Business Analyst - Operations (GFS Americas)

You will be working in a large team to provide support to the Manufacturing/Quality sites of the Biologics and Small Molecules regions including cost analysis, inventory, and capital expenditures.

• Perform monthly journal entries including accruals, reclasses, deferral and release of Manufacturing variances, stock provision or any other ad hoc entry to ensure accuracy in the financial information.
• Execute month-end activities as well as financial reporting and variation analysis activities and related deliverables in a timely and accurate manner, including business insightful commentary for the management information pack.
• Ensure data across reporting platforms is consistent to guarantee safe decision making for senior management.
• Perform monthly/weekly analysis of the Manufacturing, Manpower and Opex, Logistics, Capex and/or Inventory Variances that occur in the site  to provide a proper visibility to site Finance and take any necessary actions if required.
• Execute all planning cycle processes (manufacturing, site cost, inventory, Logistics and/or Capex) according to the AZ guidelines including the management information pack and analysis of any variations between the different forecast cycles. Also, ad/hoc support with different analysis required by Embedded Finance for decision making.
• Provide support and business insights (when possible) with the financial reporting/analysis requests from site Finance.
• To build and maintain a strong and effective relationship with Embedded Finance and Finance Senior Management.
• Become planning champions (site cost, manufacturing, inventory, Logistics, and/or capex) to ensure all planning deliverables are fully coordinated and ensuring they are clear and performed as per the planning calendar.
• Perform all month-end close controls (SOX and non-SOX) with quality and ensuring they are appropriate and as per audit requirements.
• Provide support to the Financial Analysts related to month end closing or planning deliverables.
• Cross train with other Analysts to provide back up.
• Collaborate with external and internal auditors to provide necessary information during the audits that are performed during the year. Guide walkthrough sessions with auditors of key processes (MPC005-01, MPC005-02 & MPC004-01)
• Work with the continuous improvement initiatives to ensure implementation of the process improvements within the accounting/finance department, including initiatives to streamline close.
• Ensure all relevant processes are properly documented and that documentation is up to date to ensure a proper business continuity process.
• Might (based on operational needs) manage interns ensuring they deliver with quality, and they have the right balance of workload and growth in the team.
• Proactively build business acumen, understand how information flows from end to end within Operations as well as in the plants.
• Attend to Global Planning and Actuals meetings is required (such as Lean P&L, Check-in Planning calendar).
• Adopt any Global initiative or implementation and ensure smooth transition of the tools, changes or projects (Manpower Tool, Flex form, Axial, etc) by active participating during testing phase and providing constructive feedback.

• 4+ years accounting/cost/FP&A experience where applicable.
• English Language proficiency, both verbal and written, with the confidence to express clear opinions and ability to explain financial issues to non-financial management.
• Experience in three of Operations core processes (Manufacturing, Site cost, Product Costing, Inventory and/or Capex).
• Experience of finance and accounting is required.
• Use of general office and financial systems for budgeting, forecasting, and reporting such as SAP, BW (SOAR) and Planning Hub (Oracle).
• Self-motivation and a commitment to teamwork is key.
• Accounting fundamentals – understands the basic principles of accounting (eg accruals; cost

centers; budgeting).

• Strong computer skills and proficient with Excel including pivot tables, multiconditional sumifs, and vlookups. Desire to continue to develop new Excel abilities, speed, and accuracy, and to follow existing departmental spreadsheet structure and formatting conventions and methodologies.
• Schedule flexibility to work on holidays when necessary.
• Flexibility and ability to travel and work in another AZ facilities outside the country when necessary  (USA visa and valid passport are required).
• Schedule flexibility to work on the days off given by the wellness policy when necessary (Política de Bienestar).

• Financial Acumen of the Production and Inventory Volume, Standard Pricing, Manpower, Opex, FTE, actuals and forecasting techniques with robust basis is essential to perform in a good shape this position.
• The experience that this role demands is mostly related to wide knowledge of operations roles included but not limited to: Product Costing and Transfer Prices, Inventory, Capital Expenditures accounting, Manufacturing, Site cost, and Logistic.
• Qualified finance professional or working towards a recognized financial qualification.
• Proficiency in the use of SAP. Also, Power BI, Power Apps, Sap Scripting.
• For Operations – experience of working in Manufacturing industry.

• Desire to work in a lean, fast moving organization where not all responsibilities or desired tasks can be anticipated or scheduled ahead of time. Be flexible and willing to exercise judgment over materiality and actively take steps to increase the speed of assembly and accuracy of accounts. Be willing to jump right into an assigned task even if the task can’t be fully clarified or justified at that time/ be comfortable with some ambiguity.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including ability to adapt communication styles to suit the preferred methods of managers, executives, and colleagues, as well as contacts outside of the Company that may be at the level of novice accounting clerks.
• Ability to solve complex issues where analysis of data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors and be able to exercise good judgment in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for measuring, summarizing, and optimizing spending and accounting accuracy.

The GFS function will interface with the Back Office Shared Services function, Business CFOs/Finance Business Partners and 3rd party specialist functions.

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.