Employer Brand Specialist
Grade: ML1/SB2
Salary: £40,000 - £42,000
Business Function: People
Role Type: Hybrid / Flexible Hours
Location: Manchester/Leeds/York
Hours: 37 per week
This is the kind of role where you’ll create reasons for people to change their careers.
Not by shouting louder.
Not by following the same old playbook.
But by showing what working at Northern actually feels like.
The early starts. The pride in keeping the North moving. The people behind every journey. The moments that don’t make it into a job description, but make all the difference when someone’s deciding where to go next.
This role sits right in the space where brand, people and storytelling meet. It’s where ideas turn into campaigns, campaigns turn into conversations, and conversations turn into applications.
You’ll take the raw material of Northern (our colleagues, our culture, our ambition) and shape it into something people can see themselves in.
What you’ll be doing
You’ll be the engine behind our day-to-day employer brand activity – keeping things moving, improving what we do, and making sure we show up in the right way, in the right places.
That looks like:
· Turning hiring priorities into campaigns that people actually notice
· Creating content that doesn’t feel like recruitment content - real stories, real voices, done properly
· Bringing our EVP to life so it’s more than just words on a page
· Keeping our channels active, relevant and worth following
· Finding the stories others miss - and turning them into something powerful
· Supporting big focus areas like early careers, diversity attraction and hard-to-fill roles
· Getting Northern out there - events, outreach, conversations that build awareness
· Tracking what works (and what doesn’t) - then doing something about it
· Working with partners and agencies to deliver great work
Some days you’ll be deep in a campaign. Other days you’ll be chasing a story, shaping a post, or pulling together insight. It’s varied, fast and never static.
About you
You get that employer brand sits somewhere between marketing, storytelling and people - and you’re comfortable in that space.
A few things that’ll set you up well:
· You’ve got previous experience in employer brand or recruitment marketing (agency or in-house) and know your way around campaigns
· An eye for content - what works, what doesn’t, and why
· The ability to spin multiple plates without letting any of them drop
· A data-led mindset - you’re comfortable using insights to challenge ideas as well as back your own
· Great relationship-building skills - you work well with all kinds of people
· A proactive, organised approach with a creative edge
If you’re looking for autonomy and ownership - with the freedom to take ideas from concept to impact - you’ll find it here, with an experienced team around you to help you grow and make your ideas land.
What’s in it for you?
At Northern, we don’t just value our people - we go the extra mile to support them. Here’s a taste of what you can look forward to:
· Free Travel: Unlimited free travel for you, your partner, and your dependents on Northern services. Plus up to 75% discount on other networks in the UK and Europe.
· Generous Pension Scheme: Defined benefit scheme, plus we top up your contributions 1.5 times.
· Enhanced Family Benefits: We offer 9 months of full pay for maternity leave and 2 weeks for paternity leave.
· Cycle to Work Scheme: Save up to 42% on a bike and spread the cost.
· Electric Car Scheme: Lease a brand new electric or plugin hybrid car.
· Exclusive Discounts: From shopping to wellbeing, Northern Perks has you covered.
· Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 support for family, lifestyle, and more.
· Training and Career Development: We offer tailored training to our colleagues and opportunities to gain recognised qualifications. Plus enhanced career pathways no matter what part of the business you’re in.
· Recognition: We know how important it is to show how much we appreciate our people. That’s why we have our Northern Lights and Northern Sparks Awards, recognising and celebrating brilliance every day.
Why Northern?
We’re more than just a train operator. We’re the heartbeat of the North – connecting communities, creating opportunities, and driving sustainable growth. With 2,650 trains running daily, we’re on a mission to improve rail travel and enhance the customer experience while protecting the environment.
Back in 1825, the first passenger train set off in the North of England, beginning a journey that would transform travel across the world. We’ve recently celebrated 200 years of the modern railway and, as we reflect on that legacy, our focus is now on the future as Great British Rail takes shape. Join us at this pivotal moment in rail history and play your part in our journey.
A place for everyone
The best journeys happen when everyone feels welcome on board.
At Northern, we don’t just move people from A to B - we’re building a team where everyone feels they belong. Our talent team can make reasonable adjustments to the process if that’s something you need. We're also a Level 2 Disability Confident employer, so if you meet the minimum criteria for the role, we’ll always offer an interview.
We automate parts of our screening process to remove any unconscious bias and to make sure every application is treated fairly. All successful offers will be subject to a DBS check and a medical assessment.
No matter your background, experience, or whether you call it a bap, barm, or cob… there’s a place for you here in the railway.