Cost Improvement Manager

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Key Information

Job title – Cost Improvement Manager - Signals
Grade- MMG0
Salary –  Circa £63K 
Location – Various Head Office Locations
Contract Type – Permanent – London Underground 

Overview of project/role

To provide cost management services for asset areas within Asset Performance & Capital Delivery ensuring that all costings, reporting, data, and financial processes for operational management are delivered according to the organisation’s policies, standards and procedures. Operational Management includes recharges, staff, materials costings, allocations and Modernisation / Continuous Improvement activities.

Key Accountabilities 

• Become a consistent interface between Business Stakeholders, Finance and Modernisation Manager to ensure consistent review and focus on savings challenge; identifying and updating risk and opportunities; increase awareness of cost drivers impacting their budget performance and reduce them as far as possible through collaborative working.
• Using and interpreting financial and systems data to provide an overview of budget spend, helping to develop financially secure/challenging business plans and relevant forecasts that drive and deliver in-year savings with further opportunities to improve budgets over 1-3yrs.
• Supporting maintenance and management for the SAP system hierarchy to ensure effective budget planning and cost control management, this will be pivotal to ensure performance data is trusted and helps drive the right behaviours.
• Supporting the savings agenda by establishing and sharing weekly and periodic tracking reports to drive out excess spend, ensuring all rechargeable costs are correctly administered to ensure income aligns with or exceeds budget expectations.
• Drive continuous improvement and compliance across all areas of remit by analysis of data to establish accurate baselines and then working with stakeholders to establish the scope; targeted improvement and project manage the steps to deliver improvement within a 6wk to 6-month period.
• Ensure that process confirmation checks are in place for all improvement activities to ensure they are fully embedded and employ LEAN techniques to ensure waste are eliminated and Plan Do Check Act principles are consistently deployed.
• Create standardised and automated reports to support business self-service with the Business Service Function
• Track 3rd party spend and support the business in its supplier and contract management activities, in particular flagging spend deviation and savings opportunities.

Skills, Knowledge & Experience 

Skills  

• Advanced level of numeracy and data analysis skills (Essential).
• Excellent communication skills (Essential).
• Excellent Influencing skills - being able to persuade others using simple techniques and constructive challenges.
• Excellent Planning & Organising - uses available resources to plan activities well in advance and flagging risks to delivery.
• Problem Solving and decision making – uses a range of information and multiple analytical and problem-solving technique.
• Results focused - must demonstrate a ‘can do’ attitude to performance and put drive and energy into achieving results; set challenging performance standards and take action to exceed goals and expectations and to continually improve performance.
• Customer Focused and Collaboration- understands customer needs and takes actions to respond constructively to feedback, providing up to date information and ensuring that commitments to customers are delivered.

Knowledge 

• Be proficient with estimating and cost planning processes and techniques and interfaces with Finance systems.
• Be proficient in handling complex data sets and extracting key information.
• Proficient in data management, collation and interface with SAP.
• Be aware with value engineering in maintenance, materials and maintenance environments.
• Be aware of commercial management and commercial compliance.
• Be aware of health, safety, quality and environmental management.
• Be aware of LEAN, continuous improvement and process confirmation principles and have experience applying them.
• Understanding of financial governance and its application at all levels of the business.

Experience 

• Proficient in Excel to support financial and data analysis and reporting.
• Experience of driving through process improvements to support cost management objectives.
• Experience of working with materials management, cost recharging and allocation models
• Experience of working in large complex organisations with multiple stakeholders
• Experience of SAP, project management or similar enterprise systems
• Experienced in project controls within the maintenance / materials / manufacturing Industry (Desirable)

Equality and Diversity

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability status.

Application Process 

Please apply using your CV and a two page covering letter. PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images.

The closing date for applications is Monday 7th July @ 11:59pm We may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

OPTIONAL Fixed term contract/Secondment opportunity for x months [if appropriate]
As a fixed term contractor we can offer you a choice of pension arrangements. If you choose not to take our final salary pension scheme you will be paid an allowance on top of your salary, subject to Tax and National Insurance. We will share all the details with you at offer stage and the choice will be yours based on your circumstances. Depending on what you choose you can add up-to 14% to your salary.

OPTIONAL 
Secondment wording: A X month secondment opportunity, with the possibility of permanency.  
If you are successful in securing this secondment opportunity, you will need to be released from your existing role, so please ensure that you make your line manager aware of your application.

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. 
 
Benefits  
In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow.  Rewards vary according to the level of role but mostly include the below:
 
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
 
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. 

We will make every effort to give you as much notice as possible, however some interviews/assessments could be organised at short notice.