Lead Finance Business Partner

A fantastic opportunity has arisen to join Southeastern Railway as a Lead Finance Business Partner based from our modern London Bridge Head Office (hybrid working).

This is a key role where you will lead the Finance Business Partners (FBP’s) in the delivery of accurate, compliant and consistent FBP support across Southeastern ensuring it meets the needs of key stakeholders including management, budget holders and DfT.

Take a look at the video below to see what we achieved in 2023!:

Package DescriptionSoutheastern recognises the value of every individual employee and offers benefits that reflect this.

As well as a generous salary, we offer an comprehensive benefits package which includes;

A Contributory Final Salary Pension Scheme 
Free rail travel on Southeastern and GTR rail services (extends to family members for leisure/educational travel)
After a qualifying period, reduced rate travel on other train operators, including European services
Up to 25 days annual leave entitlement (plus bank holidays)
Private healthcare
Access to an array of discounts for retail and leisure products through our benefits scheme.
Family friendly benefits including enhanced maternity/paternity leave, parental leave and carers leave.

Main ResponsibilitiesYou will have a number of key responsibilities that will include but not be limited to:

Financial Business Partnering

To be the primary and trusted source of Finance Business Partnering within Southeastern Railway.
To build excellent working relationships between Southeastern Finance and Directors, Managers and staff to provide them with timely, accurate management information and analysis based on insight, enquiry and technical accounting knowledge.
To be responsible for the financial analysis of Southeastern's departmental initiatives and business cases and supporting relevant capital expenditure and major project approvals and ongoing project management monitoring and reporting.
To act as a business change agent for Southeastern, proactively identifying and implementing process improvements within the team and across the business.

Budgetting and Forecasting

To provide financial support and insights to enable the Southeastern Executive Team and the wider business to make critical business decisions and drive out savings and efficiencies.
To provide support to Southeastern's Managers and Directors to ensure funds for budgeted activities and projects are appropriately approved and projects are supported and delivered as planned.
To Identify and monitor risks and opportunities through a sound understanding of the financial profile of the Southeastern’s key drivers of business value, making recommendations to maximise profitability and mitigate key risks within these constraints.

Team Leading

To lead, train, mentor and develop Southeastern’s team of Finance Business Partners and other relevant finance staff as required.
To drive the efficiency and continuous improvement of Southeastern’s financial analysis and reporting, including identifying projects for process and data improvements.
To drive the efficiency and continuous improvement of Southeastern’s financial analysis and reporting, including identifying projects to enhance, upskill and continue developing the FBP team and educating business stakeholders on finance matters.

Other duties

Presenting financial results and insights to the DfT and other key stakeholders as required.
Preparing and developing management reporting and financial analysis for the Southeastern Alliance with Network Rail (NR).
Verifying calculations and gaining a sound understanding of high value contracts and resulting expenditure (e.g., HS1).
Leading the development of support of financial modelling for the FP&A Team and dealing with high volumes of data in an efficient and innovative manner.
Ad-hoc guidance on finance matters within relevant business area.

The Ideal CandidateTo be considered for this role you will need to demonstrate the below in your application;

You have a professional Accountancy Qualification with a minimum of 3 years post qualification experience.
You have prior experience of Finance Business Partnering, preparation and management of Business Planning, annual budgeting and forecasting as well as management accounts preparation and reporting experience.
You have advanced Excel skills and prior experience of the build/development of Excel based Financial Models/Tools.
You have strong team management experience and can provide evidence of a coaching/supportive leadership style.

Have a high level of influencing skills at all levels of the business, including Exec/Board level and with non-finance stakeholders.
You are commercially astute with demonstrable experience of working to tight reporting deadlines in a high-pressure operating business.
You have an understanding of financial aspects of a UK rail business (desirable)
You have experience of working with UK Government, Regulators and other similar external stakeholder groups (desirable)
You have strong leadership qualities with the ability to command respect at all levels of the organisation and key external stakeholders (e.g. DfT).
You have the ability to work efficiently, effectively and collaboratively as part of a team, contributing to a culture of continuous improvement within the finance function and wider business.
You have the ability to think pro-actively about the identification of financial reporting risks and develop appropriate strategies to manage those risks.
You have strong project management skills.
You have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively (both written and oral) at all levels and explain financial issues to a non-financial audience.
You have experience of Oracle and iTM1 systems (desirable).

About The CompanyAbout Southeastern

Southeastern runs train services into London from Kent and East Sussex, operating almost 1,700 trains a day, carrying more than 400,000 passengers, serving 176 stations and covering 540 miles of track.

Just over 4,600 employees - mostly from the communities that we serve - work together to provide this vital service and we are looking to expand our successful team. We have a strong set of values that shape the way we run our business and guide our staff in delivering what our customers need. These are:

We aim to be the best
We make the difference together
We care passionately about our people and our passengers

We are committed to being an inclusive employer, creating a workplace where everyone can come to work, feel safe and comfortable and able to do everything to the best of their ability. Read about some of the great Diversity and Inclusion initiatives our Head of Colleague Experience has been leading on here. 

We recognise the positive value of diversity and it matters to us that our teams reflect the communities we serve. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

We proud to be a WORK180 Endorsed Employer for Women. If you would like to know more information about how we are supporting our employees, you can view our policies and initiatives here.

We have also won the Top Employer award at the Women in Rail Awards 2022!

If you have been unsuccessful in the recruitment process for the same/similar position you will not be eligible to apply for a period of 6 months from that date.

All offers of employment are subject to us obtaining satisfactory references (covering all education, training, employment and unemployment in the preceding 5 years and any previous railway employment). We will also complete right to work in the UK and criminal record checks. This is to ensure we are employing the best person for the role and to protect our customers, colleagues and our reputation. We are unable to offer sponsorship to work in the UK. 

This post will close before the intended closing date should sufficient number of suitable applications be received. Therefore, if you are interested in applying for this role, we suggest that you do so at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment.

SOUTHEASTERN is owned by SE Trains Ltd, a subsidiary of the Department for Transport’s public sector owning group, ‘DOHL.’ DOHL has responsibility for three rail companies, LNER, Northern Trains Limited and SE Trains.