Citizen Experience Lead - Bus Franchising

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Hybrid working

Flexible working hours

Leave entitlement 28–36 days + bank

Job summary

South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority seeks a Citizen Experience Lead (Bus Franchising) to steer the customer and citizen experience across The People's Network. The role sits in the Change and Citizen Experience department and is based at the Sheffield Head Office with hybrid working.

You will shape customer services, information and communication approaches that underpin bus franchise delivery. With strong experience in customer experience, service design or transformation, you will

Qualifications

• Experience leading customer experience, service design or transformation activity.
• Ability to influence across organisational boundaries and drive action.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management to translate insights into action.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Citizen Experience workstream within the Bus Franchising Programme.
• Develop customer experience frameworks, standards and governance.
• Provide expert advice, assurance and challenge to programme leaders and suppliers.
• Influence programme decisions using customer insight and evidence.

Skills

Customer experience

Service design

Transformation

Change management

Stakeholder management

Job description

Citizen Experience Lead - Bus Franchising

Application Deadline: 4 October 2026

Department: Change and Citizen Experience

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Sheffield Head Office

Reporting To: Dale Sparks

Compensation: £51,357 - £54,495 / year

Description

• Hours: 37 hours per week (full time)
• Contract: Permanent
• Salary: Grade 11 - £51,357 - £54,495
• Location: Sheffield (hybrid working)

This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in shaping the customer and citizen experience of South Yorkshire's future bus network. Working within the Bus Franchising Programme, you will ensure customer and citizen needs are embedded throughout the design, mobilisation and implementation of The People's Network, helping to create a more integrated, accessible and seamless transport experience across South Yorkshire.

We are looking for an experienced customer experience, service design or transformation professional with a strong track record of influencing complex programmes and delivering change. Passionate about customer outcomes, accessibility and continuous improvement, you will understand the importance of ensuring customer requirements are considered alongside commercial, operational and programme priorities.

You will be a collaborative and influential leader, confident building relationships with colleagues, operators, suppliers and stakeholders at all levels. Highly organised and experienced in delivering change within complex environments, you will thrive in a fast-paced programme setting, balancing multiple priorities while maintaining a focus on delivery and outcomes.

This role offers the opportunity to shape one of the most significant transport transformation programmes in South Yorkshire's history, ensuring customer experience remains at the heart of Bus Franchising and helping to create a network that is simpler, more connected and easier to use.

About the role

As Citizen Experience Lead (Bus Franchising), you will lead the Citizen Experience workstream within the Bus Franchising Programme, ensuring customer and citizen requirements are embedded throughout programme design, mobilisation and delivery.

You will establish and maintain the frameworks, standards, governance arrangements and assurance processes required to support successful implementation. Working across programme teams, you will ensure customer-facing requirements are clearly defined, understood and delivered through programme plans, procurement activity, mobilisation and readiness arrangements, including the development of key customer services, travel information and customer communication approaches that will underpin The People's Network.

Working closely with colleagues, partners and suppliers, you will provide expert advice, challenge and assurance, helping to translate customer experience ambitions into deliverable programme outcomes and measurable benefits for customers and communities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the Citizen Experience workstream within the Bus Franchising Programme.
• Developing customer experience frameworks, standards, governance arrangements and readiness criteria.
• Providing expert advice, assurance and challenge to programme leaders, partners and suppliers.
• Influencing programme decisions through the application of customer insight, evidence and experience principles.
• Ensuring customer-facing requirements are embedded within programme delivery, mobilisation and implementation activity, including the successful design and mobilisation of customer service, travel information and customer feedback arrangements.
• Using feedback, research and performance data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Championing accessibility, inclusive design and the needs of diverse communities across South Yorkshire.

About you

You have experience leading customer experience, service design, transformation or change activity and are comfortable working across organisational boundaries to influence decisions and drive action. You are an excellent communicator with strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to translate insight, evidence and customer needs into practical recommendations.

You are strategic, analytical and delivery-focused, able to balance customer needs, programme objectives and operational realities. You are confident operating within complex environments and can combine long-term thinking with practical implementation.

You are passionate about improving outcomes for customers and citizens, with a commitment to accessibility, inclusion and continuous improvement. You are motivated by the opportunity to help shape the future of public transport in South Yorkshire and ensure customer experience is embedded throughout the successful delivery of The People's Network.

Benefits

• All colleagues have access to a Local Government Pension Scheme and the chance to be part of an organisation where you can really make a difference. Located in Sheffield City Centre, we are well-placed for transport links and encourage employees to take advantage of the active travel facilities. Work/life balance is extremely important to us here at SYMCA with our recognised family/friendly policies, genuine work flexibility, recognition, and shared success.
• Holiday Entitlement – From 28 to 36 days annual leave entitlement (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays. Pro-rata for part time colleagues.
• Annual Leave Purchase Scheme – The ability to purchase up to a further 15 days per year in additional to your normal annual leave
• Hybrid working – Our offices are a space where we come together and collaborate. Most of our roles are offered on a hybrid basis with the exception of some support roles being onsite full time. Please note, unless specified within the job advert, we cannot accommodate remote working contracts.
• Flexible Hours Scheme – Most roles within SYMCA work under the Flexi-Scheme which allows office-based employees’ flexibility and discretion over their working hours. Under the scheme employees can accrue a defined amount of credit or debit of working hours, and to take time-off in the form of Flexi-Leave or banked Annual Leave.
• Rewarding You - Reducing everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more with Reward Gateway and Cycle-to-Work schemes.
• Training on the job - Support with upskilling skills through on-the-job training and qualifications
• Professional Membership Fees – Where membership to Professional bodies is applicable to your role, SYMCA will reimburse your membership fees where applicable and following approval by Line Management.
• Diversity at South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority

Our workforce is made up of a diverse community, where we all belong and feel part of something bigger. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.

All employees are eligible to request Flexible Working arrangements from day one of employment as such all requests will be considered subject to operation requirements.

Where candidates share disabilities within the application process, if they demonstrate that they meet all essential criteria from the Role Profile within their application, they will automatically be invited to interview.

If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the process, please contact [e-mail] or include within your application form detailing the adjustment and how it will assist in managing any barriers.