Job Title: Senior Conductor
Location: Sunderland
Safety Critical Post: Yes
Holiday Entitlement: 33 days
Grand Central is an open-access train operator linking the North East and West Yorkshire with London. We are also part of Arriva, who have a large and diverse portfolio of train and bus operating companies in the UK and Europe.
At Grand Central, we have a real ‘Belief in Better’ and pride ourselves on delivering an excellent customer experience to all our passengers. We have future vacancies available for Senior Conductors to join our team based at Sunderland, we would love for you to be part of it!
To be successful in the role, you will need to be highly motivated and proactive with excellent organisational and interpersonal skills. If you are an enthusiastic individual who enjoys facing new tasks and challenges each day, this may be the position for you!
Previous experience of providing excellent customer service and cash management is an essential attribute for this role. You must also be able to demonstrate that you can work as part of a team. In return you will be provided with all of the classroom and on the job training to learn the rules, regulations, and route learning that is involved in transporting customers on our Class 180’s.
You must be able to work shifts as our working times vary, sometimes you can start at 0600, sometimes you can finish at 2330 so your flexibility is required. though Rosters are usually provided 6 months in advance so you can plan ahead!
Contract; this is a talent pool position for future vacancies within Sunderland
You don’t need any previous conductor experience to apply as we offer full training as part of the role. To be successful during the training period you’ll need to have a willingness to learn, both during working hours and at home too, as it’s an intense course requiring 100% commitment from you. In return our Training Team will give you all of the support and encouragement you need to succeed at the ongoing assessments and knowledge checks.
The Senior Conductor Training Programme includes modules on rules and regulations, route learning, fire safety and track safety, followed by on-going training and assessments.
The first 6 weeks will consist of a classroom learning approach of the theory. This is followed by practical learning under the guidance of a Senior Conductor Mentor during which you will be regularly assessed to develop and maintain competence.
Please apply online by attaching both a CV and Cover Letter detailing why you believe you are the ideal candidate for the Senior Conductor role at Grand Central. Please include your current notice period in your application.
Applications received will be shortlisted, and successful candidates will be invited to an assessment centre. If successful after the assessment centre, the final stages would include a safety critical medical (covering assessments of general health, vision, hearing, colour vision and drugs and alcohol testing) and reference checks.
If you successfully pass these stages of the process, we will either offer you a vacancy if one is currently available or place you into a Talent Pool for up to 12 months. This means you will be in a holding pool for the next available vacancy and will not need to apply again for 12 months. As soon as a vacancy becomes available, we will then be able to call you and make an offer straight away.
Qualifications
You’ll be the face of Grand Central, so you’ll need to have excellent customer service skills and be able to think on your feet.
You should also be able to demonstrate the following:
1. Highly disciplined and with the ability to work within rules and regulations
2. Ability to remain calm even when under pressure
3. Remaining alert and vigilant at all times
4. Customer focused
5. Excellent verbal and written communication skills
6. Punctuality and reliability
In your role as a Senior Conductor, you will work shifts from the early hours of the morning until late at night, weekends and Bank Holidays. You will work an average of 35 hours per week and receive your rosters in advance. You will also be required to lodge on occasion in London overnight.
To be eligible to apply, you must:
• Be able to comply with the relevant Rail Industry Standard for the role.
• Currently reside within a 60 minutes’ drive of the Sunderland depot.
Benefits
• Contributory Pension Scheme: Arriva Workplace Pension Plan (AWPP) provided by Standard Life
• Unlimited Free Travel for you and your immediate family on all Grand Central services. In addition, we currently offer concessionary travel on other Arriva Trains UK franchises.
• Employee Assistance Programme provided by Health Assured: free, confidential 24-hour telephone counselling and information services.
• Access to the entire Headspace library - your personal guide to mindfulness, sleep, focus, movement and more.
Benefits available upon completion of probation period (3-6 months):
o Friends & Family Passes pro-rata allocation of return standard class journeys (terms & conditions apply)
o Company Medical Insurance provided by AXA PPP Healthcare (taxable benefit)
o Company Wellness Package (including dental/optical treatment) provided by WPA (taxable benefit).
o Child Care Vouchers Scheme
o Cycle to Work Scheme
o Arriva Village employee rewards and benefits scheme
We acknowledge the importance of our people's diverse experiences, talents and cultures. Embracing diversity and creating inclusion is a key component of our talent strategy. The creation of a diverse, inclusive workforce is central to our ability to unlock potential and enhance our success.
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