Job Description

Caledonian Sleeper is seeking a proactive and strategic Financial Planning Analyst to join our Finance Team. In this role, you will strengthen our forecasting, budgeting and planning capabilities to improve financial accuracy and insight across day-to-day operations. You will collaborate with senior management and cross-functional teams to develop robust financial models, business cases and forecasts that inform decision-making and support sustainable growth.

ABOUT CALEDONIAN SLEEPER

Caledonian Sleeper is an iconic overnight rail journey connecting Scotland with London, operating nightly (except Saturdays), serving major cities and rural destinations.

Established in the late 19th century, Caledonian Sleeper has a long-standing reputation for comfort, hospitality, and delivering a unique travel experience across the UK's scenic routes. The service operates primarily overnight, allowing passengers to sleep comfortably on specially designed sleeper trains, arriving refreshed at their destination.

As a service operated on behalf of the Scottish Government, it is part of the UK's public sector efforts to promote sustainable and convenient travel.

At Caledonian Sleeper, our core values of Togetherness, Respect, Integrity and Passion underpin everything we do. We believe that fostering a collaborative, respectful and passionate approach is essential to delivering an exceptional guest experience. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the communities we serve.

THE ROLE

This Financial Planning Analyst role is aimed at strengthening the finance function's forecasting, budgeting and planning capabilities within the Caledonian Sleeper Finance Team. You will play a key part in ensuring financial accuracy and insight across day-to-day operations.

The Financial Planning Analyst will work closely with senior management and cross-functional teams to develop insightful financial models, business cases and forecasts that inform decision-making. This role will also involve analysing emerging market trends, assessing potential risks and opportunities and providing financial insights to support sustainable business growth.

Initially, the focus will be on enhancing the forecasting, budgeting and planning processes, leveraging data and technology to improve accuracy and foresight. The successful candidate will be instrumental in shaping the future financial landscape of Caledonian Sleeper by providing forward-thinking analysis and recommendations.

This role will strengthen the finance function's ability to anticipate future financial needs and support long-term strategic decision-making. It offers an opportunity to contribute to the evolution of our financial planning practices, systems and strategic outlook during a period of growth and transformation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

As a Financial Planning Analyst, you will:

Support the development of long-term financial forecasts, budgets and scenario analysis.

Support periodic and quarterly forecast reviews, including employee/non-employee costs, revenue and capital planning.

Collaborate and business partner with business units/stakeholders to gather data and insights that inform financial models and projections.

Prepare cash flow statements to monitor and manage liquidity, ensuring compliance with the Scottish Government grant agreement

Analyse market trends, industry developments and internal performance data to identify potential risks and opportunities.

Support the development of business cases for new initiatives, investments and strategic projects.

Assist in continuous improvement of forecasting and planning processes through adoption of new tools, techniques and data sources.

Work closely with the finance team and other stakeholders to ensure alignment of financial plans with operational objectives.

Support month-end close activities, including preparation and posting of journal entries, ensuring timely and accurate completion and submission of the reporting pack to external stakeholders.

Prepare Balance Sheet account reconciliations, investigating and correcting discrepancies.

Support external audits through documentation, archive retrieval and walkthroughs of journal entries.

Support the wider finance team in budgeting and forecasting activities to aid decision-making.

Assist with ad-hoc tasks and strategic projects as required.

REQUIREMENTS

Essential skills, knowledge and qualifications:

Part Qualified - e.g. CIMA, ACCA, ICAS, CIPFA

Excellent Microsoft Office skills, particularly Microsoft Excel

Strong investigative, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Desirable skills, knowledge and qualifications:

Solid understanding of accounting principles, financial regulations and compliance standards.

Experience in process improvement initiatives, identifying and implementing best practices, process enhancements and system solutions.

Clear and confident communicator with strong interpersonal skills

ADDITIONAL/SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE ROLE

Working knowledge of Dynamics 365 and Power BI will be advantageous.

Emphasis on business partnering and helping non-finance stakeholders understand forecasts and KPIs

Role designed for growth - opportunity to shape future FP&A practices and gain responsibility

WHAT WE OFFER

25 days annual leave (plus public holidays)

Free travel on Scotrail for you and eligible family members

Free travel on Caledonian Sleeper for you and eligible family members

Significant discount on other UK rail travel for you and eligible family members

Allocation of "friends and family" tickets for travel on Caledonian Sleeper

Healthcare cash plan

HAPI Benefits membership offering discounts at selected retailers, hospitality venues and gyms etc.

Contributory pension scheme

If you are interested in this opportunity, please click

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Caledonian Sleeper is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all colleagues are respected, valued, and able to thrive. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, including different ages, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, neurodiversity, abilities and faiths. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know. We look forward to receiving your application.

Closing date for applications will be Monday 8th September 2025. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens, we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 35,000.00-40,000.00 per year

Application question(s):
Do you have the right to live and work in the UK with no time limits or restrictions?

What is your notice period? What are your salary expectations?
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 08/09/2025
Reference ID: CSL - 70283014