Head of Operations Finance

easyJet; Luton; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading low-cost airline in the UK is seeking a Head of Operations Finance to shape financial strategy and collaborate with multiple operational teams. This role requires strong leadership, extensive finance experience, and excellent business partnering skills. You will lead a team, drive cost efficiencies, and influence strategic decisions while ensuring alignment with safety priorities. The position is based in Luton, supporting a hybrid work model, and offers competitive salary and benefits.

Benefits

Competitive base salary

Up to 30% bonus

25 days holiday

Flexible benefits package

Excellent staff travel benefits

Qualifications

• 10+ years leading cross-functional finance teams in EMEA or global organisations with multiple business units.
• Resilient, adaptable and effective in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
• Aviation experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Shape budgets, monthly reporting, and strategic planning.
• Lead the finance agenda across Operations, focusing on efficiency and safety.
• Drive sustainable savings and contribute to Board reporting.

Skills

Business partnering skills

Cost and commercial mindset

Outstanding leadership skills

Technical and management reporting skills

Education

Professional finance qualification (ACCA, ACA or CIMA)

Job description

Head of Operations Finance

Intro

We are easyJet – a FTSE-100 listed, £multi-billion low-cost airline that serves tens of millions of customers every single year. If you’re reading this, you have probably already been an easyJet customer, and you’ll know that there is no more iconic (or Orange!) travel brand in Europe. We fly more than 1,207 routes, connecting 38 countries across Europe, and employ more than 18,000 colleagues. We’re on a mission to make low-cost travel easy – and whatever your role here, you’ll connect millions of people to what they love using Europe’s best airline network, great value fares, and friendly service. What makes us easyJet? Our Promise Behaviours - we are Safe, Bold, Welcoming and Challenging. Four Behaviours. One Spirit. One easyJet.

Read on if you:

• Have senior finance leadership experience, partnering at COO level and shaping operational performance across large, complex organisations
• Enjoy leading high-performing teams, driving cost efficiency, and using data and insight to influence strategic decisions
• Can be in our fantastic Luton head office 3 x per week

The Team

Reporting to the Director of FP&A, you’ll be a key member of the Core Finance Leadership team with individual responsibility for financial support to the Chief Operating Officer and the Operations leadership team (cost base c. £7bn). You’ll collaborate closely with leaders across Ground Operations, Engineering & Maintenance, Crew, Safety, Operations Control and more, acting as a valued partner and trusted advisor.

The Role

As Head of Operations Finance, you’ll own planning and analysis and business partnering across our core operational areas, ensuring decisions are grounded in robust insight and aligned to our strategy.

You will provide direct financial management and partnership across:

• Airport
• Ground Handling
• Navigation
• Engineering & Maintenance
• Crew
• Disruption
• Contact Centre
• Fuel

You’ll work hand-in-hand with:

• The Head of Cost Transformation to deliver our strategic cost programme
• The Head of Investments on Fleet finance
• The Head of Commercial Finance on network and schedule impacts, contribution optimisation and cost trade-offs
• The Head of FP&A on in-year forecasts, budget and five-year plan

Key accountabilities include:

• Business partnering at pace: Be the COO’s trusted counsel – shaping budgets, monthly reporting, re-forecasting, business case evaluation, strategic planning, deep dive cost analysis and ad hoc projects
• Operations leadership influence: Lead the finance agenda across Operations, challenge for efficiency while keeping safety as the priority, and strengthen ways of working between Operations and Commercial
• Strategic cost programme: Drive sustainable savings, feed into Board reporting, and run monthly cost reviews with targeted deep dives to maintain a competitive cost position
• Core Finance leadership: Lead, motivate and develop an Operations Finance team of c.25 within the wider finance function; contribute to finance strategy and cross‑functional collaboration
• Transformational leadership and performance: Embed metrics, insight and analysis that improve outcomes; present to senior executives; highlight emerging risks; catalyse change and support external guidance for results and capital markets days

What we’re looking for

• Professional finance qualification (ACCA, ACA or CIMA)
• 10+ years leading cross‑functional finance teams in EMEA or global organisations with multiple business units
• Aviation experience is a plus, not a must
• Outstanding business partnering skills – able to identify value drivers and influence senior stakeholders
• Strong knowledge of business process management, budgeting and operations
• Proven track record in developing talent, driving high performance and leading by example
• Excellent technical and management reporting skills with strong commercial acumen
• Cost and commercial mindset – comfortable evaluating decisions through both lenses
• Resilient, adaptable and effective in dynamic, fast‑paced environments
• Inclusive leadership that inspires, builds trust and delivers results

What you’ll get in return

• Competitive base salary
• Up to 30% bonus
• 25 days holiday
• BAYE, SAYE & Performance share schemes
• 7% pension
• Life Assurance
• Flexible benefits package
• Excellent staff travel benefits

Practicalities

This full‑time role will be based in Luton and will be 40 hours per week. We support hybrid working and we spend 60% of our time per month in the office.

Reasonable Adjustments

At easyJet, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace that reflects the diverse customers we serve across Europe. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds. If you require specific adjustments or support during the application or recruitment process, such as extra time for assessments or accessible interview locations, please contact us at [e-mail]. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to ensure accessibility and accommodation.