At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead advertising strategy and operations to connect sales, product, and client delivery.
- Company: Join Trainline, Europe's number 1 rail app, focused on sustainable travel.
- Benefits: Enjoy private healthcare, generous leave, and career growth opportunities.
- Other info: Hybrid work model with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Shape the future of travel advertising while making a positive impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in ad tech, team leadership, and commercial strategy required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
About us
We are champions of rail, inspired to build a greener, more sustainable future of travel. Trainline enables millions of travellers to find and book the best value tickets across carriers, fares, and journey options through our highly rated mobile app, website, and B2B partner channels. Great journeys start with Trainline 🚄 Now Europe’s number 1 downloaded rail app, with over 135 million monthly visits and £6.3 billion in annual ticket sales, we collaborate with 270+ rail and coach companies in over 40 countries. We want to create a world where travel is as simple, seamless, eco-friendly and affordable as it should be. Today, we're a FTSE 250 company driven by our incredible team of over 1,000 Trainliners from 50+ nationalities, based across London, Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Edinburgh and Madrid. With our focus on growth in the UK and Europe, now is the perfect time to join us on this high-speed journey.
Introducing the Trainline Advertising Team 👋
Every month, millions of travellers plan, book and take journeys through Trainline, creating valuable moments for brands to connect with customers in a relevant and trusted way. Trainline Advertising has already proven its model, built repeat business, and is now scaling into a more mature, repeatable and high-margin commercial engine across multiple European markets.
In this role as the Head of Ads Strategy & Operations, you will...
- Support the Ads Proposition Strategy Lead in shaping go-to-market strategy, helping ensure Trainline Advertising develops compelling propositions that meet advertiser needs and create differentiation in the market.
- Develop sales enablement materials, including narratives, playbooks, training decks and communication plans, to equip Ad Sales teams with clear and commercially effective messaging.
- Partner closely with sales leadership to strengthen pipeline visibility, forecast accuracy and conversion, helping unblock demand and support delivery against commercial targets.
- Set and evolve operational standards for ad delivery, measurement, quality, reliability and service levels across direct and programmatic campaigns.
- Lead and develop the Operations and Client Success teams, setting clear priorities, ways of working and development plans that enable the function to scale sustainably.
- Shape the strategy for the ad tech stack, including Google Ad Manager, SSPs, DSPs, consent frameworks and measurement tools, ensuring the platform remains resilient and fit for future growth.
- Own key ad tech partner relationships, including performance, costs and commercial negotiations, while working with teams to maintain a privacy-first approach across GDPR, TCF v2.0 and evolving frameworks.
- Drive client retention and growth by ensuring strong post-sale delivery, proactive account management, campaign optimisation, reporting, renewals and insight-led client conversations.
We'd love to hear from you if you have...
- Significant experience in retail media, digital publishing, ad tech or platform advertising, with a track record of helping scale a business beyond its early stage.
- Experience leading teams across a broad remit, ideally including commercial strategy, account management, client success and ad operations.
- Strong commercial judgement, with experience supporting revenue growth, margin improvement, pricing, yield, pipeline discipline and senior leadership reporting.
- A strong understanding of the ad tech ecosystem, including Google Ad Manager, SSPs, DSPs and programmatic delivery models, with the confidence to set direction and challenge detail.
- Good knowledge of privacy-first advertising, consent management and relevant frameworks such as GDPR and TCF v2.0.
- Experience building operational rigour, scalable processes, documentation and resilience into a growing business.
- Confidence operating in ambiguity, creating clarity for others and influencing outcomes across teams where you may not hold direct authority.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to translate between technical and commercial audiences and influence product, sales and operational priorities.
More information:
Enjoy fantastic perks like private healthcare & dental insurance, a generous work from abroad policy, 2-for-1 share purchase plans, an EV Scheme to further reduce carbon emissions, extra festive time off, and excellent family-friendly benefits. We prioritise career growth with clear career paths, transparent pay bands, personal learning budgets, and regular learning days. Jump on board and supercharge your career from day one! We're operating a hybrid model and ask that Trainliners work from the office a minimum of 60% of their time over a 12-week period. We also have a 28-day Work from Abroad policy.
