Head of Finance Operations

Railpen; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Competitive salary

28 days annual leave

Generous annual bonus

Railpen Pension Scheme

Private Medical Insurance

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

Railpen is seeking a Head of Finance Operations to lead the evolution of our finance operations function, post-Workday implementation, in a hybrid role based in London or Darlington. You will drive automation, AI and emerging technologies to enhance efficiency, controls and resilience while partnering with Finance, Technology and Change & Transformation teams.

You will shape strategy, design scalable processes, build a high-performing team, and strengthen governance and risk management across

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in Finance Operations.
• Experience with Workday and ERP environments.
• Strong change management and process improvement mindset.
• Ability to drive automation and adopt emerging technologies.
• Proven stakeholder engagement across functions and levels.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver Finance Operations strategy and operating model.
• Lead optimisation of processes in Workday with automation and AI adoption.
• Build scalable, resilient Finance Operations through standardisation and improvement.
• Strengthen controls, governance, contingency and business continuity.
• Manage relationships with key banking suppliers and monitor performance.

Skills

Senior leadership

Finance operations

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Change management

Automation or AI

Tools

Workday

ERP systems

Automation tools

AI technologies

Job description

An exciting newly created opportunity to join our Finance team as Head of Finance Operations on a permanent basis working from either our London or Darlington office (hybrid working)

Who we are

Railpen is responsible for the safekeeping and investment of around £34 billion in assets and the administration of several pension schemes, including the Railways Pension Scheme, one of the UK’s largest and longest established pension funds.

Our heritage of looking after the pension needs of the rail industry and its employees gives us our name and our unique outlook on how we serve our members. Railpen takes a holistic view, focusing on how we serve members today and how we can positively impact the communities and the world they will retire into.

To learn more about Railpen including our values, culture and purpose, visit our LinkedIn Life page.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Head of Finance Operations to lead the continued evolution of our Finance Operations function. This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for shaping a scalable, resilient and technology-enabled finance operations function that supports Railpen’s strategic objectives.

Following the successful implementation of Workday, you will lead the optimisation of Finance Operations including the processes and ways of working within the new system, ensuring teams make effective use of existing capabilities and considering future opportunities for continual improvements. You will drive further transformation through process improvement, automation and the adoption of emerging technologies, including AI, working in partnership with Finance Systems.Working closely with colleagues across our Finance, Technology and Change & Transformation (C&T) teams, you will ensure Finance Operations delivers measurable business value while maintaining strong controls, governance, operational resilience and service excellence.

You’ll:

• Define and deliver the Finance Operations strategy and operating model, ensuring it supports Railpen’s wider technology and business objectives.

• Lead the optimisation of Finance Operations processes and ways of working within in the Workday environment, improving adoption and use of existing system capabilities, and drive the adoption of automation, AI and other emerging technologies to enhance efficiency, control, operational resilience and service delivery in partnership with Finance Development.

• Design and evolve a scalable, resilient Finance Operations function through process simplification, standardisation and continuous improvement.

• Strengthen operational resilience through robust financial controls, clear governance, effective contingency and business continuity arrangements and compliance with Finance, Risk and Audit requirements.

• Manage and oversee the relationship with critical banking suppliers, ensuring clear accountability, strong service performance, effective risk and resilience oversight, and timely escalation and resolution of issues.

• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, delivering measurable benefits from finance transformation initiatives while developing a high-performing, future-focused team.

• Ensure the alignment of Finance Operations with the other key operations teams across the organisation, including Member Services Administration and Financial Operations and Pension and Investments Management Fund and Investment Accounting Team.

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

The Person

We’re looking for a strategic finance leader with a strong background in Finance Operations, transformation and technology enablement. You will combine excellent operational expertise with the ability to lead change, build relationships and develop high-performing teams.

You’ll ideally have:

• Significant senior leadership experience within Finance Operations, including payment and banking systems and processes is essential

• Additionally, experience in Accounting Operations or Shared Services environments would also be beneficial.

• Significant experience in designing and implementing systems and processes that embed operational resilience for key business services, together with a good working understanding of FCA Operational Resilience Framework (SYSC 15A).

• A proven track record of delivering finance transformation and process optimisation, including process redesign, standardisation and effective adoption of new systems.

• Strong knowledge of financial controls, governance, month-end close and reconciliation processes.

• Experience leveraging ERP systems, automation and emerging technologies, including AI, to drive operational efficiency and business value.

• Along with “customer/user side”, experience on the supplier side of payments and banking solutions would be beneficial.

• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to lead cross-functional change across Finance, Technology and the wider business.

• Strong analytical, communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to build and develop high-performing teams.

Our values of integrity, community and alignment are the guiding principles that influence our behaviour. They help us make decisions and shape our relationships with others. They’re what we stand for. You will actively demonstrate our values, helping to create a safe environment, place the needs of the community above yourself and, through a culture of fair challenge, align decisions to the best interests of our members.

What we can offer you

Rewarding you

• A competitive salary (depending on experience)

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

• Generous annual bonus plan

• Membership of the Railways Pension Scheme, a Defined Benefit arrangement providing a pension for life and a lump sum on retirement based on service and salary

• 4x Life Assurance cover

Health & Wellbeing

• Private Medical Insurance

• Employee assistance programme

• Health cash plan

• Eye care vouchers

• Flu vaccination

Lifestyle

• Hybrid and flexible working

• 12 months full pay maternity leave

• 6 months full pay paternity leave

• Buy and sell holidays
• Give as you earn scheme
• Paid volunteering days
• Flexible half-day leave
• Electric vehicle leasing
• Cycle to work scheme

Railpen is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse environment, we value diversity and welcome people from all backgrounds and walks of life.