To lead the Finance Partnership with the Business to achieve the strategic and operational goals of the business area through the strategy and performance cycle.  The Clinical Finance Lead will proactively engage with senior business leaders and R&D Finance providing advice, guidance and support, enabling and influencing decision making to achieve optimal performance.

Clinical Finance Lead will be accountable for a segment of the business and the process within the remit, governance and all controls involved, responsible for challenging and improving team performance, being a gate keeper and strong support for the team. Aimed to be viewed by customers as a business expert with a specialism in Finance who actively shapes specific business initiatives. 

The role will be leading, coaching and developing members of a global team of Clinical Finance Business Partners, sharing best practice and delivering valued support to the Business with global consistency and efficiency.

Typical Accountabilities

The role broadly includes the following key components:

• Business Strategy & Decision Support: To support key business & investment decisions through ensuring dynamic resource allocation, targeted at value-creating opportunities, advising and guiding senior business leaders, using an excellent knowledge of customer requirements, balanced with an understanding of internal culture and climate

  • Working proactively with the business to understand future financial information needs and producing efficient solutions to meet these,

  • Assessing the relevant input required to lead others during difficult decisions

  • Negotiating and communicating effectively across teams and business units and with external parties to achieve a positive outcome

  • Being actively involved in review and development of short & long-term strategy in  area of accountability

• Business Performance: To drive financial performance and business activity, to deliver and communicate performance and business planning reports, and to advise senior management on key drivers

  • Having joint accountability with the business for the accuracy of forecasts and, using a good understanding of the business model and financial drivers, to challenge and influence the key cost drivers, driving landing preparation and communication to R&D Finance on significant changes, leading  month end process,

  • Developing reliable operational and financial forecasts ensuring resources are allocated to maximise value creation for AZ

  • Leading the financial planning cycle in area of accountability; setting stretching but attainable performance targets and incentives, aligned to strategy and operational plans

  • Highlighting sensitivities & risks and delivering timely, accurate and granular reporting and commentary of  performance, linking business drivers to actual spend and forecast

  • Proactively driving efficiencies including seeking cross functional process solutions

  • Exploring needs with internal customers and suppliers and utilising this information to improve business results showing significant business acumen

  • Direct preparation of all presentations for key business and finance review meetings.

  • Supporting all requests and cooperation with external auditors

  • Working closely with Project Teams/ R&D Finance to model and plan for volatile cost and resource demands

• Continuous Improvement, Governance and Coaching: To take a lead in driving continuous improvement in Finance processes and capabilities and to lead financial risk management and financial governance in area of accountability

  • Initiating changes to improve working practices and processes in Finance and communicating these amongst the Finance Business Partnering network

  • Communicating governance and compliance standards and statutory regulations to non-specialists in a way that is understandable and relevant and relays the risk of commercial decisions effectively

  • Implementing standardisation and benchmarking not only within the area of responsibility but widely within Clinical Finance team, ensure consistency within the wider team

  • Leading insightful and proactive risk management processes to ensure the organisation’s regulations, rules and processes are adhered to, highlighting areas of concern and promoting continuous improvement in the robustness of the processes, sharing best practice across the business

  • Ensure effectiveness in the defined controls and external financial audits

  • Developing the professional capability of the Finance team and the financial understanding of non-finance managers

  • Being a point of escalation for all parties outside of Finance

Measures:

• Focus and 360 survey results

• Feedback from finance networks and business customers

• Quality of business cases and decisions support materials

• Timely, accurate and insightful performance reporting

• Conformance with key process deliverables and timelines

Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Successful business partnering experience

• Experience of working in a global pharmaceutical organisation / deep understanding of the drug development life cycle and/or commercial aspects

• Excellent interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrable knowledge of global and corporate business context

Desirable

• Successful track record of developing others and strong coaching skills

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, including oral & written.

• General people and management experience

Key Relationships to reach solutions

Internal (to AZ or team)

• R&D VP & Warsaw Site SMT

• Project Finance and all R&D Finance partners

• R&D Reporting Team

• DevOps Leaders, study teams

• Procurement

External (to AZ)

• External Auditors and Consultants

• Key Suppliers, CROs

What we offer

Welcome to Warsaw Site, one of over 400 sites here at AstraZeneca, providing a collaborative environment where everyone feels comfortable and able to be themselves is at the core of AstraZeneca’s priorities, it’s important to us that you bring your full self to work every day. To help you maintain your best self, here’s a sneak peek into some of the things this site provides for you: gym access, after-work events, lunch & learns, bright and spacious environment, sustainable office working environment, networking events. Additionally, we`re happy to offer wide and various benefits package, including yearly bonus, multisport card, even up to 5 days of additional holidays, pension plan, private medical care, life insurance and a lot more...

Date Posted

Closing Date

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity.  We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills.  We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.  We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics.  We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.