Senior Business Analyst - FP&A LATAM

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 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. 

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.

Role Profile
As an FP&A Business Analyst, you will play an essential role in a finance team, engaging in financial analysis, reporting, and overseeing planning cycles (Budgeting & Forecasting). Your responsibilities will extend to managing month-end close deliverables while continuously seeking process improvements in these critical financial processes. The role will demand coordination, investigation, and thorough analysis of data from diverse sources. You will need to develop strong business acumen to derive deep insights and provide essential information to bolster business decision-making.

As a Senior Business Analyst, you will collaborate with a team of 4-12 analysts to provide support for financial and planning activities. Your role is essential, involving assistance to the Finance Leads (manager and director) in accomplishing team objectives. Your knowledge in financial analysis, planning, and leadership will be instrumental in guiding the FP&A LATAM Business Analysts and driving continuous improvements.

You will act as the subject matter expert and primary point of contact for your team, offering assistance with their daily tasks and fostering their professional growth. Moreover, your expertise may be leveraged to lead or contribute to special projects across GFS, collaborating with other Leads or Senior Analysts.

The Sr analyst is expected to behave as a positive leader and drive the organization along with the manager and the Director, acting as a change management agent.

Your core deliverables will include:

Deliver robust, high-quality month-end financial reports to business teams. Support, prepare, and present planning cycles (Budget – forecast) to business teams, involving information gathering, providing constructive challenges, responding to ad hoc queries, and actively participating in business meetings to ensure alignment with market assumptions across all business areas. Provide comprehensive financial input and analysis, enabling individuals and teams to make informed and effective business decisions. Be SPOC for GFS FP&A LATAM team, to support the LATAM Area finance main stakeholders (Area CFO, Area Finance Business Partner)

Key Responsibilities

Month End Close Activities

• Execute month-end financial reporting and analysis accurately and promptly, including commentaries and business insights.
• Validate P&L figures in close coordination with the Controlling team while ensuring compliance with necessary financial controls Analyze complex financial information for trends, issues and opportunities and create action-oriented reporting to assist the Commercial Team understanding business results and trends.
• Conduct comprehensive analysis of current, past, and future trends and scenarios related to revenue, expenses, cost centers, brand allocation, and variance analysis across the P&L sections, offering actionable reporting to support the embedded finance team in understanding business results

Planning and Forecasting Activities

• Provide support and actively participate in the planning cycle processes (budgeting/forecasting) in adherence to internal guidelines, ensuring timely and accurate reporting
• Address strategic issues on an ad hoc basis that are complementary to the regular planning and analysis processes

Region/Area Responsibilities:

• Prepare and consolidate reports for LATAM region for month end close (includes communications to international region main stakeholders).
• Support planning cycles (Budget – forecast) for Area units.
• Ad hoc queries may be required as needed.

Others responsibilities

• Promote, lead, and actively participate with an action-oriented approach, in initiatives for process improvement and standardization across the different business areas including other areas under director´s organization.
• Build strong relationships with business partners (Back Office, Controlling & Embedded Finance) and deliver exceptional customer service.
• Ability to operate with minimal direct supervision.
• Demonstrate problem-solving abilities by identifying issues, their root causes, and quickly developing solutions.
• Actively participate in site or global initiatives to incentive a healthy organization environment 
• Ad hoc queries may be required as needed.
• Building excellent working knowledge of customer requirements and business drivers which are shared and understood by the team of Business Analysts.

Essential Criteria

• 6+ years of relevant experience in Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A).
• A recognized qualification in finance (Bachelor), business administration, accounting, economics, or any related field.
• Advanced proficiency in handling large databases (Power BI, Microsoft Excel, pivot tables, complex formulas).
• Competency in using Microsoft Office and financial systems for planning and reporting.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across diverse global teams.
• Proficiency in the English language, both verbal and written, with the ability to articulate clear opinions and explain financial matters to non-financial stakeholders.
• Proficiency in SAP, Smart View/Hyperion Financial Management.
• Excellent communication skills, conveying strategic and tactical concepts to various stakeholders, including Finance, Operations, and Senior Management.
• Knowledge of accounting fundamentals (e.g., GAAP, P&L, BS, CAPEX, accruals, cost centers).
• Demonstrated work ethic based on a strong desire to exceed expectations
• Experience in cross-boundary activities, including remote relationship building and cross-cultural collaboration.

Desirable Criteria

• Qualification as a finance professional: Bachelor's, Licentiate (Licenciatura), or Master's degree. The level of the degree will be considered in the job offer.
• Experience in the pharmaceutical or retail industry is a plus.
• Experience in transitioning activities across countries.

Competences and Others

• Strong analytical capabilities.
• Adherence to the highest standards of accuracy and precision in reporting and analysis.
• Attention to detail and highly organized.
• Self-driven with the ability to constructively challenge information.
• Capacity to work effectively under pressure.
• Customer-focused and results-oriented.
• Ability to think creatively.
• Teamwork skills and proficiency in collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Challenge (say no)/ Speak up Influence - communication strong analytical capabilities
• Schedule flexibility.
• People Development

Other Role Requirements

• Schedule flexibility to work on holidays and/or weekends when necessary.
• Schedule flexibility to work on the days off given by the wellness Policy when necessary (Política de Bienestar).
• Flexibility to travel and work in another AZ facilities outside the country when necessary.

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.

Internal and External Contacts/Customers

• The GFS function will interface with the Back-Office areas, Embedded Finance (CFOs, Finance Heads, and Finance Business Partners), other GFS teams and 3rd party specialist functions.

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 authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.