Capex Finance Partner - Strategic Budget & Reporting in England

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Employer: Network Rail

Location: Various Locations - Recruitment, Eastern England

Salary: £55,596 - £67,813

Closing date: 11 Aug 2026

Sector: Finance and Accounts, Supply Chain and Procurement

Role: Senior Executive

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full Time

Who We Are

Join Network Rail! Where People and Connections Matter. At Network Rail, we're dedicated to keeping passengers and freight moving safely and efficiently across the country. When you join us, you're not just part of a team - you're part of something that matters to millions. We believe that our people are at the heart of what we do, and every role plays a vital part in building a better, more connected railway. We're committed to creating a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. We value flexibility and understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. As a Disability Confident Leader, we'll do everything we can to accommodate any needs throughout the recruitment process. Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision.

About the role

We have several exciting opportunities to work in the wider Eastern Region and Capital Programmes Finance team. Our team sits at the core of decision making, financial planning, investment assurance and strategic business support across Network Rail's largest region with an annual spend of almost £2bn. These are roles with an opportunity to make a visible impact with senior leaders and broaden your experience shaping future plans, governing major programmes or delivering innovative analysis.

• Opportunity 1: Capital Programmes Reporting Lead (London, Derby or York) - Lead the production of financial and performance reporting across the Capital Programmes directorate, ensuring senior leaders have clear, insightful and timely information to support decision making. You'll manage a small team, driving high quality reporting, continuous improvement and consistency across a diverse investment portfolio.
• Opportunity 2: NPR and Capital Director Support (London, Derby or York) - This role will be the primary business partner for our Northern Powerhouse Rail Programme, a proposed multi-billion pound major rail programme designed to transform connectivity and boost the economic potential in the North of England, supporting, positively challenging and influencing the senior leadership team on project and OPEX finances to drive accurate reporting and efficiency delivery.
• Opportunity 3: Capital Programmes Enhancements South Lead (Stratford or Derby) - In this role you will become an integral member of the South and Minor Enhancements project team within Capital Programmes Eastern. Working with senior stakeholders across the portfolio to positively challenge and influence business activities, budgets and financial forecasts to support efficient delivery of large-scale, high-profile capital investment projects, maintaining robust financial control, assurance and governance.

Key Accountabilities

• Consolidate, critically review and provide technical advice and guidance on periodic financial results and forecasts to identify and monitor risks, opportunities and efficiencies to minimise the financial and legal impact on the business area.
• Provide robust professional recommendations and financial guidance on accounting guidelines and standards to enable the business to be financially and legally compliant.
• Provide technical and professional oversight of the periodic accounts, relevant analysis and preparation of business plans and budgets to enable the business to make effective decisions.
• Develop, understand and influence the cost and income drivers relevant to the business area to deliver the yearly business plan and manage to the overall settlement by effective decision making.
• Influence, coach and challenge senior budget holders 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.
• Proactively challenge budget holders plans and budget submissions to understand the overall plan, providing advice and new initiatives to save costs and be more efficient as an organisation.
• Drive, adapt and deliver key performance indicators (KPI's) and deliverables for the function, highlighting any significant issues and trends with financial and other business results to aid decision makers to make efficiencies.
• Lead in budget holder key meetings on financial performance to provide professional financial advice and guidance to drive business decisions, minimise risk and deliver good corporate governance.
• Develop, drive and implement investment decisions and new business activities, working collaboratively with senior leaders to explore new opportunities and drive business performance.

Essential Criteria

• Membership (or working towards membership) of a relevant accounting body (CIMA/ACCA/ICAEW) or equivalent experience.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills at all levels.
• Successful relevant experience working in a complex financial environment including demonstrable experience in managing business risks, professional financial control and forward planning.
• Demonstrable record of budget management, governance and ability to understand and interpret commercial and financial landscapes (budgets, forecasts, actual status).
• Significant experience in managing ambiguity in a financial environment with strong evaluation and decision-making skills.
• Excellent technical Financial and Accounting knowledge and application of that knowledge in a complex and commercial environment.
• Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline, for example accounting and finance, business management or equivalent demonstrable experience in finance.

Desirable Criteria

• Full membership of relevant post graduate professional body (CIMA/ACCA/ICAEW).
• Experience of Oracle based systems.
• Substantial experience within multiple finance disciplines.
• Knowledge and technical expertise of Government accounting and relevant financial governance.
• Understanding of project management principles and experience of managing complex projects to successful conclusion.

Please note: Applicants must provide proof of essential qualifications and/or competencies where required, or demonstrate active progress toward obtaining them, or evidence their applicable experience as a condition of employment.

Network Rail welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, marital status (including civil partnerships), pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender status, sex (or gender), employment status, trade union affiliation, or other irrelevant factor. We are a Disability Confident Leader employer! We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. We are here to support you through every step of the recruitment process and to enable you to perform to the best of your ability. If you require any adjustments or modifications please contact Mark Holt (Resourcing Business Partner).

You can also visit Evenbreak's Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available. We positively embrace flexible working, recognising that employees may wish to balance work with their family and home life.