Head of Financial Planning and Reporting

Can you provide strategic financial leadership across the complex and high-profile Transport Portfolio?

As Head of Financial Planning and Reporting you will play a pivotal role in shaping and advising on financial strategy, covering budgeting and fiscal events including Spending Reviews and in year financial monitoring. Working closely with Ministers, DG Net Zero and Directors, you will support them and Transport Scotland’s Accounting Officer and senior officials to make informed, evidence based choices that balance affordability, deliverability and long term sustainability.

Reporting to the Head of Finance, you will lead the financial planning and reporting team, working collaboratively with finance leads across Transport Scotland to support short, medium and long term financial reporting and planning.

Responsibilities:

• Leadership – effective leadership, oversight and strategic and operational support across finance, providing direction, coaching and oversight to the team.

• Strategic financial advice– providing professional financial and strategic advice, challenge and influence to support decision-making.

• Strategic financial planning – multi-year financial planning, Spending Review coordination and efficiency reporting.

• Financial Reporting and Assurance – delivery of financial reporting, compliance, risk management, commissions and savings exercises.

• Commercial Finance – supporting high-profile financial and contractual negotiations and transactions.

• Cross functional support– collaborative working across Finance, Exchequer and policy teams.

• Deputise for Head of Finance or Director of Finance & Corporate Services.

Qualifications

The successful candidate must be fully CCAB qualified (or equivalent) with up-to-date CPD.

Success profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Technical / Professional Skills:

1. Budgeting, Forecasting and Costing – Expert

2. Government Finance – Expert

3. Strategy - Expert

4. Working with Data in Finance - Expert

You can find out more about the skills required, here: [Finance Profession Capability Framework.xlsx](https://scotsconnect.sharepoint.com/:x:/r/sites/Saltire/_layouts/15/Doc.aspx?sourcedoc={2D7F4E04-A3B1-4E56-9F4A-8E183A8072EA}&file=Finance Profession Capability Framework.xlsx&action=default&mobileredirect=true)

Experience:

1. Highly effective leadership, communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, negotiate and collaborate effectively with a range of staff and stakeholders.
2. An ability to coordinate and drive complex financial projects to achieve desired outcomes with experience and understanding of the Scottish Government's accounting and budgeting rules and guidance.
3. The ability to think and act strategically and make links across policy and organisational boundaries to achieve positive outcomes.
4. Strong planning and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage a diverse workload and team, and able to adapt to changing situations and manage competing priorities.
5. A proven track record in leading and managing teams to deliver a range of finance and/or management functions. Demonstrating effective leadership and delegation skills and the ability to develop and motivate staff.

Behaviours:

• Leadership - (Level 4)
• Communicating and Influencing - (Level 4)
• Seeing the Big Picture - (Level 4)
• Delivering at Pace - (Level 4)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here.

How to apply

Apply online, providing a CV and supporting statement (of no more than 1500 words) providing evidence of how you meet the behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the Success Profile above. Both the CV and the supporting statement provided will be assessed against the criteria for the role.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation. Assessments are scheduled for early October however this may be subject to change.

Recruitment Principles

As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.

About us

Transport Scotland is the national transport agency, seeking to deliver a safe, efficient, cost-effective and sustainable transport system for the benefit of the people of Scotland. Transport Scotland is accountable to Parliament and the public through Scottish Ministers, with a budget of around £4 billion per year. Transport is a vital feature of the Scottish Government's focus on increasing sustainable economic growth, and transport investments and policies have major impacts on the economy, people, and the environment.

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Working pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role.

Transport Scotland staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location.

Security checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, and read about the Government Vetting Charter, or about all the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.

Internal candidates may need to gain higher security clearance than they currently hold if successful in their application.

Equality Statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Sponsorship

Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.

Further information

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

For more information on this role, please contact Gillian Aiken by email at [email protected]

Apply Before: 22nd September 2026 (23:59) - This role is open to internal candidates and Common Citizenship organisations only.