Job Description

When people hear the name \'Network Rail\' they often think of trains - however, we own and operate the railway infrastructure in England, Wales and Scotland on behalf of the nation.

The railway is at the heart of a successful Britain. It connects people - with friends and family, and with jobs, underpinning a thriving economy. The railway in Britain is the safest and one of the most reliable railways in Europe. It\'s also the fastest growing - passenger numbers have doubled in the last 20 years - and needs substantial improvements to continue its great success story.

Every day, more than 4.6 million journeys are made in the UK. That number\'s set to rise again in the next 25 years. That\'s where our plan comes in: the most ambitious modernisation programme since the Victorian era.

Scotland is home to 17 per cent of the national railway network - including more than 4,700 bridges, 591 level crossings and 4,300 signals - which we take pride in maintaining, developing and improving. During an unprecedented time of investment in Scotland\'s railway, we are working with our partners to upgrade every aspect of our railway as we strive to realise our ambitious vision.

It\'s our role at Network Rail to provide the best possible service to everyone who relies on the railway - passengers, the train and freight operating companies and businesses nationwide.

Network Rail Scotland has an ambition to build the best railway Scotland has ever had, as we deliver a \xc2\xa34 billion investment programme, to decarbonise and modernise Scotland\'s Railway.

That\'s 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges and viaducts and thousands of tunnels, signals, level crossings and points. This also includes overhead wires and other equipment needed so that trains can run on the railway safely. We also manage rail timetabling and 20 of the largest stations in England, Scotland, and Wales.

Integral to this continuous development and improvement is, of course, our finance function. It is the role of our team to ensure our programmes of work are delivered efficiently and responsibly, to apply strategic thinking to how we plan, take advantage of closer integration with rail operators, maximise opportunity from our diverse property portfolio and maintain impeccable governance, risk and assurance practices.

Joining Network Rail Scotland at this moment in time means playing a crucial role in shaping the future of our railway and delivering for the people of Scotland. This is an opportunity to make a real impact by shaping and influencing business decisions and planning with budgetary rigour.

For us, this means delivering a safer, more reliable railway, with greater capacity and efficiency than ever before. A railway that connects more people to more places, safely and quickly, and a solid, future-proof foundation for continued growth in the British economy.

Brief Description

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of Scotland\'s Railway as we move into a new business funding cycle.

As part of Network Rail\'s regional finance function, you will be part of a driven team at the very heart of the business whose impeccable standards ensure our ultimate success.

We have several fantastic opportunities to join our team as a finance business partner, with roles available in support of several different arms of our organisation.

As an organisation we have established hybrid and flexible working arrangements to make your work life balance more enjoyable.

Your experience in delivering business partnering services will mean you can support business decisions regarding the costing and execution of projects as well as day-to-day operational running costs, delivering excellent value for money for the taxpayer and inspiring confidence in our regulator and funder.

Applying scrutiny to expenditure, you will interrogate costs, integrate efficiency targets to planning and spending decisions, and identify opportunities to maximise revenue.

You will be supporting our business leadership team, under the direction of the financial controller/senior finance business partner, to deliver professional finance and accounting advice.

As one of our finance business partners you will have the opportunity to be involved in analysing operational expenditure as well as capital projects to ensure the portfolios are in line with Network Rail\'s policies on governance, particularly regarding reporting on costs, volumes, and accruals. You will positively challenge senior leaders, budgets, and business activities to enable the best business outcomes are delivered.

About the role (External)

Here are some of the duties your role will include: -

\xc2\xb7 You will lead and provide financial advice and guidance to senior budget holders in understanding the impact of the period results against budgets and forecasts.

\xc2\xb7 Be the expert in the function on accounting practices and advise on financial results and forecasts for budget holders, including preparing period accruals, journals, and adjustments to validate accounts.

\xc2\xb7 Manage corporate governance throughout the cost centres you manage, conducting deep dives and reviewing compliance with financial regulations to protect the business from legal or negative consequences.

\xc2\xb7 You will deliver expert and accurate business review information and reporting and highlight any significant issues with financial and other business results to enable informed decision making by the business area.

\xc2\xb7 Engage with and influence senior members of the team to help them understand their financial position and use professional expertise to guide in initiatives to improve business performance.

\xc2\xb7 Building bottom up, detailed plans to manage and develop the production of business plans and budgets to enable good corporate governance and value add analysis for senior leaders.

\xc2\xb7 Identify and managing commercial risks, including the financial suitability of new customers or suppliers reducing the potential risk impact on the business area and influencing decision makers.

\xc2\xb7 You will identify and drive opportunities to deliver efficiencies to achieve targets.

What you will bring to the role: -

\xc2\xb7 Demonstrate strong understanding of business needs and relevant application of accounting standards.

\xc2\xb7 Membership (or working towards a membership) of a relevant accounting body (CIMA/ACCA)

\xc2\xb7 Expert knowledge and experience of creating and maintaining accounts and annual budget.

\xc2\xb7 Significant experience within relevant finance disciplines

\xc2\xb7 Strong excel skills and use of data manipulation.

\xc2\xb7 Strong interpersonal and communication skills

\xc2\xb7 Ability to interpret technical accounting regulations into everyday language.

\xc2\xb7 Demonstrable effective influencing skills at a senior level

\xc2\xb7 Significant understanding of financial control and risk

\xc2\xb7 Excellent technical finance and accounting knowledge

In addition to the above it would be great if you have the following

\xc2\xb7 Understanding of project management principles and experience of managing complex projects

\xc2\xb7 Membership of a relevant accounting body

\xc2\xb7 Extensive experience of Oracle based systems.

\xc2\xb7 Degree or equivalent qualification in finance and accounting or business management or experience

How to apply (External)

Salary: Starting at \xc2\xa343,588 and rising to \xc2\xa349,037 per annum

Network Rail Benefits -

Closing date: 01/09/2023.

Please get your application in as soon as possible, we may close the advert before the listed closing date if we receive enough applications. Late applications will not be accepted. Please note that we are continuing to conduct our interviews on-line.

Please note the recruitment process for this role is a Competency based interview.

Click \'apply now\' to apply.

We\'re dedicated to creating an and we welcome applications from everyone!

Network Rail is a and we\'ll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles. You can visit for advice on accessibility support if you\'re unsure of the options available. Should you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please add a note to your application.

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

Drugs and Alcohol Standard:

Our Drugs and Alcohol Standard has changed. All prospective candidates will be required to undergo and pass a drugs and alcohol test. Your application will be rescinded if you record a positive test. All positive drugs and alcohol test results for prospective candidates will be securely held on database and a 5 year suspension from applying for a safety critical role, a role which requires PTS certification or a Key Safety role on Network Rail Managed Infrastructure will be enforced.

Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do. Safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail. You should demonstrate your personal dedication to safety on your application.

Network Rail