Snr Finance Business Partner

Do you have expertise in Finance and are passionate about partnering with business units to deliver strategic financial insights making a meaningful impact?  Then AstraZeneca might be the one for you!

ABOUT ASTRAZENECA

AstraZeneca is a global, global, science-led, patient-focused BioPharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious diseases. But we are more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. At AstraZeneca, we are dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There is no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration. Always committed to lifelong learning, growth, and development. Our strategic priorities reflect how we are working to deliver our strategy and achieve our Purpose. As a workforce, we are the catalyst for our values: we are entrepreneurial; we do the right thing; we play to win; we put patients first and we follow the science. As a company we appreciate and take great pride in each team member where every person is brought together through shared values, that underpins a shared purpose. There is no better place to feel inspired and energised. Answer unmet medical needs by pioneering the next wave of science, focusing on outcomes and crafting the patient ecosystem.
At AstraZeneca, we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. Join the fastest-growing pharmaceutical in our markets, set up to fuel further growth. Be part of our shared ambition and pride: our strong heritage, our turnaround story, and early investment and commitment in international markets. There’s no better place to feel inspired and energized.

ABOUT THE FINANCE TEAM

Our finance team is driven by a passion for partnering with the business to ensure high performance contributing to transforming the lives of patients who need it most. United by a common goal to deliver on high expectations, you will join a culture that serves its budget holders with full commitment to ensure we excel on our business strategy and goals

What You will do

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 Lead Finance Business Partner will proactively engage with senior business leaders, providing advice, guidance and support, enabling and influencing decision-making to achieve optimal performance.  As the Lead Finance Business Partner will be accountable for a segment of the business units; providing advice, guidance and support; enabling and influencing decision-making to achieve optimal performance.  They will be viewed by customers as a business expert with a specialist finance knowledge, who actively shapes specific business initiatives. 

Typical Accountabilities

The role broadly includes the following key components:

• Business Strategy and Decision Support: To support key business and 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

• 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.

• 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 the area of accountability.

• Business Strategy and 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, KPI’s etc.)

  • 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

  • [R&D Business decisions to be supported, material in both value and impact, would include: Strategic change programmes, Investment propositions (including large scale capital programmes), Sourcing strategies and capacity decisions, Commercial and/or Procurement decisions, Drug Project Milestones]

• 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

  • 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 [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

  • Post deal management on agreements in area of accountability, able to analyse and interpret financial statements, understand complex company valuations and contribute to deal-related commercial analysis

  • 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 best practice 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

• 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

If this sounds appealing, please read on to understand the experience and skills we’re looking for…

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Minimum Finance or Accounting Degree/CIMA/SAICA/MBA preferred

• Successful business partnering experience min 10 yrs

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

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

• Excellent interpersonal skills.

• General people and management experience

• Successful track record of developing others and strong coaching skills

• Demonstrable knowledge of global and corporate business context

Why AstraZeneca?

We are proud to have achieved Top Employer certification in South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria, as well as our Best Place to Work certification in Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, and Senegal. It is the fourth year South Africa and Kenya have been awarded the Top Employer certification. Amongst the world's top 30 workplaces in 2023 This distinction is a confirmation of our commitment and ability to sustain people, partnerships, and employee engagement and foster an innovative workplace environment.

At AstraZeneca, we’re dedicated to being a Great Place to Work. Where you are empowered to push the boundaries of science and unleash your entrepreneurial spirit. There’s no better place to make a difference to medicine, patients and society. An inclusive culture that champions diversity and collaboration, and always committed to lifelong learning, growth and development. We’re on an exciting journey to pioneer the future of healthcare. Join the fastest-growing pharmaceutical in our markets, set up to fuel further growth. Be part of our shared ambition and pride: our strong heritage, our turnaround story, and early investment and commitment in international markets. There’s no better place to feel inspired and energized.

SO, WHAT’S NEXT?

Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you!

Click the link to apply no later than 25 November 2024 and we’ll be in touch as soon as we can.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE?

Our social media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/

Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/

Close Date: 25/11/2024

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.