Northern
Customer Relations Supervisor
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BUSINESS FUNCTION: Customer & Commercial
SALARY: £32,543
ROLE TYPE: Permanent
LOCATION: Sheffield
HOURS: 36 per week (Shift patterns below)
When journeys don’t go to plan, it’s the response that people remember.
As part of our Customer Experience team, you’d step into a role where your decisions make a real difference – not just to individual customers, but to how Northern is seen and trusted every day.
You’ll take the lead on complex and sensitive cases, support the wider team, and help keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes.
This is a role with real influence. You’ll balance hands-on customer work with team oversight, making sure standards stay high, people feel supported, and customers get the right outcome – even in the most challenging situations.
What You’ll Be Doing
You’ll be the steady hand that keeps things on track, with a mix of leadership, problem-solving and customer care:
- Taking ownership of complex and escalated complaints, working towards fair outcomes for both customers and the business
- Managing cases end-to-end, ensuring accurate records and compliance with our obligations
- Acting as duty manager, keeping an eye on team performance and making sure service levels are met
- Supporting colleagues day to day, helping them stay productive and confident in their roles
- Responding to sensitive situations from Help Points, including lift entrapments and accessible facilities, working closely with station teams and control
- Supporting assisted travel bookings, making sure journeys are accessible and stepping in when plans need to change
- Working with teams across Northern – from operations to retail – to resolve customer issues
- Monitoring trends and identifying opportunities to improve performance and customer satisfaction
- Proactively contacting customers following incidents or poor experiences, helping close the loop and rebuild trust
- Overseeing Delay Repay audits and ensuring processes are followed correctly
- Recording incidents such as accidents or damage, making sure the right steps are taken for further investigation
- Supporting processes like Freedom of Information (FOI) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance
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Our Supervisors work a 5-day week including 1 weekend day. We have a hybrid approach with 3 days a week in the contact centre and 2 days from home (this will always include the weekend day). We have a range of fixed shift patterns which will need to be filled ranging from: 6am - 2pm/10am - 6pm and 3pm - 11pm
About You
You bring calm, clarity and good judgement – especially when things get complex. Here’s what will help you succeed:
- Experience in a customer service environment, including handling complaints and escalations
- Confidence supervising or supporting a team, with the ability to lead by example
- Strong organisational skills – you know how to prioritise and keep things moving
- Confidence using systems such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools
- Excellent written communication, with a clear and professional tone
- The ability to stay calm and make sound decisions in sensitive or high-pressure situations
- A sharp eye for detail, with the ability to spot trends and improve how things are done
- Strong relationship-building skills across teams and stakeholders
- A proactive mindset – you don’t wait for problems, you get ahead of them
If you enjoy solving tricky problems, supporting others, and making a genuine impact on customer experience, you’ll feel right at home here.
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: We top up your contributions by 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.
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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.
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