Senior Financial Controller Operations (EMEA and Global Logistics & Supply Chain) (18 month opportun

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 Jose (Costa Rica) will transform 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 bold ambition of becoming a $50bn company by 2025.

The Customer Lead is responsible for building, maintaining and developing robust relationships with the customers in their allocated portfolio. This role is the key interface with functional leadership teams and will therefore need to build credibility and an in-depth understanding of business priorities and gain early insight into changing needs and requirements to ensure that GFS can adapt and deliver to customer expectations.

As the central point of contact for the business, you will be a visible ambassador for GFS, leading on all service matters, including measurement and performance, service change and service improvement initiatives.

The Customer Lead will co-ordinate, consolidate and deliver monthly Management Information Packs and Planning & Forecasting packs for the functional Leadership Teams, working with relevant Business Analysts and Finance Business Partners.

Key Responsibilities

Commitment to Customer

• The Customer Lead's main accountability is to deliver world class customer service whilst adhering to all relevant financial controls and global processes.
• Work in conjunction with Operations and Controlling team to provide useful insights to customer, related with Business as usual, ad-hoc requests, month end close, planning and forecasting, etc.
• Monitor performance against SLAs and proactively identify issues and areas for improvement
• Collection of timely and meaningful feedback on customer satisfaction (via KPIs or via feedback) reporting on service performance and customer experience, ensuring that actions are taken to address issues and continuously improve results.
• Build strong relationships with functional Leadership Teams, developing a deep understanding of the operating environment, future strategic direction and awareness of potential changes, using this acumen to feed into a quality Monthly Performance Pack. Success in the role will be dependent on maintaining excellent working relationships with the Management Teams of the plants, stakeholders and operations and controlling teams (GFS).
• Indirectly manage personnel.

Process Execution

• Act as primary point of contact and escalation for all service delivery or people performance issues. Manage issues by ensuring that correct resources are working on a timely resolution and that all stakeholders are informed of status and progress
• Customer Lead to review all ad hoc requests and changes in business requirements made by their customers. Liaise with Finance Team Leads to align on prioritization and manage resource in responding to such requests.
• Coordination of Monthly Performance Reporting and standard core components of all Month end close, Planning and Forecasting presentation packs for key customers. Matrix relationship across GFS teams to gain timely and accurate numbers with high level commentary. This is alongside qualitative, additional commentary gained from the Finance Business Partners.
• Lead key yearly or quarterly processes related but not limited to planning & Forecasting, Year-end closing, etc.
• Drive innovation of process under scope taking advantage of his/her interaction with different sites/regions.
• Support the standardisation of performance reporting process and outputs across all Operations sites & Enabling Functions, bringing insight and sharing knowledge and best practice.
• Facilitate discussions between relevant Global Process Owners, Service Delivery Leads & customer to ensure that impact of proposed standardisation and simplification changes are understood. Provide support to deliver smooth introduction of change into the business, minimising any adverse impact on customer service performance.
• Perform relevant financial controls related to operations activities.

Integral member of the Customer Leads Group providing meaningful input when assessing, prioritising and implementing activities to deliver the strategy.

Work collaboratively with:

• Management Teams of customer groups to build confidence in organisation and to establish strong and honest working relationship
• Finance Business Partners to gain detailed understanding of business priorities, issues and performance drivers.
• Global Process Owners to understand global process and impact of proposed changes on customer
• Business Analysts to ensure that SLA being met, and that issue resolution is fast and effective
• Work collaboratively with peers (Senior Business Analyst and Customer Lead from Operations and Controlling team).

Essential criteria

• More than 5 years of experience in similar roles.
• A recognized finance, accounting qualification.
• The role holder will be a qualified finance professional or equivalent with significant post qualification experience.
• Experience of change management and building engagement.
• Experience in manufacturing and costing.
• Cross-boundary experience, including building relationships remotely and cross-culturally.
• Sound understanding of the finance processes in the scope of GFS Global Services.
• Experience of working in a matrix organisation with proven ability in driving accountability across multiple teams.
• Ability to drive and manage change.
• Ability to think strategically and work with peers to create solutions for the Enterprise.
• Excellent communication and negotiations skills.
• Ability to quickly action and response to financial requests.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Fluency in English.
• Advance Excel.

Other role Requirements:

• Schedule flexibility to work on holidays when necessary.

• Flexibility and Ability to travel and work in another AZ facilities outside the country when necessary.

• Schedule flexibility to work on the days off given by the wellness Policy when necessary (Política de Bienestar).

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in a customer orientated organisation
• Knowledge of Pharma Industry

Internal and External Contacts/Customers

• Functional Heads
• Finance Business Partners
• Plant Finance Directors
• Regional Finance Directors
• Finance Team Leads in GFS