logical thinking to solve problems. You’re curious about PPC performance and understand how metrics, tracking, and optimisation work together to drive results. You’re comfortable using tools such as Power BI, Google Analytics, or Looker Studio, with a strong focus on validating data. Commercially minded, you understand what good digital marketing looks like and what truly drives growth. You’ve worked in an eCommerce environment, can manage multiple markets with accuracy, and communicate clearly, turning numbers into simple, meaningful actions others can act on.