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 and friendly.
About the team
Conductors are part of the On Train team and work alongside colleagues from Revenue Protection, particularly our Ticket Examiners. You will also liaise with the driver of the train and station colleagues.
What is the job?
As a Conductor, you will deliver a world-class customer experience throughout the journey and will ensure the safety of everyone using GWR services. You'll be able to adapt to new people, new places and new situations. We are proud in GWR to share a common set of values – these help us deliver for our customers and serve our communities across the West. Working on board our trains, you will clearly demonstrate these behaviours and attitudes.
What are the main responsibilities?
- To be an ambassador for Great Western Railway by delivering the best customer experience and a safe journey.
- To be visible to our customers, providing information and help in a friendly and reassuring way.
- To manage the safety and operational activities of the train.
- To check and sell tickets, providing information and assistance as required.
- To ensure a safe, clean, and pleasant environment is maintained.
What are you looking for?
If you can say “Yes” to these questions, you might be just the person for the job!
Are you passionate and proactive about delivering outstanding customer service?
Are you determined to always perform well and be proud to portray a professional image?
Can you be flexible in your working with the ability to work a variety of shifts including weekends and bank holidays?
Would you be comfortable with working in a strictly regulated industry with many rules and procedures?
Are you able to stay cool, calm, and collected when things don't go to plan?
What do I need?
- An understanding of customers' needs.
- Excellent communication skills.
- The ability to build relationships and work as part of a team.
- Experience of front-line customer service.
- The confidence to manage challenging situations.
Where is the job?
The position is based in our depot at Reading station, just a short walk from the shopping centre. This is where you will start and end your shifts.
What else do I need to know?
This job is being advertised to fill existing vacancies and to create a talent pool ready to fill predicted future vacancies.
The shifts include early starts and late finishes as well as weekends and bank holidays. You will be working an average of 35 hours a week. Starting and finishing times may be at times when public transport is not available so you must be able to get to and from the station without relying on this. You must live within 60 minutes travelling time of the depot.
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 an employee assistance programme.
The basic rate of pay during your training is £21,547 and this rises to a basic rate of £32,281 once you are productive.
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.
https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/
https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/