Retail Programme Manager

Salary circa £73k depending on skills and experience, plus excellent benefits package.

Be part of one of the UK’s most iconic rail networks, helping over 100 million people travel each year across the South West, South Wales and London. With a modern fleet, strong customer satisfaction and ambitious growth plans, we’re always moving forward.

As a Retail Programme Manager, you’ll play a key role in supporting our people and shaping that journey.

The Retail team plays a key role in growing and developing GWR’s business. It oversees all the selling channels and fulfilment methods, both at station and online. The systems managed, support and facilitate the collection of revenue.

The Retail Programme Manager is responsible for the delivery of retailing systems across GWR’s estate to maximise commercial opportunities for GWR.

You will lead the development and delivery of initiatives and projects to support GWR’s retail strategy. You will be responsible for managing and coordinating the programme of activity to deliver GWR’s retail objectives of delivering a customer‑centric choice of ticketing propositions that provide flexible, convenient and simple solutions for ticket purchase, collection and travel, with a focus on delivering a ‘digital‑first’ channel of sale.

This is a key role at a time of significant change in the railway industry. It requires an understanding and appreciation of customer behaviours and retailing requirements, now and in the future, and the ability to collaborate across the railway industry and with a number of key stakeholders and partners to work together to deliver our retailing systems.

In addition to a great team environment and comprehensive training, all GWR colleagues enjoy a range of benefits including:

• Defined benefit pension scheme with the Railways Pension Scheme.
• Free rail travel across the GWR network for you and your family.
• Company‑sponsored health care plan.
• Discounted shopping and gym membership.
• Employee assistance programme and much more.
• Free train travel for GWR is included as part of this role.

• Development of strategic and tactical initiatives to support GWR’s Retail strategy with a strong focus on digital‑first delivery and supporting the development of the roadmap for GWR retail activities.
• Ownership and management of the delivery programme for retail projects to support GWR’s Retail Strategy and vision. Driving the ongoing evolution and management of the Retail Roadmap encompassing both digital and traditional means of retailing.
• Ensure project requirements, approach, scope, goals and deliverables support business goals in collaboration with Senior Management and stakeholders. Also liaise with suppliers and external stakeholders for implementation of innovative solutions to affect retail offering.
• Ensure feedback from GWR stakeholders is relayed back to suppliers to impact future solution offering and assist commercial teams with the development of the customer proposition and business case for strategic and tactical retail initiatives.
• Represent the interests of the Retail team across GWR, First Group and industry bodies. Being the conduit between GWR and external stakeholders including the supply chain and industry bodies.
• Provide impact assessment, strategic and tactical support to ongoing retail activity and initiatives.
• Work with system integrators to develop system functionality and specifications that meet GWR business requirements.
• Lead contract negotiations on key contracts for business compliance and continuity.
• Work with the wider Retail team and the wider business to ensure that development projects are delivered in line with the Programme Assurance specified project/ programme process.
• Manage suppliers as required developing strong working relationships and working to plans and to budget, always working collaboratively with product managers and Customer Experience teams to ensure that retail offering properties remain connected, aligned and consistent with other vision statement.
• Oversee a successful handover into BAU processes.

As a minimum you will have an APM or MSP certification to manage the…