Job Ref: DOH1251
Branch: DFT Operator
Location: London
Salary/Benefits: Salary up to £106,400
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time
Hours per week: 37.5
Posted date: 16/07/2026
Closing date: 24/07/2026
About DFT Operator
Join Our Team at DFTO
DFTO is the government’s public sector rail owning group. Its purpose is to bring all currently privately-owned train operators into public ownership in advance of the creation of Great British Railways in 2027 - and deliver improvements in the here and now by unifying and integrating train operations under common public ownership.
DFTO has over 30,000 employees, runs over 8,500 services a day and delivers over 640 million customer journeys across its networks every year. 7,000 people joined the railway family in the last year
Major improvements are being delivered by DFTO train operators (TOCs) that are already under public ownership - these are LNER, Northern, TransPennine Express (TPE), Southeastern, South Western Railway (SWR), c2c, Greater Anglia and WM Trains.
We work closely with the DfT but operate independently with our own governance and leadership teams. Our priority is ensuring efficient, dependable rail services for everyone.
Primary Purpose of Job:
The Head of Financial Planning Analysis role involves all aspects of management accounting including periodic corporate and subsidiary reporting, annual budgetary and forecast processing, as well as the contribution to internal policies and procedures. This role involves liaison with operating companies, shareholders and overseeing the Annual Business planning and quarterly forecasting and periodic reporting.
As the Head of FPA, as well as linking in with the statutory reporting activities, you will be at the forefront of the standardisation of accounting across the group, while liaising with the Group’s Train Operating Companies (TOCs) and any external advisors. You will also support operators on the financial aspects of the annual business plan, reviewing the individual operating company submissions, along with the wider financial planning team, which will business partner the individual operators.
Key Competencies:
- Experienced in working in a rail operating environment, with a sound knowledge and understanding of the industry
- Experienced in dealing with senior stakeholders.
- Must have the ability to work to tightly defined deadlines, whilst also being self-driven and have a desire to improve on existing activities.
- Significant experience in managing ambiguity in a financial environment with strong evaluation and decision-making skills.
- Relevant successful experience working in a complex financial environment including demonstrable experience in managing, financial control and forward planning.
- Work with colleagues at all levels across multiple organisations, in DfTO, DfT, rail operators and Network Rail, influencing and challenging senior budget holders.
- Proven ability to effectively lead, coach, mentor and motivate at all levels within the organisation.
Key Responsibilities:
- Manage the team of Group financial business partners and financial planning team
- Manage financial strategy for operating companies for the in year and next year annual budget
- Manage in year forecasting and budgeting response for the rail operator portfolio, identifying the movements and ongoing trends
- Provide technical and professional oversight of the periodic accounts, relevant analysis and preparation of business plans and budgets to enable the businesses to make effective decisions.
- Review periodic reporting regularly to identify trends and communicate position to wider teams.
- An understanding of financial systems and using technology to improve reporting timelines.
- Influence, coach and challenge senior budget holders across a range of operating companies to the Managing Director in understanding the impact of their period results and forecasts against budgets in order to manage their business more effectively and manage within budgeting limits.
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills all levels. This should include wider DFTO customers, 3rd party representatives, other business functional leaders and key support personnel.
- Support financial decision making for the company and group.
- Contribute to wider process mapping within the organisation.
- Work as part of the wider Finance team.
Knowledge, Skills, Experience Technical Qualifications:
- Full membership of relevant post graduate professional body (CIMA/ACCA/ICAEW)
- 5 years plus PQE
- Substantial experience within multiple finance disciplines
- Experience of a similar multi entity reporting environment
Vacancy Details:
Duration: Permanent
Location: London Waterloo, Hybrid
Salary: up to £90,000 – £106,400
Closing date: 24th July 2026
DFTO Benefits:
Annual Leave: Starting at 25 days and rising to an additional day per year of service completed within the first 5 completed years up to a maximum of 5 additional (30 days)
DC Pension Scheme: 10% Employer contribution, 5% Employee contribution
Opportunities to learn and network across the wider industry
Additional Information…
Disclaimer: Candidates applying for this position on a secondment basis must inform their line manager prior to submitting their application. This is to ensure transparency and facilitate any necessary discussions regarding workload and responsibilities.
About our people and the recruitment process - We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don't always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we'll do our best to help and invest in your career with us, whilst you have a healthy work life balance.
Contact: If you have any questions or reasonable adjustments, please contact [email protected].
Please do not email any CV's to us, your application must be made by clicking the 'Apply' button.
