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 an outstanding workplace culture that encourages innovation and collaboration. Here, employees are empowered to express diverse perspectives - and are made to feel valued, energised and rewarded for their ideas and creativity.

AstraZeneca’s Finance function is continuing its transformation journey with the objective of delivering excellence in financial operations and insight. As this strategy continues to drive the efficiency and performance of the business, to the benefit of millions of patients worldwide, outstanding finance support and leadership increasingly important.

As the Senior Finance Business partner, you will be responsible for the Finance Partnership with the Business to achieve the strategic and operational goals of the business area through the strategy and performance cycle. You will proactively engage with senior business leaders; providing advice, guidance and support, enabling and influencing decision making to achieve efficient performance.

As the Senior Finance Business Partner you will be accountable for a segment of the business unit providing advice, guidance and support; enabling and influencing decision making to achieve optimal performance. Your role will be viewed by customers as a business expert with a specialism in Finance who actively shapes specific business initiatives. You will be leading members of a global network of Finance Business Partners and Business Analysts, sharing best practice and delivering valued support to the Business with global consistency and efficiency.

We are looking for someone who can provide support and leadership to the following IT business areas:

• Operations IT - $90m Opex, $60m Capex
• Data Enablement & Innovation - $20m Opex
• IT Central - $20m Opex

Typical Accountabilities:

• Business Strategy & Decision Support
• working proactively with the business to understand future financial information needs and producing efficient solutions to meet these needs (Business Case Development, Benefits tracking, critical metrics etc)
• Significant intangible IT capex projects with excellence in developing and challenging business cases with senior IT and business partners, and then ongoing prioritisation of project portfolio leaning on both waterfall and agile methodologies
• 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. Significant interactions with Manufacturing (Business and Finance leaders)
• Being actively involved in review and development of short & long-term strategy in area of accountability
• Business Performance
• 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
• Developing reliable operational and financial forecasts ensuring resources are allocated to maximise value creation for AZ
• Being responsible for 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 [global] 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 commercial and business acumen
• Direct preparation of all presentations for key business and finance review meetings.
• Working closely with Project / Capacity Managers to model and plan for volatile cost and resource demands
• Continuous Improvement, Governance and Coaching
• 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
• 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 standard methodology across the business
• Developing the professional capability of the Finance team and the financial understanding of non-finance managers

Measures:

• Delivery of operating unit and functional scorecard
• Pulse 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

Your essential skills, qualifications and experience:

• Successful business partnering experience with senior business partners
• IT or technology business experience
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, including oral & written.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Successful track record of developing others and strong coaching skills
• Proven knowledge of global and corporate business context

Your desirable skills, qualifications and experience:

• Experience of working in a global pharmaceutical organisation, or of a large multi-national manufacturing business

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.