**This role has been appointed to. Please do get in touch with us if you are looking for a similar senior role.**
About TfGM
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is exactly that – it delivers the transport strategy and commitments for Greater Manchester. Working closely with bus, tram and train operators, managing ‘Key Routes’, and making walking and cycling safer, TfGM keeps Greater Manchester moving. Beyond transport, we support Greater Manchester’s economy, play a leading role on reducing air-pollution and investing to keep Greater Manchester a world-class city region.
We’re facing key challenges. Covid led to changes in how people use public transport, and there are now different patterns of usage. We need to adapt and change our products and services to better meet the needs of our communities, businesses and commuters. This will help GM to breathe easier, work more effectively and play better whilst giving us the critical revenue needed to keep investing for the future and developing services for today. That’s where this new role comes in.
The Director role
This is a fantastic role, combining deep experience of increasing customer numbers and revenues in a commercial environment while changing the economics and quality of life for millions of people. Our new Customer and Growth Director will develop and implement our new customer strategy that will shape how we increase and diversify how people travel across, through and around GM. Changing behaviours, so that more people move from the car to bus, tram, walking and cycling, will also increase the farebox and provide the resources to continue operating and developing the public transport system across GM. They’ll bring the expertise and leadership to develop and deliver at pace this strategically critical customer strategy.
The new Director will drive the development and implementation of a new and revamped suite of products and services to the market that increase revenue and meet wider social and economic needs. They’ll be focused on customer strategy, customer culture, engagement, marketing, product development and communications etc, indeed anything needed to increase and diversify TfGM customers. But they’ll also be accountable for making sure this all works and increases our revenue.
They’ll need to understand the diversity of our current and potential customers in its widest sense, which include anyone that travels into, out of or through the TfGM travel zone, by whatever means and for whatever purpose. Looking wider, they’ll also need to engage politicians, local communities and local businesses within TfGM areas and have an eye to national and local government, providers, contractors and other organisations with an interest in all we do.
They’ll bring deep customer strategy experience, with a direct line to successful changes leading to increased revenue at scale. They could come from any sector with a high volume of low cost transactions, often based on non-price factors – quality, convenience, comfort, safety, reliability etc, and a smaller range of products or services, with clearly defined competitors. However, some customer segments are highly price sensitive, and this must also be addressed. Key experience and skills will include:
- Customer strategy experience based on choices around a wide range of non-price related areas (and some price), with a high volume of low cost transactions, in a primarily B2C context. This will include marketing and communications.
- Experience of delivering desired behaviour change in large market segments, for commercial purposes, but underpinned by an awareness of social values, CSR and a wider strategic purpose.
- A strong commercial focus with evidence of increasing revenues.
- Experience and skills around driving change at pace, using evidence and market insight and research, developing diverse offers for different market segments, based around common products.
- Excellent relationship and partnership skills, to get ‘buy-in’ to urgent change
- The seniority and credibility to lead this agenda across GM.
- Good experience of digital offer and using technology to enhance an offer/customer experience.
- A passion for the wider social and economic impact of this role i.e. key TfGM and GMCA objectives.
Why you, why now?
The Customer and Growth Director will appeal as it draws together customer strategy and delivery in its widest sense, with commerciality and revenue generation in an organisation which sits at the crossover of public and private sectors. The successful Director will have a major impact on people in or visiting GM, on the wider economy, on business, on environmental and social agendas. This role will reward through the social impact of leading the diverse jigsaw that is TfGM’s service and customer offer.
This role is ideal for those in customer strategy and marketing focused roles across many industries and sectors, and will bring some new thinking, approach and commerciality to TfGM. It will be great for someone open to stepping into transport but not currently in the sector. The role is all about aligning customer strategy with commercial growth and delivery of wider strategic objectives.
Team and Service structure
- Head of Customer Experience – 81 employees
- Head of Ticketing – 12 employees and currently 12 contractors (some may become permanent roles)
- Head of Strategic Communications – 40 employees across this and below role
- Head of Partnerships, Inclusion and Engagement – see above
- Directorate Planning, Performance and Delivery Lead
Note: The search process will begin during November, with interviews taking place later in January. Also, over on the right of this page please see links and documents to learn more about TfGM, transport in Greater Manchester in general and the changes around bus franchising.
