Are you commercially minded, financially astute and ready to influence the cost foundations of one of the UK’s most complex infrastructure programmes?

Do you thrive in environments where long-term strategy meets real-world operational detail?

Salary: £79,863.60 to £99,819.20 package
Location: London (3 days per week in the office)
Closing date: 8 December 2025

I am recruiting an Operating Cost and Value Lead for a major UK infrastructure programme. You will sit at the heart of commercial operations, developing and owning the operational cost baseline and ensuring long-term value is understood, controlled and well governed.

This could suit someone from a public sector, transport, energy or major infrastructure background who wants to step into a visible, influential role.

About you:

You will be comfortable working with both the “business end” of numbers and the strategic context they sit within. The ideal background is likely to include:

• 5–10 years’ experience in one or more of the following:
  • Public sector or regulated infrastructure (rail, wider transport, energy, utilities, national highways, nuclear or similar).
  • Train operating companies or transport operators, particularly with bid modelling, revenue and operating cost projections.
  • Multi-disciplinary or major consultancy with project costing, operational cost or investment analysis focus.
  • Cost accountant, senior investment analyst, commercial manager or portfolio manager roles in complex organisations.
• Strong financial literacy with proven experience building and interrogating complex models in Excel, including IRR and scenario analysis.
• Experience contributing to or developing business cases in complex, political environments.
• Proven ability to challenge assumptions constructively and “own the numbers” in front of senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable dealing with long-term generalisations alongside the need for short-term accuracy and defensible detail.

Desirable:

• Rail or major transport project experience.
• Background in strategy, sponsorship, regulatory or commercial teams.
• Understanding of whole-life cost modelling and operational readiness.
• Familiarity with major project or contract environments (e.g. NEC) is helpful but not essential.

This role could be a strong step up for someone with a solid analytical and commercial background who wants to move into a central, influential position on a nationally significant programme with a decade or more of delivery still ahead.

If the experience aligns and you'd like to discuss the role in more detail, please get in touch:

-          Emily.atkins@carringtonwest.com
-          07513 856580