Commercial Finance Manager (Leeds)
- Recruiter
- Department For Transport
- Location
- Leeds
- Salary
- Competitive
- Posted
- 16 Feb 2018
- Closes
- 02 Mar 2018
- Sectors
- Accountancy
- Contract Type
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full Time
Are you an experienced senior commercial finance professional who can influence, manage and strategise at the highest level?
Do you want to play a pivotal role within the DfT's Rail Group, providing industry leadership for the shape and direction of Britain's railways?
Interested? If so we'd love to hear from you as we're recruiting a Commercial Finance Manager to join our Passenger Services business.
As Commercial Finance Manager, you will provide expert day-to-day real-time support and challenge on financial and commercial decisions made by Commercial Managers and their teams who manage current rail franchises, always with an eye on value for taxpayer money and obtaining the best deal for passengers.
The role will require extensive stakeholder management across a wide ranging community of internal and external stakeholders, including Train Operating Company (TOC) senior management, directors, legal and specialist advisers with a common goal of working to deliver the DfT objectives.
As the successful candidate you will lead on putting forward recommendations including the commercial position that should be adopted by the Department. Understanding the financial and commercial aspects of the contract (Franchise Agreement) that underpins the relationship between the TOC and the DfT is key to the success in the role.
Responsibilities and accountabilities
• Lead on appraisal and evaluation of financial and commercial aspects of change to current franchises with full responsibility for due diligence, analysis and assessment.
• Develop and manage relationships with senior members of each TOC to ensure a full understanding of their operational, commercial and economic environment. Lead the monitoring, reviewing, questioning and challenging of the financial performance of a portfolio of TOCs.
• Coordinate the preparation, submission and achieve sign-off of the annual business plans, periodic forecasts and payments to TOCs.
• Support and contribute to the Rail Group's long term forecasting of a portfolio of rail franchises and related projects.
• Prepare and deliver high quality presentations and papers to an informed audience of key internal and external stakeholders on financial and commercial aspects of current franchises.
• Manage the engagement of both internal and external audits teams to provide required information/evidence.
• Engage and work with external consultants to manage and deliver contract changes.
About you
As the ideal candidate you will have extensive financial management experience in a complex and challenging commercial environment. You must be able to demonstrate a strong financial acumen and be able to effectively use your commercial awareness to strategically influence both internal and external stakeholders at a senior level. An understanding of how the rail industry operates would be highly advantageous, however not essential.
About us
Rail Group is a single, integrated body established by the Department for Transport to take Britain's railway into the future, and to put passengers at the heart of the journey. With billions of pounds of government funding behind us and strong leadership in place, we have an unprecedented opportunity to drive things forward. Passenger Services is responsible for covering the whole of the rail franchise life-cycle from procurement through to day to day management and has committed to putting passengers at the heart of what it does.
Benefits
Pensions
Civil Service pension schemes may be available for successful candidates.
Benefits
Besides the rewarding nature of the job itself, the benefits that come with it are excellent. The package includes generous leave entitlement, attractive pension options, flexible working and other policies to enable a good work/life balance, including beneficial childcare arrangements. You'll also benefit from our commitment to nurturing and developing talent.
Things you need to know
Security
Successful candidates must pass basic security checks .
Nationality statement
Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules .
If you're applying for a role requiring security clearance please be aware that foreign or dual nationality is not an automatic bar. However certain posts may have restrictions which could affect those who do not have sole British nationality or who have personal connections with certain countries outside the UK.
Selection process details
Application Process
1.) Sift Stage:
We want each application to be of high quality and to show your attributes to best effect and to ensure we select the best people to invite to interview who best match our criteria. Therefore in your application please tailor both your CV and Personal Statement to reflect the following:
• The Essential Criteria - (As outlined in the Job Description, see attachments)
Please note: At the Sift stage all candidates will be marked on all the 'Essential Criteria - To be absolutely clear - at the Sift stage we are NOT assessing Competencies.
2.) Interview Stage:
If invited to interview, candidates should be prepared to be tested on any or all competencies outlined in the detailed Job Description - see Attachments. The interview may consist of a range of question types, these could include questions about your strengths or how you would respond in any particular situation as well as specific examples of things you have done.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Nationality requirements
Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here .
Eligibility
Candidates in their probationary period are eligible to apply for vacancies within this department.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.