Senior Business Analyst - FP&A NAM RDU (GFS Americas)

Role Purpose

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.

The creation of the Global Financial Services (GFS) centers in Warsaw (Poland), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and San José (Costa Rica) transformed the AZ Middle Office to a central function, supporting the business regions through simplification, standardization across the globe, and a structure that is scalable to support the AZ bold ambition.

We have exciting opportunities to join our GFS Center in San José, which will establish best practices and be responsible for providing support to embedded finance and internal sub teams.

Role Profile

As a Senior FP&A Business Analyst / Business Partner you will be accountable for performing complex monthly financial analysis and reporting, operate and reporting planning cycles, as well as developing and improving those same processes over time. You will be required to coordinate a variety of teams within the company, analyze operating data from several sources, and acquire business acumen to generate deep analysis in order to provide information for business decisions. You will be in charge of consolidating the different Therapeutic Areas or Franchises within the respective Business Units not only for the month-end and planning cycle periods but also for the Quarterly Business Review related to the company’s earnings call.

You will be ensuring the correct system hierarchies for reporting and planning purposes as well as driving standardization, simplification, and automation of processes.

In this role you will be partnering the US Business Planning & Analysis team to provide timely and accurate information to the CFO, Finance Leadership Team, and senior stakeholders across the finance organization.

As well, you will be responsible of supporting a the US commercial team, as Technical team. Helping  in all technical aspects, ensuring that everything will be delivered with quality and time.

Your core deliverables will include:

You will be responsible for providing robust, high-quality month-end financial information to senior management across the different business units in the US, as well as accurately explaining variances and insights versus forecasts during month-end, quarter-end, and planning cycles.

You will be responsible for the consolidation process of the following deliverables: P&L consolidation pack, Revenue & Expenses Analysis, Monthly Business Unit performance, QBR, latest view, Outturn, and HC analysis. You will provide deep insight analysis, risk, and opportunities evaluation to the Business in order to improve the decision-making process.

Key Responsibilities

• Accountable for the month-end financial reporting and analysis activities and related deliverables in a timely an accurate manner, including commentary and business insight.

• Coordination with different teams across NAM business units and consolidating results to provide accurate information and insights to senior management.

• Partner with global reporting and planning teams to guarantee reporting packs reflect and adequately supports the fast-growing business.

• Ensure data across reporting platforms is consistent to guarantee safe decision making for senior management.

• Consolidate and provide insights on deep dive planning cycles as well as rolling forecasts.

• Partner with NAM Business Planning & Analysis team to consolidate and provide insights on the Quarterly Business Review related to the company’s earnings call.

• Identify and act on continuous improvement initiatives to further drive accuracy on month-end, reporting, planning, and insights capabilities.

• Accountable for planning cycle processes (budgeting/forecasting) as required, according to internal guidelines and reported timely and accurately.

• Analyze complex financial information for trends, issues and opportunities and create action-oriented reporting to assist the Commercial Team understanding business results and trends.

• Analyze current, past, and future trends and scenarios for different financial statements.

• Actively participate in initiatives for process improvement and standardization across the different business areas.

• Build effective relationships with finance senior management and business partners, on both US and Group levels by delivering excellent customer service.

• Actively participate with analytics teams to drive automatization of processes.

• Ad hoc projects may be assigned as needed.

• US Commercial Technical lead support

• Sox/FCF controls - deliver and support correctly, ensure all SOX/FCF controls are operated effectively with no fails.

Essential Criteria

• A recognized qualification in finance (Bachelor), business administration, accounting, economics, or any related career.

• 4+ years of relevant experience in FP&A Business partnering roles.

• Strong analytical skills and ability to challenge the status quo.

• Experience in managing a high volume of databases and consolidating big sets of information.

• Experience presenting eloquently to senior management with assertive and effective communication.

• Demonstrable previous experience where attention to detail was fundamental for the role’s success.

• Use of general Microsoft Office and financial systems for planning and reporting.

• 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 the ability to explain financial issues to non-financial management.

• Knowledge of accounting fundamentals (e.g., GAAP, P&L, BS, CAPEX, accruals, cost centers).

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (pivot tables, complex formulas, ability to work with large databases).

• Proficiency in the usage of SAP, Smart View/Hyperion Financial Management.

• Ability to work under pressure.

• Time and priority management and sense of urgency.

• Strong stakeholders Management

Desirable Criteria

• Qualified finance professional: Bachelor or Master Degree. Degree level will be taking into consideration for job offer.

• Experience in the pharmaceutical industry considered a plus.

• Cross boundary experience including building relationships remotely and cross-culturally.

• Proficiency in the usage of Power BI and power query.

• Visa and passport.

• Experience in the transition of activities across countries.

Competences and Others

• Experience in managing a high volume of information and databases

• Ability to manage several deliverables at the same time and prioritize

• Resilience

• Uncertainty management

• Strong analytical capabilities

• Highest standards of accuracy and precision for reporting and analysis

• Attention to detail

• Highly organized

• Self-driven

• Ability to challenge information constructively

• Capacity to work under pressure
• Customer focus and results-oriented

• Ability to think creatively

• Teamwork and ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams

• Schedule flexibility

• Sense of urgency.

• Good interpersonal relationships skills

• Proactive attitude

• Curiosity to find solutions and challenge the status quo

• Willingness to help others

Internal and External Contacts/Customers

• The GFS function will interface with the Back-Office areas, Embedded Finance (CFOs and Country Business Partners), LATAM and NAM Area Finance, other GFS teams and 3rd party functions.

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.

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.