Customer Experience Lead
Application Deadline: 28 April 2026
Department: Railway Operations
Employment Type: Permanent
Location: Milton Keynes
Reporting To: Head of Railway Operations
Description
A little bit about us:
East West Rail is a nationally significant railway project which aims to deliver much-needed transport connections for the vibrant communities between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge, which blend beautiful landscapes and a rich cultural heritage with globally renowned centres of education, business, technology and an increasingly dynamic business scene. Together these communities contribute around £111 billion to the national economy each year.
However, the lack of good East-West transport connections makes it harder for residents to make the most of everything the region has to offer. From faster commutes to days out with friends and family, EWR will make it easier to reach the things that matter most, bringing a range of benefits to communities between Oxford and Cambridge, and across the UK more broadly.
East West Railway Company (that’s us) was created by the Department for Transport (DfT) to oversee the delivery of East West Rail from construction through to wheels in motion, making sure the railway comes together in the right way.
Role Summary:
This role will lead the development and delivery of customer experience for EWR, helping to shape a railway that is intuitive, accessible and aligned to customer needs from the outset.
Working across a developing and multi-partner environment, the Customer Experience Lead will translate strategic intent into practical outcomes - defining service standards, seamless journey touchpoints, and ensuring customer considerations are embedded into operational delivery, station environments and rolling stock.
Key Responsibilities
* Support the development and ongoing refinement of the EWR customer experience strategy.
* Define and embed clear, measurable customer-service standards across the end-to-end journey.
* Ensure standards are practical, deliverable and aligned with operational performance.
* Use industry insight and benchmarking to inform continuous improvement.
* Map customer journeys and identify key touchpoints across stations, onboard experience and disruption scenarios.
* Identify areas of friction and lead initiatives to improve clarity, accessibility and ease of use.
* Work with internal and external stakeholders to ensure environments are intuitive and support a positive customer experience.
* Develop and maintain a strong working relationship with the GBR Customer team, ensuring alignment on customer‑experience standards, service design principles and programme-wide decision‑making so that EWR’s operational delivery reflects a consistent national customer vision.
* Champion a consistent approach to customer experience across the programme.
* Contribute to station design and development, ensuring customer needs are considered early and consistently throughout delivery.
* Provide input into rolling stock requirements, particularly around onboard facilities, accessibility and passenger information.
* Working with design teams to align customer expectations with technical and operational constraints.
* Act as a point of co‑ordination across teams where customer experience spans multiple areas.
* Gather and interpret customer insight to inform improvements and priorities.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
Essential:
* Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline such as Transport Management, Business Management, Service Design, Customer Experience or Operations Management.
* Experience in customer operations or service design within a complex railway environment.
* Experience of working across teams and stakeholders to deliver outcomes.
* Ability to translate strategy into practical, deliverable actions.
* Understanding of the interaction between operations, infrastructure and customer experience.
* Strong communication and influencing skills.
* Ability to use data and insight to inform decision‑making.
Desirable:
* Rail or transport operations qualifications, such as Institution of Railway Operators (IRO) modules or membership.
* Project or programme management certification such as PRINCE2, APM PFQ/PMQ or Agile.
Benefits
* Competitive salary that reflects your skills and experience
* Up to 12% employer pension contribution to support your future
* 36 days annual leave (including bank holidays) plus the option to buy up to 2 extra days
* 2 volunteering days, a chance for you to give back to the community
* Enhanced family‑friendly policies to support you and your loved ones
* Life assurance (4x your annual salary) for peace of mind
* Employee Assistance Programme for confidential support when you need it
* Access to Perkbox for a wide range of discounts and wellbeing benefits
* Recognition programme, including on‑the‑spot and annual awards
* Advanced learning and development opportunities to help you grow.
Diversity and Inclusion:
At East West Railway Company, we’re committed to building an inclusive railway for all. We believe that to do that, we must nurture a diverse team that represents the UK communities that we impact. Our approach is simple - to create an environment where everyone is welcome and able to be themselves. We celebrate diversity and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and experiences.
Please note that interviews are scheduled to take place in our Milton Keynes office on Tuesday 19th May 2026.
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