Head of Finance Operations

Location: London

London or Darlington | Hybrid working

You can be based from either our London or Darlington office. As the Finance Operations team is based in Darlington, regular travel to our Darlington office will be an important part of the role, alongside flexibility depending on business needs and stakeholder engagement.

About the role

We’re looking for an experienced Head of Finance Operations to lead and shape the next stage of our Finance Operations function.

This is a senior leadership role with a broad remit across finance operations, payments and banking, operational resilience, controls and transformation. You’ll have the opportunity to build on our implementation of Workday, helping us get more from the technology we already have while identifying further opportunities to simplify processes, automate activity and make effective use of emerging technologies, including AI.

You’ll work closely with colleagues across Finance, Technology and Change & Transformation to create a Finance Operations function that is scalable, resilient and continually improving. It’s a great opportunity if you enjoy combining operational finance expertise with transformation, technology and people leadership, and want the opportunity to genuinely shape how the function operates.

To learn more about Railpen including our values, culture and purpose, visit our careers page here.

What you’ll be doing

• Shape and deliver our Finance Operations strategy and operating model, ensuring it supports our wider business and technology objectives.
• Lead the continued optimisation of our processes within Workday, improving how we use existing functionality and identifying opportunities for further automation and technology enablement.
• Simplify and standardise processes to build a scalable, efficient and resilient Finance Operations function.
• Strengthen our operational resilience through effective financial controls, governance, contingency planning and business continuity arrangements.
• Oversee key banking supplier relationships, ensuring strong service performance, clear accountability and effective management of operational risk and resilience.
• Work closely with Finance Systems and colleagues across Finance, Technology and Change & Transformation to deliver meaningful improvements and measurable business benefits.
• Ensure Finance Operations works effectively alongside other operational teams across our organisation.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team, creating an environment focused on continuous improvement, collaboration and excellent service.

What we’re looking for

Essential

• Significant senior leadership experience within Finance Operations, including strong experience of payments and banking systems and processes.
• A proven track record of delivering finance transformation and process optimisation, including process redesign, standardisation and the successful adoption of new systems and ways of working.
• Experience designing and implementing systems, processes and controls that support operational resilience for important business services, alongside a good working understanding of the FCA Operational Resilience Framework (SYSC 15A).
• Strong knowledge of financial controls, governance, month-end close and reconciliation processes.
• Experience using ERP systems and automation to improve operational efficiency, control and service delivery.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with experience leading cross-functional change across Finance, Technology and the wider business.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, alongside experience leading and developing high-performing teams.

Desirable

It would also be great if you have

• Experience working within Finance Operations or a Shared Services environment.
• Experience working on the supplier side of payments or banking solutions, giving you an understanding of both the customer and supplier perspective.
• Experience exploring or implementing emerging technologies, including AI, within Finance Operations.
• Experience working with Workday or another enterprise finance platform in a transformation or optimisation environment.
• Why is this role exciting now?
• We’re entering the next phase of our Finance Operations journey following the implementation of Workday.
• With the core system now in place, our focus is on what comes next: getting more from our technology, simplifying and improving processes, strengthening operational resilience and exploring opportunities for automation and emerging technologies, including AI.
• As Head of Finance Operations, you’ll have the opportunity to shape that next phase, influencing how the function operates and working across Finance, Technology and Change & Transformation to build a scalable, resilient and future-focused service.
• It’s an opportunity to make a genuine impact, combining operational leadership with transformation and continuous improvement to deliver better outcomes for our business and members.

What you’ll get in return

A competitive salary (depending on experience) plus generous annual bonus plan

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

We provide membership of the Railways Pension Scheme, a Defined Benefit arrangement under which you get a pension for life and a lump sum when you retire, based on your length of service and pay

4x Life Assurance cover

We support hybrid and flexible working along with very generous family leave including 12 months full pay maternity leave and 6 months full pay paternity leave

Take a look at the full range of benefits available to support you, click here

Next steps

If you’re excited by the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution and grow your career with us, we encourage you to apply by 17th November 2026.

Inclusion at Railpen

At Railpen, diversity, equity and inclusion are core to who we are. We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, supported and able to thrive. Our mission to secure a better future for our members is strengthened by the different perspectives and experiences our people bring.

We are transparent about our gender pay gap and are actively committed to addressing it through fair and inclusive recruitment, progression and reward practices.

We respect and support individuals’ pronouns and encourage colleagues to share them if they feel comfortable to do so.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, neurodiversity, or any other protected characteristic. If you need adjustments during the recruitment process, just let us know.