How Merseyrail implemented an ATS hiring managers wanted to use
Supply Chain, Transport & Logistics
Hiring
managers went from avoidance to endorsement
200
candidates in the pipeline within three weeks
Features
delivered to support EDI goals
Executive summary
Merseyrail, a Liverpool institution, needed to modernize its recruitment approach to attract a diverse workforce and support the company's ongoing transformation. Their existing ATS, implemented four years earlier, had become a barrier rather than a tool. Rosy Rutherford, HR project lead, took a strategic approach to identifying and implementing Pinpoint, focusing on hiring manager engagement, candidate experience, and equity. The result was an ATS that hiring managers actually wanted to use, delivering praise from both the business and the local press.
Industry
Supply Chain, Transport & Logistics
About Merseyrail
Merseyrail operates the Merseyside Rail Network serving the Liverpool area with over 1,200 employees across station roles, train management, and head office functions. As a historic Liverpool institution, Merseyrail is committed to modernizing its employer brand and attracting a diverse workforce that reflects the community it serves.
Why Pinpoint?
Merseyrail's previous ATS had become a liability. Candidates found the generic portal unengaging, and hiring managers actively avoided using it. Rosy worked with her HR team to define what they wanted to achieve with a new system, then used those goals as the basis for evaluating providers. This strategic approach led them to Pinpoint, a platform that could support hiring manager engagement, candidate experience, and the company's equity and diversity commitments simultaneously.
It was really fun being able to learn the ins and outs of Pinpoint and build it in a way that suited us.
Rosy Rutherford
HR Support Centre Advisor, Merseyrail
Use Case
1
Winning hiring managers back with a modern, usable platform
The challenge
The old ATS was clunky, unintuitive, and disliked by hiring managers across the business. It took nine days to create a single job post. Basic tasks felt like struggles. Merseyrail needed hiring managers to take ownership of their roles and the recruiting process, but the platform was working against them rather than for them.
The solution
Rosy saw Pinpoint's modern interface and robust features as the foundation, but she invested heavily in how to bring hiring managers along. She created personalized guides with screenshots, ran small group training sessions, and encouraged hands-on testing with live job postings. Rosy gave hiring managers confidence by being present and responsive.
Nine days
to hours: job posting time slashed
Modern
platform embraced by the team
Positive feedback
across the business
I really needed to re-engage with hiring managers and get them to take ownership of these roles because it's part of their team.
Rosy Rutherford
HR Support Centre Advisor, Merseyrail
Use Case
2
Building an inclusive, accessible recruitment process
The challenge
Merseyrail wanted its ATS to support the company's progressive values and equity goals. The old system offered no tools to reduce unconscious bias, improve accessibility, or analyze diversity metrics. The company needed technology that aligned with its commitment to creating a meritocratic hiring process.
The solution
Pinpoint's suite of equity and accessibility features became central to Merseyrail's implementation. The anonymization feature removes identifying information during early screening, reducing unconscious bias. The single-page application form improves accessibility for all candidates. The careers site uses video and imagery to engage both neurotypical and neurodiverse candidates, making the organization feel more modern and welcoming.
Anonymized
screening for meritocratic hiring
Better accessibility
for candidates with different needs
Clearer
diversity metrics in reporting
The anonymization feature reduces unconscious bias, creating a meritocracy. The single-page application form improves accessibility, and the careers site uses imagery and video to engage all candidates.
Rosy Rutherford
HR Support Centre Advisor, Merseyrail
Use Case
3
Launching a careers site that candidates want to visit
The challenge
Merseyrail's old careers portal was generic and uninspiring. It didn't showcase the company's culture, modern approach, or the reality of working for the organization. The site needed to attract and engage a diverse pool of candidates while accurately reflecting Merseyrail's values.
The solution
Rosy and the HR team rebuilt the careers site from the ground up using Pinpoint's capabilities. The new site features video and imagery that make roles tangible and authentic. It tells the story of working at Merseyrail in a way the old portal never could.
Careers
site praised internally and in the press
200
talent pipeline registrations in three weeks
Immediate
employee uptake
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