KPMG’s Infrastructure Advisory Group (IAG) is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading independent strategic advisors in the infrastructure sector. The group has won many awards, including financial advisor of the year (Infrastructure Journal). In the UK, the group consists of over 200 professionals, with locations in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh and is organised as a single national team.
We provide in-depth advice on the strategic, economic, financial and commercial issues driving infrastructure projects spanning the transport, power and utilities and social infrastructure sectors in the UK and internationally.
IAG’s Transport business provides market-leading advice to public and private sector clients including Department for Transport, Network Rail, Transport for London, Owning Groups, Train Operating Companies, Major Airports, High Speed 2, Highways England, Rail Delivery Group, as well as major city region authorities and local authorities.
Over the last decade we have undertaken key roles on high profile multi-billion pound projects and programmes across the UK, these include Crossrail 2, High Speed 2, Mersey Gateway, Northern Line extension and East West Rail. KPMG has long been a pre-eminent adviser in the rail franchising sector. Most recently, we have advised successful bidders on the East Midlands, West Midlands, South Western, East Anglia and TransPennine franchises. Our role in these competitions spans market entry, finance, strategy, commercial and delivery plans. More recently we have been supporting Network Rail design and implement its Putting Passengers First transformation programme. We are currently working with clients on various aspects of rail industry reform.
Within the IAG Transport team, the Rail team works with government and private sector clients on strategy development, business planning, project funding and financing, policy reform, organisational change, business case development and appraisal, and provision of buy/sell side advice for major concessions and franchise contracts. Our biggest clients include Network Rail, the Department for Transport, HS2 Ltd and major private sector owning groups.
The Role
In response to the increasing demand for advice surrounding the major structural changes in the UK rail industry including through Network Rail’s Putting Passengers First programme and implementation of the recommendations of the Williams Review, we are seeking high calibre consultancy professionals with a track record of providing strategic, commercial and financial advice to transport (in particular rail) and infrastructure clients.
Key responsibilities include:
- Supporting senior colleagues to provide our clients with advice on:
Development of business plans and delivery strategies
The strategic and commercial case for major rail infrastructure schemes
Development of policy and commercial aspects of industry reform
Business case development
Contract bidding and negotiation
- Financial analysis potentially including building, testing and evaluating both financial and economic models
- Preparing presentations, papers and reports for clients. Strong report writing skills are a must for any successful applicant
- Managing and delivering engagements, or discrete workstreams of engagements, to the highest standard, on time and to budget
- Specifying and managing the work of junior colleagues, and contributing to their professional development through coaching and mentoring
- Keeping abreast of developments in the industry in order to continue to broaden and deepen sector knowledge of the team
- Contributing to business development activities, leading proposals and leading on the origination of new ideas and propositions
- General project management and administrative activities
- Take on responsibility for delivering engagements in collaboration with senior colleagues. This will involve being able to scope work, develop project plans, deliver outputs and present to internal and external stakeholders.
- We encourage and expect all of our team to play an active role in engaging with clients and internal stakeholders. This includes building relationships, working closely on projects and presenting our findings
- KPMG has a values-based culture which all employees are expected to demonstrate and support.
The Person
Experience, Expertise and Skills:
- Experience working for or with an infrastructure advisory consultancy, transport / infrastructure operator (preferably in an internal consultancy-type role), or in project development/delivery within government
- Have demonstrable experience developing and applying strategic, commercial and financial advice, including developing business cases, for major public and/ or private investment in transport infrastructure
- Have a strong understanding of the governance and funding environment within which transport and infrastructure is delivered in the UK
- Excellent understanding of the infrastructure project lifecycle with a focus on business case development, delivery strategy and tender/ transaction support.
- Strong consultancy skills including client liaison and management, project management, ability to adapt to changing environments
- Strong analytical skills including economic and financial analysis, and evaluation of commercial interfaces
- Be an independent thinker with the ability to identify problems and contribute to the development of novel solutions, helping us to remain at the cutting edge of thinking in the sector
- Confidence in steering and managing the work of junior colleagues, ensuring that technical and analytical work is undertaken to the highest possible standard
- The ability to communicate complex concepts and analysis to colleagues and clients in plain English and with impact. This extends to developing and delivering compelling presentations and having excellent writing skills
- Flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing requirements
- The ability to develop work which anticipates and can withstand third party scrutiny and challenge.