Business Planning & Performance Manager

NATS is the UK’s leading air navigation service provider, handling over 2.4 million flights each year. We provide air traffic control services from two control centres and at airports around the UK. We also provide a wide range of commercial products and solutions internationally. Our people are at the heart of our purpose to advance aviation and keep the skies safe.

Closing Date: 2/7/2026

Salary: £60,701.00 – £80,935.00

Please include a Cover Letter with your application.

Purpose of the Role 

• To support and co-ordinate the work that drives the Capital Programmes and Transformation (CPT) team forward on financial, resourcing and strategic business issues. Working closely with the Senior Business Planning & Performance Manager and key stakeholders across the business.
• Working together with the CPT Leadership team to help them efficiently deliver on all aspects of the budget.
• Providing a well-managed and consistent plan that demonstrates efficient utilisation of resources to deliver all CPT activity.
• Working with the Senior Business Planning & Performance Manager to ensure day-to-day consistency of accurate & timely services are delivered by the Business Services team and creating / maintaining a multitude of relationships that CPT has across NATS.
• The role has a broad remit requiring proactive, flexible and adaptable skills and capabilities that deliver agile & innovative solutions to a wide range of Business Services issues.

Accountabilities 

• Working closely with the Senior Business Planning & Performance Manager to create and ensure adherence to the Business Planning timeline for CPT. Building and maintaining key relationships with colleagues in the Finance teams to support this activity.
• Responsible for ensuring that the long-term headcount plans across CPT align with the evolution of the Directorate’s strategy.
• Assist and co-ordinate the creation and delivery of the final Business Plan outputs for all Directors within CPT, ensuring that the quality of outputs delivers key objectives and that they are aligned with wider NATS strategic direction.
• Creating, analysing and communicating business reporting outputs for senior managers across CPT.
• Responsible for initiating and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders across NATS that deliver a high-quality customer focussed service.
• Responsible for the consistency of business / resource / financial reporting and providing analysis that enables the Directors within CPT to deliver their respective business plans, resolve resource management issues and execute good business management practice.
• Responsible for gathering, challenging and analysing key data from senior managers across CPT that supports the consolidated headcount position, and ensures alignment with the financial envelope and resource constraints for each Director.
• Responsible for delivering continuous improvement and strategic change management within the Business Services team by providing the right environment for change and clear guidelines that support adherence to best practice.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining business processes on the BMS system where Business Management and Support have a direct involvement and also where we support others in CPT to create/update any of their processes.
• Responsible for ensuring the collation of corporate reporting dashboard on behalf of CPT to meet leadership meeting deadlines with ultimate submission to Company Secretariat.
• Work as an integral member of the Business Services leadership team, providing mutual support and challenge, and proactively contributing to positive teamwork and clear, joined up communications to all stakeholders.
• Proactively support other ad hoc initiatives and activities in support of Business Services work as appropriate for this grade and to deputise for Senior Business Planning and Performance Manager as required.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Good honours degree, financial qualification or equivalent of knowledge acquired through experience, other qualifications and training/development.
• Strong Excel skills required for working with large volumes of data.
• Possess a robust knowledge of NATS business planning processes and systems supporting resource management.
• Good professional and interpersonal communication skills both written and verbal. Demonstrable ability to convey clear messages across a diverse and multi-disciplined environment tailoring style to suit the needs of the audience, together with the ability to exercise discretion and confidentiality.
• Self-motivated with a strong commitment to the attainment of company and personal objectives whilst always demonstrating high personal and professional standards.
• An accomplished, credible and respected individual with well-developed communication, influencing and negotiation skills gained in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven track record of developing, implementing and supporting innovative solutions at an operational, tactical and strategic level.
• Possess a flexible and adaptable approach, with strong organisation skills and the ability to prioritise tasks and produce accurate work under pressure. Evidenced by the successful delivery of outputs that demonstrate very high-quality work within constrained timescales.
• Demonstrable resilience and competence in situational awareness and working with other senior managers / leaders. Strong analytical and conceptual reasoning skills and highly effective communication.
• Strong, credible impact, with a demonstrated capability to resolve conflict; build, maintain and utilise relationships with key internal stakeholders to achieve optimum business goals.
• Previous experience of working in an environment which requires a very high attention to detail and the ability to assimilate information, identify actions and execute them effectively. 
• Collaborative working style with a clear focus on delivering outcomes and an ability to prioritise effectively.
• Good understanding of the NATS operating environment and our strategic intent / objectives.

Additional Vacancy Information

We are proud to offer a fantastic total reward package to help you thrive both personally and professionally – for more information on what NATS can offer you please visit – Why NATS?