Retail Service Managers - Plymouth

XC Trains Limited; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday allowance 30 days + 5 gym

Pension scheme

Free travel on Arriva rails

Rail discounts

Discounted European rail travel

Job summary

CrossCountry is hiring Retail Service Managers to be the face of onboard catering in Plymouth. You will welcome passengers, deliver high-quality service from the trolley or onboard shop, and ensure journeys in comfort and style.

Starting salary during training is £26,888 per year rising to £34,061 after training on a 38-hour week. This permanent, full-time role includes comprehensive training, career progression within a national transport brand, and regular opportunities to grow.

Qualifications

• Excellent people skills — confident, approachable, and great at connecting with customers.
• Customer service driven — maintains a strong focus on customer satisfaction by delivering efficient, proactive service.
• Strong work ethic — reliable, consistent, and committed to high standards.
• Team player — works seamlessly with onboard crew and local colleagues.
• Flexible — able to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, and bank holidays.
• Well-presented — professional appearance that reflects our brand.
• Personality — authentic, energetic individuals, not robots!

Responsibilities

• Be the face of CrossCountry onboard trains, delivering a warm welcome and high-quality catering service.
• Serve refreshments in Standard Class and First Class via trolley service or onboard shop.
• Ensure passenger comfort and style through attentive, proactive service.
• Collaborate with onboard crew and local colleagues.
• Be prepared to work unsocial hours as required.

Job description

Retail Service Managers – Plymouth (On Board Catering Crew)

Are you passionate about delivering exceptional customer service? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, people-focused environment? If so, CrossCountry is looking for enthusiastic Retail Service Managers to join our dynamic team based in Plymouth.

What you’ll be doing

As a Retail Service Manager, you will be the face of CrossCountry onboard our trains – providing a warm welcome, delivering a high-quality catering service through the train either with a Trolley Service or from the On Board Shop, making every journey a positive experience for our customers. From serving refreshments in Standard Class to offering complimentary service in First Class, you will play a key role in ensuring passengers travel in comfort and style.

What’s in it for you?

Starting salary: £26,888 pa during training, rising to £34,061 after successful training (based on a 38-hour week) Permanent, full-time position with great career prospects Comprehensive training and continuous support (Your initial 4-week training course will take place at our Customer Service Training Centre in Derby, where you will be trained on all aspects of the role). Opportunities to grow within a national transport brand.

What We are Looking For

• Excellent people skills – confident, approachable, and great at connecting with customers.
• Customer service driven – Maintains a strong focus on customer satisfaction by delivering efficient, and proactive service at all times.
• Strong work ethic – reliable, consistent, and committed to high standards.
• Team player – work seamlessly with onboard crew and local colleagues.
• Flexible – able to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, and bank holidays.
• Well-presented – professional appearance that reflects our brand.
• Personality – we want authentic, energetic individuals, not robots!

Location Requirement

You must live within 1 hour’s commute of Plymouth Station and be able to travel at unsocial hours reliably.

Why Join CrossCountry?

At CrossCountry, we’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive. We value the unique perspectives that everyone brings and believe this drives our success.

Join us and be part of something bigger – making journeys better, one customer at a time.

Our benefits include

In return our benefits include:

• Holiday allowance of 30 days, rising by one day a year up to a maximum 35 days.
• Entry into the Pension Scheme.
• Free travel on Arriva Rail services (CrossCountry, Chiltern, London Overground and Grand Central).
• 75% off travel on other UK rail companies.
• Discounted European rail travel after one year.

Application Deadline: Thursday 5th November 2026.

Please note, successful applicants will be required to attend a medical and have a DBS check.

Arriva is a leading provider of passenger transport across Europe, employing around 34,400 people and delivering around 1.6 billion passenger journeys. With buses, trains, coaches, trams, waterbuses, bike‑sharing systems, on-demand transport solutions and a rolling stock leasing company, Arriva proudly connects people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably across 11 countries, delivering these services in a better way, every day. The activities of Arriva are divided into four business units: UK Bus, UK Trains, The Netherlands and Mainland Europe. Arriva has passenger transport operations in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom, and also operates a rolling stock leasing company in Romania.