Lead Finance Analyst

First Trenitalia West Coast Rail; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading rail company is seeking a Lead Finance Analyst in Birmingham. This role focuses on leading a team to deliver financial insights, managing forecasting, and ensuring compliance. Applicants should be fully qualified accountants with strong Excel and analytical skills. This position offers a supportive environment with substantial benefits including a final salary pension and extensive holiday leave.

Benefits

Final salary pension

Free travel on Avanti West Coast

Privilege Travel card

30+ days holiday

Qualifications

• Professional expertise: fully qualified accountant.
• Strong technical foundations in accounting principles.
• Experience in leading and developing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Finance Analysts to achieve performance.
• Review and consolidate financial planning and reporting.
• Produce accurate reports with meaningful commentary.

Skills

Leadership

Financial analysis

Advanced Excel

SAP or similar systems

Communication

Education

CIMA/ACCA or equivalent qualification

Tools

Excel

SAP

Job description

Lead Finance Analyst: Make an Impact Where It Counts

Are you ready to lead a team, influence strategic decisions, and shape the future of rail finance? Do you want to use your expertise to make a real difference in a business committed to sustainability and innovation?

We're looking for a Lead Finance Analyst to take a pivotal role in our Finance team. This isn't just about crunching numbers, it's about shaping decisions that drive efficiency, sustainability, and exceptional customer experiences. You'll lead and inspire a talented team, partner with senior stakeholders, and bring commercial insight to the heart of our operations.

In this role you will:

• Lead and inspire your team: manage and develop Finance Analysts to achieve high performance and growth.
• Own financial planning: review and consolidate forecasting, reporting, and analysis for corporate functions.
• Turn data into insight: produce accurate, timely reports with clear, meaningful commentary.
• Drive smarter decisions: partner with corporate teams to influence cost, revenue, and service improvements.
• Ensure integrity and compliance: maintain robust internal controls and support external reporting for key stakeholders, including the Department for Transport.

What You'll Bring:

• Professional expertise: fully qualified accountant with CIMA, ACCA, or an equivalent qualification.
• Strong technical foundations: understand accounting principles inside out and manage financial close processes with accuracy and confidence.
• Advanced Excel skills: comfortable working with complex data and building insightful models. Experience with SAP or similar systems is a bonus.
• Analytical and influential: ability to turn numbers into meaningful stories and communicate them clearly, influencing decisions at every level of the organisation.
• Leadership experience: led and developed teams before, and build strong relationships across functions to drive collaboration and results.

Please see the attached role profile for detailed information about this role.

Benefits include:

• Final salary pension
• Free travel on Avanti West Coast for you/spouse/partner/dependents
• Privilege Travel card (75% off other train operators fares for leisure travel)
• 30 days holiday rising by 1 for every completed year of service to a maximum of 37 days (inclusive of bank holidays)
• 10 free journeys on other First Group Train Operators

Ready to make a real impact? Step into a role where you'll lead, influence, and grow with a business committed to transformation and excellence.

Be You. With Us.

At Avanti West Coast, we believe our strength comes from the unique perspectives, experiences and backgrounds of our people. We are proud to build a workplace where diversity is embraced, and everyone is supported to thrive.

We welcome individuals of all races, religions, ages, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations and abilities. Our goal is to reflect the communities we serve and create an environment where everyone feels valued and heard.

When you join Avanti West Coast, you become part of a close-knit team that encourages authenticity. We want you to bring your whole self to work. No need to change who you are to fit in. Your individuality is what makes us better.

We celebrate it, we respect it and we put it to great use.

Passionate – we foster a culture where everyone is driven by our mission and are dedicated to achieving it together.

Committed – we are committed to safety, reliability and delivering the very best for our customers, our colleagues, stakeholders and the industry.

Integrity – we believe in taking responsibility for our reactions and decisions to ensure we do the right thing even when it is difficult to do and hold others accountable for doing the same.

Ambitious – we strive to be the best and are curious to new ways of working within our business and the wider industry.

Authentic – we are genuine, caring and grounded individuals that operate and communicate with openness, trust and clarity.