Customer Contact Retail Manager (3793)
- Salary:£38,823
- Department:Customer Experience
- Vacancy Type:Permanent (Full-Time)
- Location:Newcastle City Centre (CSC)
- Closing Date:15 May 2026
- Shift Pattern:Various shift patterns
Why LNER?
We go beyond. For everyone. Our vision is to be the most loved, progressive and responsible way to travel for generations to come. Now we're looking for the people who can deliver this, every day.
Since we took over on the East Coast mainline, we've been changing the face of rail travel. Our new Azuma train has brought faster journey times, more space and greater reliability. Our exciting plans to embrace new ideas, experiences, backgrounds and ambitions make this the ideal time to join.
Bringing passion. Being bold. Always caring. Owning it. They're the values that make us LNER.
Are you on board?
We're looking for a Sales Manager to join our Retail Team within the Customer Solutions Centre. Leading a team of sales advisors and supervisors across multiple sales channels, you'll be responsible for driving revenue growth while delivering an outstanding customer experience for passengers booking rail travel.
You'll take a people-first approach, ensuring your team is fully supported, motivated, and equipped to consistently achieve sales targets and KPIs. Through coaching, performance management, and clear direction, you'll create a high-performing sales environment that aligns with company policies and commercial objectives.
Working closely with the wider Contact Centre leadership team, you'll contribute to shaping Retail strategy and broader Customer Solutions Centre initiatives. You'll lead by example,setting high standards in both customer engagement and sales performance—while identifying opportunities to increase conversion, optimise processes, and maximise revenue across all telesales activities.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading the development and delivery of growth strategies to drive revenue across the Contact Centre Retail Team.
- Overseeing the delivery, implementation and day‑to‑day operation of the Customer Contact Sales team, ensuring everything we do is driven by customer needs and delivers a best‑in‑class experience.
- Full accountability for KPI performance across all relevant sales channels, including telesales, public groups, contracted groups, LNER4Business and private hire (Platinum).
- Working closely with our Sales and Distribution team to support revenue‑generating activity through proactive client engagement, strategic meetings and participation in trade shows.
- Identifying and pursuing new business opportunities, while nurturing and growing existing client relationships through structured engagement and high‑quality service delivery.
- Collaborating with business development managers to drive revenue growth across third‑party and contract channels, ensuring strong alignment on strategy and execution.
- Managing all aspects of people leadership, including recruitment, performance, attendance, grievances, disciplinary matters and colleague development.
- Providing clear analysis and recommendations to support operational delivery and inform senior leadership decision‑making.
- Coaching and developing your team of supervisors, empowering them to grow as confident, effective leaders.
- Supporting supervisors to manage both operational and behavioural performance within their teams.
- Creating a positive, engaging team environment that builds strong relationships across LNER and with external stakeholders.
What you'll need
You'll bring strong leadership experience, a genuine passion for customer experience and a commercial mindset that balances performance with doing the right thing.
You'll need:
- A proven track record in a sales manager or senior sales leadership role.
- Experience leading teams within a contact centre environment, consistently delivering against KPIs and business objectives.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience working effectively across internal and external networks.
- The ability to coach, lead and inspire others to deliver great results.
- Confidence in leading and implementing change.
- Substantial knowledge of customer experience measures and how to improve them.
- Highly developed verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to adapt your style to suit different customers and audiences.
- An advanced working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite.
- Tenacity to find the right solution, not just the easiest.
- The resilience to work under pressure and manage competing priorities.
- A real passion for customer experience, whatever the environment.
- A self‑reliant approach, thriving on accountability and responsibility.
What you'll get:
- Free travel on LNER + 75% off other companies' tickets (for you & dependents)
- Discounted international train tickets (after one year's service)
- 50% discount on LNER tickets for friends & family
- Generous pension scheme
- Annual cycle to work schemes
- Discount, savings and cashback scheme from top retailers
- Health & wellbeing schemes and discounts
- Host of training opportunities to help further your career
- Rewards & awards to recognise when you shine
What we believe:
To be the most loved, progressive and responsible train operating company, we must make a meaningful difference – always doing what's right for our customers, our people, the communities and destinations we serve, the future of the industry we lead and the environment we cherish.
We know that our people are the beating heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive, engaged culture that supports everyone at every stage of their journey – and ensures that when you're at LNER, you can always be you. No wonder most people never want to leave!
Diversity and inclusion
We are passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive workforce, representative of the communities we serve, and are creating ways to inspire diverse talent to join LNER.
Developing our people
We are focused on creating a learning culture, to support our people to be the best they can be at work by providing them with the tools and resources to navigate their development and career journey.
Health & wellbeing
To create a culture where our people can perform at their best, the physical health and mental wellbeing of our people is of paramount importance to us.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check
If you are successful in your application and are new to the business, we will undertake a basic DBS check as part of our pre-employment checks. This only happens once we have conditionally offered you the job. Here we check for any unspent convictions and conditional cautions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. If there is evidence of an unspent conviction or conditional caution, the details of these are reviewed internally by a cross functional panel on a case by case basis before a final offer of employment is issued. This however may result in any offer being withdrawn. Further information on how we collect and use this data is available on our privacy notice.
Medical screening
We're a safety conscious business so for all roles you'll need to pass a medical screening and a drugs and alcohol test before we send you an unconditional job offer. For our safety critical roles, you'll also need to have a safety critical medical. Our friendly, in-house Health and Wellbeing team will book a time and place to suit you. The sooner, the better, so please be flexible with your availability. Once your medical gets the thumbs up, we'll finalise any last details and look forward to you joining our team.
Benefits



