Description
Are you ready to take the lead in managing £400+ million of public investment that keeps Scotland moving? Join Transport Scotland's Bus, Concessionary and Active Travel (BCAT) Directorate as our Finance Manager and play a pivotal role in shaping the financial backbone of Scotland's sustainable transport network.
This is more than a finance role – it's your chance to influence strategic decisions, safeguard public funds, and support innovative projects that make travel smarter, greener, and more accessible for millions – while leading and inspiring a team of two dedicated finance professionals.
What You'll Do
• Lead financial strategy and governance for one of Scotland's largest public transport budgets.
• Deliver accurate and robust financial forecasting, reporting and compliance that drives confidence at every level.
• Champion innovation in financial systems, enhancing tools like Fareshare and Oracle.
• Develop and inspire a high-performing finance team while building strong relationships across Transport Scotland and Scottish Government.
What We're Looking For
• A proven finance professional with a passion for public service and accountability.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to turn complex data into actionable insights.
• Leadership qualities that motivate teams and influence stakeholders.
• Experience in financial planning, reporting, and compliance within a complex environment.
Why Join Us?
• Be part of a team delivering transformational transport initiatives.
• Enjoy a role that combines strategic impact with hands-on delivery.
• Work in a collaborative environment where your expertise shapes Scotland's future travel.
Responsibilities
* Responsible for the financial forecasting and budget monitoring for BCAT, including scrutinising financial data, providing narrative on significant variances and expert financial advice to senior managers on a regular basis to inform strategic financial decision making.
* Responsible for the preparation and submission of timely monthly budget monitoring reports and development of an effective, informative and accurate BCAT finance dashboard.
* Oversee the delivery of monthly ledger/financial reconciliations, preparing accruals, pre-payments and year-end reports, taking corrective actions where required and working with stakeholders and senior managers to resolve issues appropriately.
* Lead, support and line manage finance colleagues to ensure delivery of team priorities, while also providing support and guidance to direct reports.
* Maintaining strong working relationships with all stakeholders, both internal and external, whilst managing the timing and quality of information, ensuring compliance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) and maintaining requirements for strong and effective governance, including supporting financial year end audits.
* Develop and manage relationships across the Scottish Government, understanding the drivers of risk across the organisation and identifying opportunities to influence the strategic direction of directorates and the decisions they are making.
* Identify potential improvements to finance processes with a particular focus on using core financial reporting systems, including Oracle, to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of organisational financial management.
Responsibilities
Qualifications
The successful candidate must be fully CCAB qualified with up to date CPD and relevant post qualified experience in an accountancy environment.
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
* Understanding of International Accounting Standards - Practitioner
* Government Financial Management - Practitioner
* Working with Data in Finance - Practitioner
You can find out more about the skills required here: Finance Profession Capability
Experience:
* Strong financial management experience with the ability to identify, generate and interrogate financial data to support decision making with proven ability to explain financial information clearly and concisely (both written and verbally), influencing key stakeholders and maintaining strong working relationships.
Behaviours:
* Making effective decisions - Level 3
* Communicating and Influencing - Level 3
* Delivering at Pace - Level 3
* Working Together - Level 3
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 2 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 Debbie Walker 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: 8th February :59) - This role is open to internal candidates and Common Citizenship organisations only.