Head of Finance

This role is responsible for leading the Financial Forecasting, Planning and Analysis team at High Speed Two incorporating.
- Developing and leading the annual multi-year business planning, and budget setting processes leading to agreed workforce and non-workforce targets for recommendation to the Executive and the HS2 Ltd Board.
- Leading on periodic reviews of the financial position of the project and producing reports for HS2 Board, Executive and key external stakeholders as well as internal budget holders in order to monitor and control spending within agreed targets.
- Undertaking strategic and tactical financial analyses and evaluation in order to assist HS2 decision making, cost control and Value for money.

**About the Role**:

- Recruiting, retaining, developing and leading a strong financial planning and analysis team (taking full accountability for their outputs).
- Developing, maintaining, reviewing and updating a strong internal control environment to ensure integrity and timeliness of period end and year end reporting and analysis. Identifying and implementing process improvements were appropriate.
- Developing and leading the annual multi-year business planning, and budget setting processes leading to agreed workforce and non-workforce targets for recommendation to the Executive and the HS2 Ltd Board. This also includes quarterly forecast requirements for DfT.
- Manage the ECP Indirects programme focused on meeting Indirect Cost Efficiencies as agreed with HS2 Executive and in accordance with DfT led Efficiency Review.
- Represent HS2 on strategic finance and funding issues including Inflation and Foreign Exchange risks working across HS2 and DfT stakeholders.
- Engage and collaborate with key stakeholders and partner functions (such as planning, procurement, contract management and HR teams) to ensure a holistic view taken to the required capabilities and resources needed to effectively deliver plans.
- Ownership of Business Critical models including HS2 Funding Model and Indirects cost model supporting Comprehensive Spending Reviews and Project Baselines.
- Leading on periodic reviews of the financial position of the project and producing reports for HS2 Board, Executive and key external stakeholders as well as internal budget holders in order to monitor and control spending within agreed targets.
- Undertaking strategic and tactical financial analyses and evaluation in order to assist Directors in decision making, controlling budgets and adopting alternative financial strategies and developing processes for controlling spend.
- Provide the key interface between HS2 Finance and DfT Finance and funding teams to ensure collaborative and effective working relationships are maintained.
- Supporting the Finance Director in other duties as necessary that may be required.
- Actively promote and embed Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work, and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.

**About You**:
**Skills**:

- Communication skills and ability to interpret and communicate complex financial issues to non-financial colleagues
- Ability to interpret complex financial data and use it to support decisions and recommendations within the business
- Ability to analyse and interpret complex financial information throughout the programme lifecycle and to see HS2 from multiple dimensions
- Ability to use ERP systems, utilising data analytics software and complex Excel models
- Ability to deliver value adding MI and ensuring effective financial controls within a major project
- Stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage, communicate and develop consensus with both internal and external stakeholders up to Executive level.
- Ability to prioritise, making insightful recommendations on the options for allocation of scarce resources.
- Ability to manage teams and ability to resolve issues to appropriate deadlines

**Knowledge**:

- Ability to interpret and communicate complex financial issues to non-financial colleagues and to secure compliance with Managing Public Money;
- Technical accounting skills (current IFRS and FReM understanding) including knowledge of Government accounting requirements (DEL/AME funding) to ensure compliance of business plans with delegated authority;
- Critically review and challenge business plans, assessing plans for their affordability, value for money, timing and impact on programme delivery;
- Knowledge of accounting systems and the ability to develop and manage off-system analyses and records (e.g. spreadsheets)
- Development of output driven, activity based budgets, clearly aligned to programme delivery requirements, making clear and reasoned recommendations to the Executive and the HS2 Ltd Board;
**Type of experience**:

- Experience of driving output focussed, activity based budgets and forecasts;
- Leading the process for development of the annual business plan and budget setting processes within