Director of Group Finance Operations & Transformation

Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne

The Business
Go-Ahead Group is a leading international public transport provider, running vital bus and rail services that keep communities connected every day. Founded as a small bus operator in North East England, it has grown over 30+ years into a major operator with community, safety and accessibility at its core. Go-Ahead is at the forefront of the transition to greener transport, investing significantly in electric vehicles, zero-emission fleets and supporting infrastructure to deliver cleaner air and more sustainable journeys.

With a clear commitment to decarbonisation, Go-Ahead is enabling customers to choose greener ways to travel with confidence.

The culture is supportive, collaborative and people-focused, whilst also being highly ambitious and committed to modernisation.
The Role
This is a pivotal Group-level appointment based at the Newcastle Head Office, acting as the critical link between day-to-day finance operations and Go-Ahead's wider transformation agenda. Working closely with the Group CFO and the Chief Transformation Officer, you will shape and deliver the future operating model for Finance across the Group , engaging and collaborating with Operating Company Finance Directors along the way.

As a Group Finance Operations leader, you will drive improvements in reporting capability, efficiency and data quality, while sponsoring key transformation projects and developing forward-thinking, modern ways of working. You will also play a key role in building a high-performing shared service centre, embedding finance systems, strengthening financial controls and standardising processes.
The Person
We're looking for a forward-thinking transformation leader who brings:

• Significant senior experience working within a Group structure.
• A strong track record leading finance operations with clear evidence of improving quality, efficiency and control.
• Demonstrable experience of finance transformation.
• A leadership style that builds, develops and retains high-performing, diverse teams, with evidence of coaching and developing talent.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively while remaining collegiate and solutions-focused.
• High resilience, drive and the ability to move seamlessly between strategic thinking and hands-on delivery.