Oxford Bus Group bolsters recruitment team to fuel growth

Oxford Bus Group has appointed a new full-time in-house experienced recruiter to help drive its continued growth.

Jake Edwards has been appointed as recruitment partner for the group comprising of Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, Carousel Buses, Pulhams Coaches and Pearces Coaches.

The announcement comes as Oxford Bus Group celebrates National Careers Week, highlighting the broad range of opportunities available within the bus industry and across its group of businesses.

With Oxford Bus Group continuing to expand its bus and coach network to provide greater connectivity for passengers, it appointed Mr Edwards to oversee its recruitment campaigns and processes. He has more than a decade of experience in recruitment, including five years spent in the NHS.

Mr Edwards recently oversaw his first recruitment day for the group, while a new VIP Bus Driver Academy at Carousel Buses was recently launched to train new drivers.

Oxford Bus Group is currently seeking to recruit three additional apprentice engineers across sites in Bourton-on-the-Water, Cheltenham, and Oxford or Didcot. It also offers career opportunities in various roles across the group, including customer services, office-based roles, driving, tourism and engineering.

Speaking during National Careers Week, which started on 2nd March and aims to help people become more aware of career choices, Mr Edwards said: “I’m thrilled to be in this position at an exciting time of growth for the business.

“My focus is on recruitment across the group, paying particular attention to the many recruitment days which are held throughout the year.

“The aim is to introduce a clear strategy for these recruitment days, mapping out the whole recruitment journey and induction process for candidates.

“When building a strong workforce, ensuring that new employees feel welcome and comfortable asking for help is essential.

“All companies are only as good as their employees and this role gives me the opportunity to build something after an enjoyable time working in healthcare recruitment.”

Mr Edwards has been impressed with the company culture since joining Oxford Bus Group.

He said: “It’s very much an open-door policy. You can knock on anyone’s door and have those important conversations. Everyone is really friendly, from the management to the drivers, and I like the culture here.

“I have family members who depend on the bus, so I understand the importance of our services. It’s an interesting industry. It’s very complex, and with a lot of moving parts.”

The appointment of Mr Edwards demonstrates the continued expansion of Oxford Bus Group, with more than 300 new colleagues having joined the business in 2025.

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Group, said: “We significantly grew our bus and coach network across the group last year and have strong plans to continue our growth trajectory this year.

“Recruiting great people therefore is a key part of our strategy and so we have appointed Jake to manage our recruitment strategy within our HR team. This will give us the resources we need to manage the process, ensure we recruit great people and on-board them well.

“The recruitment days last year were a great success and helped us attract a lot of drivers which reduced the need for agency support. Our refreshed approach will help take our recruitment to the next level.”

If you are interested in a job with Oxford Bus Group, please visit: www.oxfordbus.co.uk/careers