Marketing Manager

We’re looking for a Marketing Manager to help lead that journey.

Let’s be honest. This role isn’t for someone looking for the biggest salary, the largest team, or the comfort of a well-resourced corporate environment.

Heritage railways can be wonderfully rewarding, occasionally frustrating, and rarely straightforward.

You’ll be working in a complex organisation powered by passionate volunteers, dedicated staff and ambitious plans. Budgets are tight, priorities can change, and you’ll need to be equally comfortable developing a long-term marketing strategy, creating social media content, briefing designers, writing press releases, attending events and helping solve problems on the ground.

But for the right person, this is a rare opportunity.

You’ll have the chance to shape the future of one of Britain’s most significant heritage railways, to influence how thousands of visitors experience and engage with our story, and to help create something genuinely special.

What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll lead our marketing and communications activity, helping to:

• Grow visitor numbers and revenue.
• Strengthen the Great Central Railway brand.
• Promote our core heritage railway experience alongside events and experiences.
• Increase awareness across the region and beyond.
• Develop engaging digital content and campaigns.
• Build relationships with tourism partners, media and stakeholders.
• Support the Railway’s ambitious growth and reunification plans.

About You

You may come from attractions, tourism, leisure, hospitality, heritage or another customer-focused sector.

More importantly, you’ll be someone who:

• Understands how to attract and grow audiences.
• Can combine creativity with commercial awareness.
• Is happy rolling up their sleeves and getting things done.
• Thrives in environments where not everything is handed to you.
• Enjoys working with passionate people who care deeply about what they do.
• Sees opportunity where others see obstacles.

You’ll bring energy, resilience and a genuine desire to make an impact.

Why Join Us?

Because opportunities like this don’t come along often.

The salary may not compete with major commercial brands. The resources may not always match your ambitions. Some days will test your patience.

But you’ll be joining at a pivotal moment in the Railway’s history.

You’ll be helping shape the future of a nationally important attraction, working alongside an extraordinary community of volunteers and staff, and playing a visible role in a project that people will be talking about for decades to come.

If you want an easy marketing job, this probably isn’t it.

Job Description and Person Specification

Key Responsibilities

Marketing Strategy & Growth

• Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy aligned to the Railway’s wider vision and objectives.
• Increase visitor numbers, ticket sales and participation across the Railway’s attractions, events and experiences.
• Grow awareness, engagement and consideration amongst existing and new audiences.
• Develop audience development plans targeting families, enthusiasts, tourists, groups, schools and first-time visitors.
• Support revenue growth through effective marketing of day visits, events, dining experiences, retail and secondary spend opportunities.
• Monitor and evaluate campaign performance, using insights and data to optimise marketing activity.

Brand & Communications

• Ensure consistency of brand, messaging, tone and visual identity across all marketing and communications activity.
• Develop compelling stories and content that bring the Railway’s heritage, people and experiences to life.
• Work with external consultants and agencies across graphic design, website development, PR and media relations, coordinating briefs, managing relationships and ensuring activity supports the Railway’s marketing objectives.
• Develop and coordinate the production of marketing materials, including brochures, posters, advertising, promotional campaigns and digital content.
• Ensure clear and effective communication with visitors, supporters, members, volunteers and stakeholders.
• Maintain and develop the Railway’s marketing assets and image libraries.

Digital Marketing

• Lead the Railway’s digital marketing activity across website, email, social media and online advertising.
• Manage and update website content, working with external website consultants where appropriate to support continuous improvement of the online visitor journey.