Finance Business Partner

At AstraZeneca we turn ideas into life changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality.

With new product launches, there are always diverse and interesting challenges.

We love it – the pace, the energy and buzz.

Be part of a global, winning team filled with the smartest minds. Our diversity is our strength, it reflects the variety of patients we serve. We strive to create a place where everyone is empowered to speak up and share ideas, and we welcome alternative perspectives to push our thinking further, together.

Committed to your development, here we believe that your best is better here. There’s borderless development with opportunities for a global exchange of talent across different functions. Get to learn from the best, invested in to identify your own path with the support to get you there.

The role, reporting to the CFO, is responsible for providing business support and analysis including recommendations and insight for the relevant area. The role has also the responsibility for analysing, reporting and following up on responsibility area’s results and development. Responsibility to support the business in order to maximise the financial contribution and the achievement of business objectives. The role will provide quality financial and commercial input to individual investment decisions, challenge key forecasting assumptions and deliver expert financial analysis of business performance, forecasts, key risks and sensitivities. Viewed by internal customers as a business expert with expertise in Finance.

Typical Accountabilities

The role broadly includes the following key components:

• Business Strategy & Decision Support; supporting key business & investment decisions with solid skills in identifying customer requirements, analyzing issues, developing options and enabling appropriate decision making based on strategic business need
• Business Performance; driving financial performance and business activity, to deliver and communicate performance and business planning submissions/reporting, and to advise senior management on key drivers.
• Continuous Improvement, Coaching & Governance; supporting continuous improvement in Finance processes and capabilities and to lead financial risk management and financial governance in area of accountability.

• Business Strategy & Decision Support
• Working proactively with the business to understand key business drivers and future external environment evolution identifying opportunities and risks
• Assessing the relevant input required to support others during difficult business decisions
  
  

• 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 ensuring resources are allocated to maximize 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 local performance, linking business drivers to actual spend and forecast;
• Working with the Business to identify and drive through opportunities for efficiencies
• Exploring needs with internal customers and partners and utilizing this information to improve business results showing significant commercial and business acumen
• Preparing presentations for key finance review meetings with Company President of AZ Israel, Senior Leadership Team and CFO.
• Working closely with Business Teams to model and plan for cost and resource demands
  
  

• Continuous Improvement, Coaching & Governance
• Identifying opportunities to improve working practices and processes in Finance and supporting their implementation amongst the organization as well as sharing with 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
• Coaching business analysts in their provision of support to finance planning and business cases
  
  

• Delivery of the operating unit and functional scorecard
• Delivery of the operating unit’s performance and planning submissions and reporting requirements.
• Feedback from finance networks and business customers
• Quality of business cases and decision support materials
• Timely, accurate and insightful performance reporting
• Conformance with key process deliverables and timelines
  
  

• Qualified finance professional (or equivalent)
• Experience of Finance Business Partnering
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills with a Return-on-Investment mindset
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, including oral & written.
• Ability to build networks and work effectively in matrix organisation.
• Excellent Interpersonal skills.
• Experience of using financial systems to support business decision making (budgeting, forecasting & modelling)
• Fluency in English
  
  

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