Head of Corporate Finance

Head of Corporate Finance, Transport for London 

The commercial and financial decision-making that’s delivering real value for Londoners.

Reporting into - Director of Corporate Finance.
Contract - Permanent.
Vacancy Type - Full time.
Location - Palestra (Southwark) – Hybrid Working.

About us

London’s transport shapes the lives of millions. Transport for London (TfL) is one of the world’s best-known and most successful integrated transport authorities.

At TfL, we manage c.£9bn of income annually, delivering more than 30 million journeys daily across our extensive network. TfL is operationally breakeven and hence is able to self-finance its operating costs. TfL can also raise its own external capital to finance its activities. In the recent Comprehensive Spending Review, the Govt provided a £2.2bn long term financial settlement to TfL thus giving it certainly of capital spending for a 4-year period. 

Our Corporate Finance team (part of the CFO function) makes the strategic capital raising, financial risk management and liquidity decisions that help move millions of people across the capital every single day. Corporate Finance are responsible to manage TfL’s debt book of approximately £15bn comprising of EIB, capital market, NWF and Government. In addition, Corporate Finance acts as the “in-house” financial advisory team on major projects, complex transactions and procurements, various strategic initiatives, our PFI / concessions portfolio and Places for London, acting as key interface between internal client and external advisors. 

Our financial activities, capital and financial risk management decisions are instrumental in delivering an affordable and modern transport network. As Head of Corporate Finance, you will play a key part in shaping the future of transport in London, ensuring financial sustainability and driving value across all of our operations.

About the role

In this role, you’ll report into the Director of Corporate Finance and work closely with TfL’s senior leadership team & teams across TfL. In addition, you will be interacting regularly at senior levels at the Greater London Authority, the DfT, HMT and a large variety of private sector organisations. You will oversee financial structuring, funding arrangements and investment strategies to drive effective delivery of our vision to be a strong, green heartbeat for London.

You'll oversee the business case development & structuring and delivery of tailored funding and financing solutions for TfL’s major programmes, such as the £8bn Bakerloo Line extension, £2bn Docklands Light Railway expansion, Places for London (TfL’s property subsidiary) development programme etc, implementation of TfL’s decarbonisation strategy (such as PPAs, Zero Emission Buses), developing innovative funding approaches such as Land Value Capture etc. By leading the development and implementation of financing strategies across infrastructure, real estate and special situation transactions, you will ensure TfL’s financial objectives are met while safeguarding its commercial interests. You will be expected to be involved with all other activities undertaken by corporate finance. 

Collaborating across TfL, you will build strong relationships with financial institutions, investors and government agencies to develop funding strategies that support long-term financial sustainability. You will oversee due diligence, financial analysis and risk management of structured finance transactions to ensure alignment with commercial and strategic priorities.

Corporate Finance is a team of 30 experienced individuals, led by the Director of Corporate Finance, comprising of individuals with diverse experience in Treasury, Insurance, Projects, Debt, Business Case etc. Within the team, approximately 10 individuals focus on projects, funding and specialised finance. In this matrix structure, you will be one of 3 leaders, directly managing a high-performing team of 3–4 specialists – working with sector/operational teams for each of your projects. You’ll encourage a culture of excellence, inclusion and innovation across the CFO Family, ensuring our people remain central to delivering TfL’s financial ambitions. You will ensure our people are the key to making the vision a reality and lead on making the whole CFO Family a diverse and great place to work.  

About you 

You will be an experienced corporate finance professional with a strong background in leading major projects and teams within a large complex infrastructure focussed organisation (essential), ideally working with both the private and public sector in the UK. You will have broad expertise in corporate finance, including structuring and executing financial strategies to support large-scale infrastructure programmes as well as balancing public and private capital interests (essential).

Independently driving financial decision-making, you will recognise the moments when senior stakeholder engagement is crucial. With experience working across both public and private markets (essential), you will understand how to structure viable financial solutions that balance commercial and public-sector objectives. Your ability to navigate different financial models and interfaces will make you well-equipped to handle TfL’s unique challenges. With a strong grasp of numbers, you will have a proven background in analysing financial data and structuring deals (essential).

There is a vast amount to deliver over the coming years, so the role requires a suitably experienced person and ideally with an appropriate finance qualification in finance, management, and/or accounting e.g. ACA, MBA. You will have proven experience of improving colleague engagement through leading and motivating highly professional teams (essential). We aspire to be as diverse and inclusive an organisation as we can, so candidates who can demonstrate a track record in improving equality, diversity and inclusion outcomes will be especially welcomed.

With a strong background in collaborating with key senior stakeholders (essential) you’ll ensure we continue to deliver for London, keeping it a world-leading city and the productive heart of the UK economy.

Application Process

Please apply using a covering letter (no longer than 1 page with size 12, Arial font) and a CV demonstrating your skills, knowledge, and experience for this role (preferably no longer than 3 pages). Please provide the documents with your full name in a PDF format. 

If you have any questions or would like a copy of the job description, please contact Nita Denner from the Executive Recruitment team on talentacquisitionandexecutiverecruitmnent@tfl.gov.uk 

The closing date for applications is Friday 1 August 2025 at 23:59hrs. 

We anticipate for interviews to take place mid-end of August 2025.

Benefits  

In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow.  Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include: 
• Final salary pension scheme  
• Free travel for you on the TfL network  
• Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home or 75% reimbursement on a 28-day flexi ticket 
• 30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays  
• TfL is committed to work-life balance, operating a hybrid working approach where business and role requirements allow 
• Private healthcare discounted scheme (optional)  
• Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme 
• Retail, health, leisure and travel offers  
• Discounted Eurostar travel

Additional Information

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria.

Hybrid Working 

Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.

NPL Applications:

Applications to internally advertised roles can only be accepted from temporary workers who are on PAYE terms via agency, or PAYE via Umbrella Companies. Temporary workers who are paid through their own limited companies are not covered by the Agency Worker Regulations and are ineligible to apply.