At AstraZeneca, we are an equal opportunity employer that puts patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide.
Working here means being entrepreneurial, a team leader, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality.
As a key member of the Newark Finance team the Finance Business Partner will be accountable for proactively partnering with Site Operations to help achieve the financial, strategic and manufacturing excellence goals of the site.
This position will be responsible for the reporting, consolidation and analysis of the monthly site results & financial forecasts while providing value-added and insightful financial and business analysis to support operational initiatives, challenge key forecasting assumptions, while identifying risks and opportunities to the business and have strong business partnering skills.
The role also plays a key role in cross-site development of finance processes, tools and team skills.
**Job Responsibilities (to include key result areas, specific accountabilities, tasks, and so on)**
Business Partnering & Decision Support:
- Working proactively with Operations Stakeholders to understand future financial information needs and producing efficient solutions to meet these needs (Business Case Development, benefits tracking, KPIs, etc)
- Negotiating and communicating effectively across teams and with external parties to achieve a positive outcome
- Partner with site operations in developing annual business plan (ABU) and quarterly forecasts (RBU's) and other ad hoc financial analysis for the site.
Business Performance:
- Works closely with the Site Finance Director to ensure accuracy of financial forecasts and, using a good understanding of the business model and financial drivers, to challenge and influence the key cost drivers and underlying assumptions
- Developing reliable operational and financial forecasts while ensuring integrity of the data to promote a high-quality forecast submission.
- Partnering with the Finance Director in leading the financial planning cycle in the area of accountability; setting stretch, but attainable, performance targets which are aligned to strategy and operational plans
- Work closely with the Operations GFS-Costa Rica team to ensure accurate monthly close and reporting
- Highlighting sensitivities & risks and delivering timely, accurate and granular reporting and robust commentary of the site performance, linking business drivers to actual spend and forecast
- Ensure financial compliance with AZ policies and procedures including SOx and FCF controls.
- Proactively partnering with Operations to drive manufacturing excellence through lean leadership, efficiencies along with simplification and standardization
- Assist in the delivery of robust and rigorous financial analysis of risks and benefits for major business initiatives to help support data driven decision making
- Provide business acumen and financial education and awareness throughout the site.
- Assist the Finance Director in preparing presentations for key business and Finance review meetings (ABU, RBU etc).
- Work closely with Asset Planners to model financial scenarios based upon volatility in volumes
- Engaging with Finance Director to improve and/or simplify working practices and processes in Finance
Strategy Development - Business Support and Finance
- Active involvement in the review and development of long-term strategy at the site by developing robust financial forecasts & models to support the priorities of the business.
- Develop financial models with Site Operations to evaluate new product supply and business opportunities
- Adopt and develop use of Finance Transformation tools and processes including the Manufacturing Accounting Program to provide the site with high quality and timely financial and business insight
- Collaborate with Americas embedded finance peers and the GFS-CR team to drive process improvement, share best practice and develop finance and business skills
**Education, Qualifications, Skills and Experience**
Minimum Requirements:
- Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or Finance
- Five to Seven years of accounting / finance experience with at least 3 years in a manufacturing environment
- Strong knowledge of SAP and Business Warehouse, previous experience in SAP general ledger, cost accounting and project accounting.
- Proficiency in Advanced Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint) functionality.
- Advanced knowledge of accounting principles required
- Strong Business Partnering, communication, presentation and collaboration skills
- Team player with the ability to influence cross functionally in an extremely dynamic operational environment
- Strong drive for results & ability to work in a dynamic work environment
- Able to synthesize and challenge complex data to make clear findings/recommendations to business partners.
Preferred Requirements:
- MBA and/or CPA preferred
- Manufacturing finance experience
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