Finance Manager job at South East London Full Time

About DFT Operator

DfT Operator Ltd (Department for Transport Operator – DFTO) is the public sector owning group behind eight key train operators: LNER, Northern, Southeastern, TransPennine Express, South Western Railway, c2c, Greater Anglia and WM Trains.

We’re here to make your rail journeys smoother, safer, and more reliable. Since taking on LNER in 2018, we’ve focused on delivering better train services, enhancing customer experiences, and boosting performance across the network.

Stats about DFTO:

• 8,500 services each weekday
• 640 million customer journeys across the networks every year
• 30,000 employees
• 7,000 people joined the railway family in the last year

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:

This role will play a pivotal part for integrating incoming Train Operating Companies (TOCs) to the DFTO Group whose purpose is to bring all currently privately-owned train operators into public ownership.

There are two arms to the role, the first is a focus on mobilisation and the other post transfer, both working alongside the incoming TOCs. The role will be more focused in one of the two arms below. However, the role will be flexible to work where required.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support mobilisation requirements and be accountable for ensuring all documentation is completed and kept up to date.
• Manage other ad hoc projects and tasks as required.

Finance Mobilisation

• Be the Finance Insurance workstream lead (POP) while working through a listed tracker and ensuring it is up to date. This includes preparing agendas for key finance meetings.
• Set up and provide assurance for banking arrangements with NatWest including the opening of bank accounts, cash collection, BACS, credit/purchase cards.
• Liaise with the incoming TOC and its third-party merchant acquirers (e.g. fuel card providers, PayPal, etc.) to ensure relevant accounts, agreements, and processes are in place.
• Support all activities related to the transfer and setup of HMRC-related registrations.
• Understand the TOC’s finance teams, processes and finance systems, recording and documenting information that help identify any gaps and implement plans to mitigate risk post transfer.
• Support for the TOC post transfer to ensure a smooth handover is carried out with the post transfer support team.
• Assist in preparation for any reporting to DFTO Finance Board on the Programme.

Post Transfer

• Act as the primary point of contact for TOC finance teams post-transfer, providing timely support and responding to questions.
• Build strong, trusted relationships with TOC senior stakeholders to foster a positive and collaborative transition experience.
• Provide financial and accounting guidance to ensure compliance with DFTO Group policies, internal controls, and current accounting standards.
• Support the TOC in understanding new centralised ways of working and adopting new processes across key areas such as intercompany accounting, treasury and cashflow, management accounting, financial reporting, VAT compliance and returns.
• Become a subject matter expert in DFTO Group’s finance processes by studying and applying the DFTO Process Handbook as well as supporting the continual updating of processes as required.
• Assist in the design and delivery of training sessions for TOC finance teams in line with DFTO’s process documentation and operational requirements.
• Act as a key communication link between the TOCs, DFTO Business-as-Usual Finance teams, and any relevant external providers (e.g., auditors, systems consultants, insurance brokers).
• Understand finance systems and contribute to the set-up of new processes as required for ease of reporting, while supporting TOC on process development where required.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience Technical Qualifications:

Essential

• AAT qualified or Part qualified ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills all levels. This should include all levels of staff, including management, and senior stakeholders, both with TOCs, and internally.
• Experience within multiple finance disciplines.
• Extremely organised and pro-active approach to following up with key tasks to work towards a deadline
• Effective time and project management skills
• Microsoft (suite) competent

Desirable

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business, or a related discipline
• Knowledge and technical expertise of Government accounting and relevant financial governance.
• Project Management Experience

Vacancy Details:

Duration: 2 year Fixed Term contract/secondment
Location: London Waterloo/Hybrid
Salary: up to £50,000
Closing date: 19th March 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.