Description
* The post-holder will play a key role supporting the delivery of budgets, financial planning and in-year financial management for the Transport portfolio which has a budget of more than £4 billion. The post-holder will be expected to use their experience to drive improvements in how the portfolio uses data to support financial planning and decision making. Working closely with senior finance colleagues, Directors, the Director General, and Ministers, the role contributes to ensuring funding decisions align with Ministerial priorities and desired outcomes.
Reporting to the Head of Financial Planning and Reporting, you will be responsible for coordinating complex portfolio-wide financial exercises, providing strategic financial advice and analysis, drafting high quality briefings for senior stakeholders and Ministers, and deputising for the Head of Financial Planning and Reporting when required. You will be responsible for producing clear, timely and accurate in-year financial reporting. The role involves building strong relationships across the portfolio to support effective decision making and best practice in financial management.
Responsibilities:
* Strategic financial advice - Provide strategic advice and analysis of portfolio in year and outer year budgets and the associated financial issues and risks, working closely with Directors and their finance teams to create a network for best practice and mutual support.
* Strategic financial planning - supporting the coordination of multi year financial forecasts and plans contributing to the Spending Review and annual budget process for the portfolio, building productive and open working relationships with colleagues in Finance, Exchequer and across the portfolio directorate teams.
* Cross functional support – build strong relationships across finance and policy teams to deliver joined up financial insight and planning.
* In year reporting – preparation of in year financial reports and analysis and support the provision of strategic advice to Ministers and senior officials, including the DG, on portfolio-wide financial issues, savings reviews, deep dives and liaison across the portfolio.
* Deputise for the Head of Financial Planning and Reporting where required.
Responsibilities
Qualifications
Recommended:
* Qualified with L7 qualification CCAB, CIMA or equivalent.
Or
* Studying towards L7 qualification CCAB, CIMA or equivalent.
May be suitable for candidates with the required skills and/or experience from within finance, analytical, policy or private office/strategic roles
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:
* Budgeting, Forecasting and Costing - Practitioner
* Government Financial Management - Practitioner
* Strategy - Practitioner
* Working with Data in Finance - Expert
* You can find out more about the skills required here: Finance Profession Capability
Experience:
* Highly effective leadership, communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, negotiate and collaborate effectively with a range of staff and stakeholders with strong background in finance business partnering, management accounting or strategic finance, with the ability to communicate and explain complex financial concepts to non-finance.
Behaviours:
* Leadership - Level 4
* Seeing the Big Picture - Level 4
* Communicating and Influencing - Level 4
* Delivering at Pace - Level 4
You can find out more about Success Profiles here: Success profiles: candidate guide -
How to apply Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1500 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.
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 w/c 16 March 2026, however this may be subject to change.
Qualifications
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. We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options depending on the needs of the role. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.
You will require to be office based twice per week.
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, or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide.
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.
Further information
For further information on this vacancy please contact Gemma Dalton by email at
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. Apply Before: 2nd March :59) - This role is open to internal candidates, OGD and Common Citizenship organisations only.