Budget & Reporting Manager

Who are we?

South Western Railway (SWR) operates over 1,500 services each weekday across the network and employs more than 5,000 people. We provide easy and convenient mobility, connecting people and communities in South West London, southern counties of England, and the Isle of Wight.

Join our team and help us continue to bring people together to get the most out of life.

About the job

The Budget & Reporting Manager is responsible for producing robust and accurate passenger revenue and demand forecasts for budgeting and long-term business plans.  The role is responsible for the monitoring, analysis and reporting on passenger revenue performance, quantifying the causes of variance from forecast and identifying and understanding key trends.  Working closely with the revenue reporting team to lead, train and coach analysts to enable the team to deliver best in class revenue reporting.  Liaise and work with key stakeholders within the businesses to develop our understanding of our customers and markets. The budgeting and reporting manager will identify, develop and communicate insightful analysis, leading to actionable initiatives to drive revenue growth, and will work with stakeholders across the industry to ensure forecasting and reporting meets the needs of SWR, our owning group and the DfT. This is a key role in fulfilling SWR's purpose as it supports the business in understanding the impacts on passenger behaviour, demand and revenue generation of initiatives to bring people together to get the most out of life.

Your main responsibilities will be:

• Producing robust passenger revenue and demand forecasts for budgeting and long-term business plans. Ensuring forecasts meet both the owning group and DfT requirements.
• Monitor, analyse and report on passenger revenue performance, quantifying the causes of variance from budget (and forecast), identifying and understanding key trends, and highlighting risks and opportunities. Ensuring reporting meets both owning group and DfT requirements.
• Develop the revenue model and accompanying modelling suite to ensure they continue to meet business requirements, adopting a continuous improvement mindset proactively leading on development to ensure methodologies and approached are ‘best in class'.
• Develop a planned approach to identifying SWR markets that require in-depth analysis and develop an approach to analysis that will lead to actionable initiatives that drive revenue growth.
• Effectively engage stakeholders across the business working closely with them to produce insightful analysis that identifies opportunities and supports the production of business cases.
• Supporting the analysis and reporting requirements of departments responsible for delivering revenue generative initiatives. Designing KPIs to measure the success of revenue generative initiatives against the benefits included in the forecast, and supporting in assessing the impact on revenue and demand of these initiatives.
• Representing SWR on industry bodies, including PDFC. Suggesting topics for PDFC funded studies that support SWR research requirements.
• Collaboration with counterparts across train operating companies and other industry stakeholders to share best practice and drive continuous improvement to enable the delivery of best practice reporting and forecasting.

Essential requirements:

• Expert knowledge of rail demand forecasting, including the Passenger Demand Forecasting Handbook framework, its limitations and alternatives is essential.
• Advanced analytical and numerical skills with an ability to define opportunities and problems, collect and analyse data, establish facts and make evidence-based conclusions.
• Skilled in translating complex data into easy to understand and relevant management information.
• Ability to formulate recommendations, combined with excellent verbal and written communication skills to clearly explain complex concepts to a variety of audiences.
• Commercially aware, and be able to challenge your own and other's thinking.
• Skilled in developing strong working relationships with stakeholders across the business and with counterparts across the industry.
• Analytical experience within the commercial area of the rail industry.
• Ability to prioritize workloads and work to challenging deadlines.
• Drive for continuous improvement
• Expert understanding of Lennon data, and knowledge of rail commercial or operational systems (e.g. MOIRA, ORCATS, Cubic, BT MND)
• Experience in data analytics including: use of very large datasets using tools such as PowerBI/SQL/Python/R.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (including expert level Excel skills with experience designing and building complex Excel models).

Working pattern

Working an average of 37 hours per week over 5 days, office hours

The Reward

In return we offer a competitive salary and a variety of valuable benefits, including:

• Free duty and leisure travel on SWR services for employees
• Free leisure travel for spouse/partner and dependants (criteria dependent)
• 75% discount on many other train operating companies
• Full training and support with development
• Excellent pension scheme

We all belong at SWR. Our vision is to provide an inclusive environment for all colleagues, ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to access meaningful employment.

We value our differences such as age, gender, LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, religion, and disability. We maintain a zero tolerance towards any form of prejudice towards our colleagues, customers, and future talent.

We celebrate and encourage diversity of thought, progressive ways of working and seeing all our colleagues grow and thrive.

If you require additional support to complete your application due to a disability or neurodivergent condition, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism, please follow the links below.  We encourage you to share any additional needs you may require so we can provide a fair and equal process for all who apply.

https://exceptionalindividuals.com/neurodiversity/

https://www.healthassured.org/blog/neurodiversity/