AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines for some of the world's most serious diseases. But we're more than one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. At AstraZeneca, we're proud to have a unique workplace culture that inspires innovation and collaboration. Here, employees are empowered to express diverse perspectives - and are made to feel valued, energized and rewarded for their ideas and creativity.

Global Financial Services (GFS) was formed in Q3 2018 through the merger of Global Finance Operations, Integrated Finance Solutions and Cash Generation.  GFS is at the heart of the Finance function - accountable to the AstraZeneca (AZ) Group for the design and delivery of high quality, simple to operate transactional finance processes that enable our customers to focus on AZ’s strategic priorities.  

Our processes cover record to report, purchase to pay, order to cash, controllership, financial planning and analysis and finance operations, and we drive AZ’s cash focus through disciplined management of supplier and customer payment terms and practices.

GFS operates globally through a combination of in-house captive and offshored business process outsourcing (BPO). The BPO element has been provided in partnership with our service provider partner Genpact since 2008. 

AZ Finance is part way through an ambitious, broad ranging, multi-year transformation programme, called Finance Transformation (FT).  FT plans for transactional process and technology improvements will underpin a next wave of GFO transformation and a step change in service effectiveness and efficiency.

Role Profile

The Operations & Enabling Team will establish best practice across the Operations site network, Central Operations, and all Enabling Units (IT, Global Finance, HR, Legal, and Compliance) as well as the Global Product and Portfolio Strategy (GPPS) Group. Your primary focus will be on serving the finance business partners as well as providing support to GFS colleagues.

Role Responsibilities

You will be working in a large team to provide support to the factories Cost Analysis. 

• Review costs of goods sold, non-dairy make, delivery expenses vs. budget and forecast.
• Perform month end closing duties pertaining to cost of goods sold and manufacturing make costs, including inventory account reconciliations and other journal entries as needed.
• Participates in cross-functional teams and provides financial analysis to evaluate investments and process changes. 
• Evaluates the incremental net income because of marketing and trade expenditures.
• Partners with Supply Chain to evaluate current logistics costs and evaluate proposals to minimize costs and to better serve customers.
• Reviews economics of SKU mix for various product lines and recommend changes.
• Evaluates net income because of new product developments working in conjunction with category management and research and development (NPI).
• Provides economic payback analysis for proposed product changes, including packaging changes product line extensions product category extensions, and new products.
• Cross train with other Analysts to provide back up.
• Understands BOM structure; able to review BOMS for integrity.
• Review and updates manufacturing standards.
• Collaborate with external auditors to provide necessary inventory information during year end audits.
• Experience with manufacturing operations, physical inventory and cycle counting.
• Perform financial statement analysis and financial planning & analysis.
• Understand Financial Planning cycle.
• Issue project cost reports for review and approval.
• Support Customer lead and Business partner in ensuring that intercompany cost allocations are in line with management agreements and transfer pricing policy.
• Develop, document and implement process improvements within the accounting/finance department, including initiatives to streamline close processes and reduce close time.
• Responsible of the different forecasting cycles of the company in Manufacturing/Operations.
• Coordinate with both external and internal auditors to complete financial audits of and SOX testing of responsible accounts.
• Routinely takes the lead in conducting the month-end closing process (within SAP) for the monthly closing, prepares financial reports and accompanying comments for significant variances. Oversee, Cost Analysts activities related to month-end closing to ensure accuracy and timeliness of reporting.

Essential

• Experience of finance and accounting is required. Self-motivation and a commitment to team
  work is key.
• A recognized finance or accounting qualification.
• 4+ years accounting/cost/FP&A experience where applicable.
• Use of general office and financial systems for budgeting, forecasting and reporting.
• Cross boundary experience including building relationships remotely and cross-culturally.
• Ability to work well in and across diverse global teams.
• English Language proficiency, both verbal and written, with the confidence to express clear opinions and ability to explain financial issues to non-financial management.
•  Accounting fundamentals – understands the basic principles of accounting (eg accruals; cost
  centers; budgeting).
• Strong computer skills and proficient with Excel including pivot tables, multiconditional sumifs, and vlookups. Desire to continue to develop new Excel abilities, speed, and accuracy, and to follow existing departmental spreadsheet structure and formatting conventions and methodologies.

Desirable

• Qualified finance professional or working towards a recognized financial qualification.
• Proficiency in the use of SAP.
• For Commercial unit’s experience of working in Sales/commercial industry.
• For Operations – experience of working in Manufacturing industry.
• Three plus years of prior experience in a public trade company or auditing / accounting firm. Ideally, with one or more years in a cost accounting role.

Competences and skills

• Desire to work in a lean, fast moving organization where not all responsibilities or desired tasks can be anticipated or scheduled ahead of time. Be flexible and willing to exercise judgment over materiality and actively take steps to increase the speed of assembly and accuracy of accounts. Be willing to jump right into an assigned task even if the task can’t be fully clarified or justified at that time/ be comfortable with some ambiguity.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including ability to adapt communication styles to suit the preferred methods of managers, executives, and colleagues, as well as contacts outside of the Company that may be at the level of novice accounting clerks.
• Ability to solve complex issues where analysis of data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors and be able to exercise good judgment in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for measuring, summarizing, and optimizing spending and accounting accuracy.

Other Role Requirements

• Schedule flexibility to work on holidays when necessary.
• Flexibility and ability to travel and work in another AZ facilities outside the country when necessary.
• Schedule flexibility to work on the days off given by the wellness policy when necessary (Política de Bienestar).

According to the company policies, the candidate must prove that there are no situations that generate a conflict of interest (COI) for the company. The non-existence of COI is considered as an objective requirement of the position. To know beforehand the weightings of COI contained in the policies of the company, consult the Human Resources Department.

The GFS function will interface with the Back Office Shared Services function, Business CFOs/Finance Business Partners and 3rd party specialist functions.

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer. AstraZeneca will consider all qualified applicants for employment without discrimination on grounds of disability, sex or sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity leave status, race or national or ethnic origin, age, religion or belief, gender identity or re-assignment, marital or civil partnership status, protected veteran status (if applicable) or any other characteristic protected by law. AstraZeneca only employs individuals with the right to work in the country/ies where the role is advertised.

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.