Associate Director Americas Controlling (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) will transform the AZ Middle Office and Back 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 $80bn company by 2030. 

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 (CFOs and country business partners and/or BPs in R&D and Manufacturing).

Role Profile

This role is responsible for leading Americas Controlling Organization, having 4 main areas in charge: North America Controlling, Latin America Controlling, RDU Controlling and RDU C2C Back Office organization.

Responsibilities will include:

• Responsible for managing and motivating a team of 5 Managers and 25+ Business Analysts, ensuring team delivers to the highest standard whilst adhering to global process and all relevant financial controls.
• Be part of the GFS Americas Leadership Team.
• Work closely with AstraZeneca’s Global Process Delivery Director for R2R.
• Drive GFS mission and vision and be a role-model for AstraZeneca’s values.
• Be ultimately responsible for customer relationship management and the service management framework.
• Drive for standardisation of global processes in collaboration with the Service Delivery leads.
• Establish and embed the AZ Finance culture and create an environment where collaboration, continuous improvement & service excellence is a way of life.
• Ensure strong partnering and ONE Team Mentality across AstraZeneca
• Contribute to the development and implementation of overall finance strategy
• Accountable/Responsible for managing future Organisational changes within the team
• Responsible for month end close process delivery for Americas region; ensuring timely & accurate delivery of financial information to stakeholders
• Statutory Figures Reporting
• Ensure alignment of strategy with Embedded Finance.
• Balance Sheet Governance for Americas
• Warranty proper support to Internal and External Audits
• Responsible for ensuring strong control environment across region – SOX & FCF Controls – Controls Execution, Reporting and proper follow up on controls failures
• Cash Flow and CAPEX Management
• Ensure process designs are consistent with best practice, instigating process improvement initiatives where appropriate
• Ensure policies, processes and operating procedures are clearly defined, up-to-date and documented
• Ensure service delivery meets performance/quality standards defined in service level agreements
• Experience in managing (local, regional / global) C2C as a service.

Essential Criteria

• Recognised Financial Qualification.
• At least 5 years leadership experience working in a similar shared services and/or business environment.
• Significant business and finance Shared Services experience, notably in Accounting, Taxes and Compliance
• Management of a sizeable team. At least 25.
• Track record of managing complex business relationships.
• Ability to drive and manage change.
• Ability to think strategically and work with peers to create solutions for the Enterprise.
• A strong leader with excellent communication skills.
• Championed and lead continuous improvement initiatives in Finance.
• Cross-boundary experience, including building relationships remotely and cross-culturally.
• Ability to work well in and across diverse global teams.
• Fluency in English

Desirable criteria

• Delivering and managing a Service Management Framework, creating a robust service-oriented culture.
• Leading and managing the transition of countries into a Shared Services Operation and the integration of acquisitions.
• Good knowledge of finance transactional processes.
• Ability to speak more than one language.
• Living and working experience in different cultures.

AZ Values

Leadership – Able to create a vision and inspire others to realise it irrespective of circumstances. Can set clear meaningful and realistic objectives that give people the opportunity to use their own initiative

Communication – The ability to get one’s message understood clearly by adopting a range of styles, tools and techniques appropriate to the audience and the nature of the information.

Managing Relationships – Able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people.

Collaborative working- Works in partnership and actively collaborates with colleagues across the organization

Influencing and Persuading – Ability to present sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others. Can draw from a range of strategies to persuade people in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change.

Planning and Organizing – Can think ahead to establish an efficient and appropriate course of action for self and others. Priorities and plans activities taking account all relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resource requirements.

Strategic Thinking – Demonstrates an understanding of the Enterprise strategy and the GFS Global Services place within it.

Change Management – Can understand and anticipate the need for change.

Resilience – Can maintain personal effectiveness by managing own emotions in the face of pressure setbacks or when dealing with provocative situations. Can demonstrate an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation, and energy.

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).

Internal and External Contacts/Customers

Will interface with other Shared Services functions, Business CFOs/Finance Business Partners and 3rd party service providers.

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.