James Downey Email & Phone Number

Liverpool, United Kingdom

London

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Leading the Finance, IT, Business Development and Franchise Management teams at Abellio ScotRail support the teams building the best railway Scotland's ever had.

York

The finance team at Northern covers a number of staff working at our head office in York, in our large offices in Manchester as well as smaller offices across the North.The team is responsible for maintaining financial processing, control and planning for a £600m turnover organisation.My role is to ensure that the finance team works closely with the business to support the transformation of the railways in the North of England over the next 10 years.

York, United Kingdom

My team will play a key role in supporting the business as it looks to transform the railways across the North of England.Our role will be to provide support to all parts of Northern Rail, preparing 5 year plans, budgets, and quarterly forecasts as well as working closely with the business to support capital and operational business cases.In addition we work to improve efficiencies and controls to ensure that a balanced scorecard of KPIs are met.We will work closely with… Show more My team will play a key role in supporting the business as it looks to transform the railways across the North of England.Our role will be to provide support to all parts of Northern Rail, preparing 5 year plans, budgets, and quarterly forecasts as well as working closely with the business to support capital and operational business cases.In addition we work to improve efficiencies and controls to ensure that a balanced scorecard of KPIs are met.We will work closely with our shareholder (Arriva) and our key stakeholders (including Rail North) to provide financial information on the performance and prospects of the business. Show less

Heading up a team of nine to provide financial support to all parts of Northern Rail, and preparing monthly management accounts for our shareholders and stakeholders.Our work prepares 5 year plans, annual budgets and quarterly forecasts for the business, working closely with the business to support capital and operational expenditure business cases, improve efficiencies and controls an to ensure that key financial KPIs are met.As part of this work we work closely with… Show more Heading up a team of nine to provide financial support to all parts of Northern Rail, and preparing monthly management accounts for our shareholders and stakeholders.Our work prepares 5 year plans, annual budgets and quarterly forecasts for the business, working closely with the business to support capital and operational expenditure business cases, improve efficiencies and controls an to ensure that key financial KPIs are met.As part of this work we work closely with shareholders and various stakeholders. We work closely with the Department for Transport to review and update our financial model. Show less

My role within Northern Rail has been to establish a Corporate Audit Function to provide the Directors and Shareholders of the company with assurance around the effectiveness of controls within all functions of the business. As Corporate Audit Manager I was responsible for the planning and completion of audits covering topics from Franchise Compliance to the control environment around our IT systems. This has required setting up a comprehensive set of template working papers and reports, as… Show more My role within Northern Rail has been to establish a Corporate Audit Function to provide the Directors and Shareholders of the company with assurance around the effectiveness of controls within all functions of the business. As Corporate Audit Manager I was responsible for the planning and completion of audits covering topics from Franchise Compliance to the control environment around our IT systems. This has required setting up a comprehensive set of template working papers and reports, as well as developing our policies and procedures and internal Intranet site. The work undertaken has developed realistic and practical recommendations that have improved the general control environment within the business.As Acting Head of Internal Audit I was required to provide regular updates on the department's work both to our directors and to our shareholders via the Audit Committee. As part of this role I have undertaken a comprehensive benchmarking study of our department against best practice, agreed a new Audit Strategy, and developed a wide-ranging Audit Plan for 2010. Furthermore, I have assisted the business with significant pieces of ad-hoc advisory work to assist the successful implementation of the HR & Payroll module within SAP, and spent a significant proportion of time assisting the Business Development team agree updates to our Financial Model with the Department for Transport.I believe that these roles have allowed me to acquire a high level of knowledge around the complexity of the market in which Northern Rail sits, as well as developing strong relationships with the department's key stakeholders, both internally and externally. Show less

Setting up a corporate audit function within the business we looked to provide a wider range of assurance over areas of the business previously untouched by audit.

I worked within the Owner Managed Business department of Deloitte, providing statutory audit, accounting and tax advice to small and medium sized entities. I was responsible for a portfolio of around 15 companies operating within a number of very different markets, supervising the work carried out and ensuring that high quality work was completed within the required timetables. I was also responsible for fee negotiations and the setting, and reporting on, the costs of each audit. I was… Show more I worked within the Owner Managed Business department of Deloitte, providing statutory audit, accounting and tax advice to small and medium sized entities. I was responsible for a portfolio of around 15 companies operating within a number of very different markets, supervising the work carried out and ensuring that high quality work was completed within the required timetables. I was also responsible for fee negotiations and the setting, and reporting on, the costs of each audit. I was promoted to manager during 2006. Show less

I successfully completed my training period with Richardsons, a four-partner firm and enjoyed working with a wide variety of clients from diverse industries. My remit included sole responsibility for a number of limited companies and individuals. I supervised, reviewed and approved work carried out, ensuring the accounts and tax returns are prepared, completed and submitted in the specified time to the correct locations. I was also responsible for looking after the large number of… Show more I successfully completed my training period with Richardsons, a four-partner firm and enjoyed working with a wide variety of clients from diverse industries. My remit included sole responsibility for a number of limited companies and individuals. I supervised, reviewed and approved work carried out, ensuring the accounts and tax returns are prepared, completed and submitted in the specified time to the correct locations. I was also responsible for looking after the large number of hi-tech start-ups which come out of Oxford University. Working closely with their CEO's, solicitors and venture capitalists, I helped guide and assist the development of their business plans and projections to enable these businesses to generate funding. This in turn entailed supervising the preparation of their monthly management accounts. Show less

Aca, Accounting And Business/Management

Advanced Stage - July 2003 Business Life Cycle (56%), Business Environment (59%) Advanced Case Study (64%) Devolved Assessments; Taxation.

M.A, International Financial Analysis

International Financial Analysis Newcastle Modules included; International Finance, Capital Markets, Data Analysis, International.

B.A.(Hons), Business Economics

A' Levels, Mathematics, Business Studies And Music