About First Bus:
Are you ready to advance your career with one of the UK's leading bus operators? Join a forward-thinking company that embraces cutting-edge bus technology, from innovative mobile apps to environmentally friendly vehicles. We are passionate about delivering passenger journeys that are sustainable, comfortable, and efficient. We are at the forefront of innovation in the industry, connecting communities and shaping the future of public transport.
Location – Home based
We are looking for a Digital Marketing Performance Manager to join our Marketing team on a full-time basis. This is initially a 12-month FTC with the potential to go permanent.
The Digital Marketing Performance Manager holds senior responsibility for setting the direction, governance and operational excellence of digital marketing activity across First Bus and its portfolio of B2B Business and Coach brands.
The role provides expert leadership, strategic oversight and technical capability to build a high-performing digital marketing function within the organisation.
This position has been established to reduce reliance on external agencies and strengthen in-house expertise. Current digital marketing and tracking activity is fragmented and inconsistent, limiting visibility of performance and the organisation's ability to optimise spend and outcomes. Working closely with Marketing, Data and Commercial teams, the post holder will streamline and enhance the digital marketing ecosystem, ensuring robust measurement, improved planning and the adoption of best practice across brands and regions.
As both a senior functional lead and a hands-on specialist, the role ensures digital activity is data-driven, commercially aligned and responsive to the needs of multiple audiences, including local bus customers, airport express travellers, B2B partners and government stakeholders. The post holder will guide the development of digital capabilities, tools and processes that support long-term brand growth, accountability and operational effectiveness.
Key Responsibilities
Digital Strategy & Performance Ownership
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Lead the performance strategy across PPC, SEO, GEO targeting, paid social, organic social, and content optimisation.
- Develop a unified approach to digital measurement, tracking, reporting and performance analysis across First Bus.
- Identify what works in one part of the business and reapply learnings to drive efficiency, consistency, and improved results across all brands and markets.
- Ensure digital marketing activity supports commercial goals, customer acquisition, retention, and frequency of travel.
Hands-On Optimisation & Technical Expertise
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Audit the current tracking, tagging, attribution and reporting set-up; simplify and rebuild where needed.
- Interpret analytics, platform data, and campaign performance to provide clear, actionable recommendations.
- Oversee technical aspects of digital channel optimisation (e.g., keyword research, audience segmentation, bid strategies, content performance).
- Work closely with external agencies to ensure high-quality execution while maintaining internal ownership of strategy and performance.
Campaign Planning & Activation
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Work with wider marketing team, to support and optimise their digital plans.
- Work in cohort with the Social Media Lead and Talent Acquisition team, to ensure paid and organic activity are integrated and effective.
- Support cross-channel planning to improve the impact of digital in major campaigns from all parts of the Group.
Stakeholder Support & Capability Building
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Act as the go-to internal expert for digital performance across the Marcomms team for Regional Bus and Business and Coach.
- Support the wider team on how to plan, brief, interpret, and optimise digital activity.
- Present insights, risks, and opportunities to senior stakeholders in clear commercial language.
Measurement, Reporting & Insight
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Define meaningful KPIs, benchmarks, and performance frameworks.
- Deliver clear dashboards and reporting rhythms, making digital performance understandable and actionable.
- Ensure learning are shared widely, building a strong culture of insight reuse and continuous improvement.
Skills/Experience
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Ability to translate complex digital data into simple, commercially relevant insights.
- Strong technical knowledge of campaign optimisation and performance levers.
- Confident working with varied audiences including regional bus customers, coach travellers, stakeholders, and B2B clients.
- Comfortable designing or redesigning tracking frameworks and performance systems.
- Skilled at joining up activity across channels for integrated campaign delivery.
- Hands-on, curious, and deeply analytical.
- Agile thinker who can adapt approaches for very different brands, audiences, and business needs.
- Collaborative and approachable; able to build capability across a mixed-skill team.
- Proactive problem solver who identifies opportunities and drives improvements.
- Comfortable balancing big-picture strategic thinking with detailed execution.
Essential
- Proven expertise in digital performance management across PPC, SEO, paid social, organic social and content optimisation.
- Experience working across multiple brands, markets, or business units simultaneously.
- Strong understanding of digital attribution, tracking, tagging, and analytics platforms.
- Demonstrable experience improving digital performance for consumer and/or B2B brands.
- Experience working with (and holding to account) external media and digital agencies.
Salary - £55,00-£65,000
Rewards
Your health is important to us which is why we offer Simply Health & Smart Health for you and your dependents at no cost to you! This offering includes cash back benefits across optical & dental as well as virtual GP appointments, mental health support and nutrition and fitness advise. Our EAP provision offers 24hr, 365 days a year mental health support
- We are also committed to your financial wellbeing, and we offer a platform with many discounts on high street brands and supermarkets etc
- Working at First you also receive discounted train travel for you and your family after 6 months service as well as a free bus pass
- Cycle to work scheme
- 25 days' holiday + bank holidays
- Pension scheme and chance to buy discounted First Group shares
- Enhanced maternity / paternity pay
- Flexible working
Equal Opportunities
Public transport serves everyone, whatever their differences. At First Bus, we want to be an employer open to you, no matter what your differences are. We aspire to be an inclusive organisation because diverse backgrounds, thinking and experiences bring so many benefits to our customers, communities, and people. We welcome applications from all.
