Job Description

Who are we?

South Western Railway (SWR) operates over 1,500 services each weekday across the network and employs more than 5,000 people. We provide easy and convenient mobility, connecting people and communities in South West London, southern counties of England, and the Isle of Wight.

Join our team and help us continue to improve quality of life, by bringing people together to get the most out of life.

About the job

Total empathy with your customers; an understanding of what information customers want and in what form they want it presented; and how to interpret sometimes complex and fast moving events into easily assimilated, useful and relevant communication are the essential skills you need for this role, and are crucial to our continuing success.



We are the team pivotal in leading customer communications during disruption; we impart information gathered from our operational teams and which directly affect customers en-route, planning a journey and, sometimes, disrupted on a journey. We are here to tell them what is going on, what we are doing about it and re-assuring them that their journey will be as smooth, timely and comfortable as possible.



We are leaders, quick-thinking, rapid-responders and we love every minute of it. Yes, it is hard-work, pressurised, with high-profile consequences that we are always sensitive to. We are digital ... the immediate voice ... when our customers need us most.



The role leans heavily on the ability to make decisions on priorities and messages as we up-date both customers and colleagues on trains and in stations, including departure boards and help-points, as well as our own and third-party websites.



We are all enthusiastic, positive and driving the business forward with our innovative ideas and fresh approaches. You will be fully involved: managing day-to-day issues proactively and effectively; recruiting, monitoring, coaching and developing your team; setting and meeting targets; and contributing to budget management.



IT-literate & digitally savvy, you must have excellent people, communication and presentation skills; be brimming with confidence and innovation; have the flexibility to adapt to changing situations, especially in reaction to any major service disruption; and be keen to learn and develop.

As a minimum, you will need to have:

Proven leader with the ability to make quick, professional and firm decisions during pressurised situations. Excellent communicator and experience in a communications role or related environment. First-class communication and presentation skills. Planning and managing multiple projects to tight deadlines. Working effectively under pressure. An awareness of key audiences and priorities. Experience and ability to build excellent relationships with internal/ external stakeholders at all levels. Innovative with the ability to adapt to a changing environment. Working independently and in a team, experienced people manager with excellent interpersonal and communication skills. IT literate with a good understanding of CIS, Websites CCTV and Help Point technology. Geographical knowledge and knowledge of customer needs through the Station Access Agreement. Able to work shifts and be flexible when called upon to react to major service disruption.

About the location

Basingstoke Campus, more commonly known as the ROC, is a state-of-the-art Operating Centre and training facility located a short walk from Basingstoke station. It is a shared facility with Network Rail and is the hub for all operations across the Wessex region. The office space and technology on site are modern with the added benefit of additional facilities including a gym & canteen.

Working pattern

Average of 37 hours per week across 7 days working a mixture of early, late, and night shifts.



Monday to Friday - 06:00 - 15:00, 14:30 - 23:00.

Saturday & Sunday - 07:00 - 15:00, 14:45 - 23:00

The Reward

In return we offer a competitive salary and a variety of valuable benefits, including:


Free duty and leisure travel on SWR services for employees Free leisure travel for spouse/partner and dependants (criteria dependent) 75% discount on many other train operating companies Full training and support with development Excellent pension scheme

We all belong at SWR.

Our vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.



We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.



We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.



If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below. We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.



https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/



https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/