Virgin hunts for marketing chief

Virgin Trains is seeking a Birmingham-based sales and marketing director to help drive its “ambitious growth plans”, just weeks after making dozens of head office staff redundant.

Virgin Trains, which took over the Cross Country Trains franchise in January, and West Coast Main Line services in March, has already announced radical plans to revamp station waiting areas, improve track investment to cut journey times, and review pricing policy to generate more passengers on its routes.

Staff have been warned of further job cuts, although Virgin Trains has been recruiting actively since it took over the services. The firm announced 50 job cuts in April from among 350 Birmingham-based staff inherited at the beginning of its two 15-year franchises.

The successful candidate for the sales and marketing director post will be in charge of price setting and promotion for Virgin Trains’ West Coast and Cross Country train franchises, and report to chief executive Brian Barrett.

Virgin Trains competes directly with East Coast route operator GNER for passengers between Scotland and London. Chiltern Railways is also seeking to improve frequency and journey times for its alternative Birmingham-to-London route.