Social Media Specialist

Who are we?

GWR is the proud custodian of Brunel's railway - one of the most prestigious networks in the world. We have some of the newest trains in the country and exciting plans to extend our services. With more than one hundred million passenger journeys each year, we carry people to over 275 stations in the South West, from Cornwall and South Wales to London, passing through beautiful country and some of the UK's top tourist destinations.

We are transforming the way people think about train travel, empowering our team of over 6,000 people from all different backgrounds to make it a great experience for our customers. Together, we will revalue rail as a very special way to travel – relaxing, fast, efficient, friendly and fun.

About the team?

This role sits within the Social Media team which is part of the wider External Communications Team. The wider team plans and manages the delivery of the business' key messages; seeking opportunities to push proactive messaging and content through various channels to engage with specific audiences, raising the public perception of Great Western Railway. The team is key to the business' reputation management, from responding to day-to-day media enquiries, to overseeing reactive strategies in times of industry wide scrutiny.

About the job?

The purpose of the role is to provide unmatched customer service across our Social Media channels. In this role you will be replying to messages from customers quickly, efficiently and in a tone which reflects the GWR brand. You will work closely with other departments to gain information and pass on customer feedback. You will proactively look for ways to better serve our customers, making their journeys, buying tickets and resolving issues simpler and more enjoyable.

Your main responsibilities will be:

• Monitoring, responding to and tagging all relevant posts to Great Western Railway Social Media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp.
• To provide a high level of customer service through the company Social Media accounts, liaising with other departments to ensure the information you're providing to customers is accurate and relevant.
• Ensuring customer feedback about our service is passed to an appropriate member of management and taking accountability for ensuring complaints are followed up and feedback is acknowledged.
• Searching and listening across the web, looking for opportunities to generate revenue by promoting our service or encouraging visits to our website.
• Developing excellent relationships with our digital stakeholders.
• To act as a Brand Ambassador for GWR, always using the right tone of voice to protect and enhance the reputation of the business.
• Working closely with the Social Media Manager to deliver the Social Media strategy, with a clear understanding of the strategy objectives and KPIs. You will be committed to ensuring that your actions reflect the key brand values.

About you?

You'll need to be:

• An upbeat and cheerful person, with a passion for Social Media and customer service.
• An excellent communicator with the ability to write clearly and concisely.
• A team player, who is also self-motivated and feels comfortable working alone.
• Able to work well under pressure and keep calm in challenging circumstances.
• Resilient and good humoured.
• Flexible, as shifts vary and include early mornings, late evenings and weekends.

As a minimum you'll need to have:

• Excellent grammar and spelling.
• Recent experience of working in a customer service role
• An excellent understanding of the most well-known Social Media platforms and how they work.
• A positive attitude and a willingness to go the extra mile.
• Experience of working within the rail industry is desirable but not essential as full training will be given to the right candidate

About the location?

The role is based in Milford House, Central Swindon, a few minutes walking distance from the mainline station with direct services to London, Bristol and Gloucester.

Working Pattern?

You will be working 37 hours a week, including every other weekend. You will work an equal mix of early and late shifts which start as early as 0600 and finish up to midnight. You will be required to be in the office during day shifts; late shifts and weekends are currently worked at home.

The Reward?

As well as a great team environment and comprehensive training, all GWR colleagues enjoy a range of benefits including on-going development, defined benefit pension scheme, free rail travel across the GWR network for you and your family, company-sponsored health care plan, discounted shopping and gym membership and an employee assistance programme.

We all belong at GWR. This is our vision for providing an inclusive environment for all our 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 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.

We review all roles and job descriptions to ensure they are accessible and, where possible, we support and provide flexible working options; we recommend that you refer to each vacancy description for further details.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition such as 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.