Our values represent the things that matter most to us and what we live and breathe everyday, in everything we do: 💭 Think Big - We're building the future of rail ✔️ Own It - We focus on every customer, partner and journey 🤝 Travel Together - We're one team ♻️ Do Good - We make a positive impact.
We know that having a diverse team makes us better and helps us succeed. And we mean all forms of diversity - gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, nationality and diversity of thought. That's why we're committed to creating inclusive places to work, where everyone belongs and differences are valued and celebrated.
Interested in finding out more about what it's like to work at Trainline? Why not check us out on LinkedIn, Instagram and Glassdoor!
Head of Advertising Strategy & Operations in London employer: Trainline
Trainline is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that champions diversity and sustainability while prioritising employee growth. With fantastic benefits such as private healthcare, generous leave policies, and clear career paths, employees are empowered to thrive in a collaborative environment that values innovation and impact. Join us in London and be part of a team that is shaping the future of travel, making it simpler, greener, and more accessible for everyone.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Advertising Strategy & Operations in London
✨Show Your Creative Side
In marketing communications, standing out is key. Get creative with your application! Consider designing a mini-campaign or pitch that highlights your skills and understanding of the brand. Tailor it for Trainline and show them what you can bring to the table.
✨Engage in Marketing Communities
Get involved in local or online marketing communications groups. Check out platforms like Meetup for events and workshops. Networking here can lead to hidden job openings and valuable insights into the industry trends—this is where we often discover what companies like Trainline are looking for.
✨Leverage Social Media
Use platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter to showcase your passion for marketing communications. Share insights, articles, and your own content that resonates with the industry. Tagging or interacting with Trainline on these platforms can catch the eye of recruiters and show you're genuinely interested in them.
✨Attend Industry Events
Keep an eye out for marketing conferences and workshops. These are great places to meet potential employers face-to-face and make connections that could land you a full-time role at Trainline. Bring your business cards and be prepared to chat about how you can contribute!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Advertising Strategy & Operations in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Craft an Impactful Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Focus on your passion for marketing communications and how your previous experiences can benefit Trainline. Make sure to mention specific campaigns or projects you’ve worked on that showcase your creativity and strategic thinking.
Showcase Your Writing Skills:As you're diving into a marketing communications role, your writing ability is crucial. Include samples of your work, like blog posts, press releases, or social media campaigns in your application. This lets us see your style and how you engage with different audiences.
Tailor Your CV to Marketing:Your CV should highlight relevant marketing skills and experiences! Include specific tools or platforms you’ve used, like Google Analytics or social media management software. Mention any certifications or workshops related to marketing that you've completed – they can give you an edge!
Demonstrate Your Understanding of Trainline:Show us that you’ve done your homework! In your application, briefly mention what you admire about Trainline’s marketing approach or any recent campaigns that caught your attention. This can reveal your enthusiasm for the role and your genuine interest in joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Trainline
✨Showcase Your Creative Campaigns
Get ready to flaunt your portfolio! Include examples of previous marketing campaigns you've worked on, especially those that showcase your creativity and strategy. Recruiters at Trainline will be keen to see how you conceptualise and execute campaigns, so highlight any measurable outcomes to back up your claims.
✨Know Your Digital Tools Inside Out
If you’re heading into a marketing-communications role, make sure you're comfortable discussing key digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or Hootsuite. Expect some technical questions about how you've used these tools in the past, as they'll want to gauge your hands-on experience and how you analyse data to drive marketing decisions.
✨Be Ready for Scenario-Based Questions
At Trainline, they may throw some scenario-based questions your way, aimed at testing your problem-solving skills in real-life marketing situations. Think through potential challenges you’ve faced, how you navigated them, and be prepared to discuss your thought process and outcome.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Marketing
As you’re applying for a full-time position, show that you're not just looking for a job, but a career in marketing. Talk about the latest trends in marketing communications, your favourite campaigns, and why they inspire you. Your enthusiasm can really make you stand out and demonstrate that you’re committed to growing within the field.
