Customer Engagement Manager

As part of the Abellio Group, West Midlands Trains delivers around 1,300 train journeys a day, for more than 60 million passengers a year, across our two brands - West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway.

We are committed to delivering a safe and reliable train service, by investing in our fleet of trains, stations and employees. As part of this investment we are looking to recruit a Customer Engagement Manager, on a full time, permanent basis based in Birmingham.

In this role you will be expected to deliver on our vision to put the Customer Voice at the heart of the West Midlands Trains business by ensuring that feedback provided via our Customer Relations Team, and associated insights from that feedback, is heard and understood across the organisation.

What does the job involve?

• Contribute to and implement WMT’s Customer Experience strategy and objectives, taking into account the wider Annual Business Plan objectives.
• Proactively develop and maintain awareness of all changes within WMT operations that impact on our customers and put in place processes to anticipate, mitigate and feedback on these changes
• Support the strategy for any Behaviour Change programme, lead improvements projects within the Customer Relations Team and introduce innovation to the team which ensures a thorough passenger handling service.
• Develop, lead and manage an empowered Customer Relations team, ensuring its work is of a consistently high quality, fully compliant with our National Rail Contract requirements and continues to meet the needs of passengers including managing conduct and high standards of behaviour
• Represent the Customer Experience Strategy Team at internal and external forums, ensuring the voice of the customer is heard and understood. Provide appropriate challenge where necessary to ensure customer priorities are not aligned with those of other departments.
• Work with the External Communications team to ensure all information of operational significance is communicated to customers and provide ongoing feedback to improve the quality of the messaging.
• Develop partnerships with local authorities, transport operators and other partners, to champion and promote best practice across customer handling and improve the end-to-end journey experience for all customers, with particular focus on complaint handling/appraising.
• Ensure consistent increases in customer satisfaction scores for customer handling i.e., Wavelength, NPRS, Office of Rail and Road (ORR) Satisfaction Survey and improvement plans are in place where and when necessary
• Proactively manage relationship with third parties including Trainline and other ticket retailers
• Proactively manage the relationship with Solvd. to deliver our Delay Repay offering to WMT customers. Drive up standards, deliver innovation and increase customer satisfaction with Delay Repay.
• Develop knowledge of legislation and best practice within your team, and WMT, related to customer handling and redress and support, and to effectively communicate throughout the business any changes to responsibility, policy and procedures brought about by legislation or changes to legislation. This includes fulfilment of our regulatory requirements to Department for Transport and ORR relating to complaint handling including data collection, analysis and period reporting
• Manage our third party supplier relationships for Lost Property across the WMT network ensuring that robust processes are in place and managed.
• Work closely with departmental managers, Heads of Departments and Directors to ensure that policy, procedures, and best practices are achieved
• Own and embed associated activities with WMT’s Passenger Charter and Complaints Handling Procedure, ensuring that it remains compliant with current legislation and industry best practice.

What skills and experience do I need to do the job?

• Proven or experience of delivering customer relations, customer service centres or redress and support strategies and processes.
• Demonstrate working knowledge and technical understanding ORR and DfT license conditions relating to customer handling and the ability to translate this into clear advice and guidance with which to influence business decisions/outcomes.
• Strong interpersonal skills and be able to liaise effectively with different stakeholder groups and communicate complex and challenging information clearly and simply.

What are the salary and benefits?

• Salary up to £50,000 per annum
• Free travel on all our trains and those of other train companies within our parent group company - for you, your partner and any dependent children
• 75% off all other train company travel tickets
• Retail discounts
• Career development opportunities

Due to the volume of applications we receive the advert may close earlier than the published closing date. Please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

As an inclusive employer, we welcome applications from all backgrounds and ensure no-one receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender, race/ethnicity, religion, belief and sexual orientation.

Applications will be considered from colleagues with 6 months experience, after completion of their probationary period and a full check of absence and disciplinary records.