Group Finance Executive : SSA International Regions at Aspen Pharma Group

Job description

ROLE PURPOSE:

Group Financial responsibility for the commercial, financial and operational performance of the region (SSA, SA, Brazil, Spanish Latam, Europe and CIS, MENA, USA & Canada) working in collaboration with and reporting operationally to the Group Commercial Head. Provides oversight on all regional processes including investment decisions, tax, treasury, insurance and related systems and processes. Ensure that the region fully complies with Group policies and procedures and that these are properly documented.

SPECIFIC OUTCOMES / ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Effective, Timely and accurate reporting across the region
• Coordination, attendance and leading contribution (together with the Group Commercial Head) to all monthly and quarterly regional business unit performance reviews
• Quality control review of all quarterly business unit reports across the region
• Regional CFOs to have a dual reporting line to the GFE. Alignment of regional CFO KPAs to those of the GFE and Group Commercial Head
• Work closely with GRFMs in understanding and managing the financial performance of regional business units and factories
• Facilitate the implementation of value added initiatives to enhance the commercial performance for the region and removing non value added activity to drive efficiency.
• Regular trips to major business units on a rotational basis
• Full detailed monthly review of the executive one pager relevant to the region together with the supporting business unit management reports and reporting on the overall performance of the region to the GFO and Group Commercial Head
• Accountable for the quality and accuracy of the interim and final published results for the region
• Accountable for the quality and accuracy of the financial elements for the region included in the integrated annual report
• Accountable for timely and accurate monthly financial reporting for the region including cognos submissions
• Full engagement with regional business unit auditors ensuring that the audit process is well planned, seamless and the resultant audit reports contain no significant or critical findings
• Close collaboration with the Group Financial Reporting Executive ensuring full alignment between Regional and Group financial reporting
• Standardisation of reporting across the sub regions to ensure consistent messaging to Group Executive team
• Full adherence to Group Financial reporting deadlines
• Effective budgeting, forecasting and future planning models across the region
• Effective interrogation of the robustness of quarterly business unit forecasts together with the GRFMs
• Finalisation of the consolidated regional quarterly financial forecast
• Full responsibility for the region for the annual budget process and analytical reporting thereon. Includes full interaction with all regional business units
• Coordination and accountability for the completion of the region’s annual 5 year forecast model including full interaction with all regional business units
• Effective internal controls and risk and sustainability reporting across the region
• Assume accountability through the GRFMs for the timely completion of high quality risk and sustainability reports for business units. Oversight responsibility for regional risk reports before submission to the Group Executive Risk Forum including active participation in the underlying risk review processes
• Achieve clean internal and external audit reports
• Ensure that internal financial controls are effective in all business units and that there are no material breakdowns in internal controls
• Implementation and maintenance of internal financial control frameworks

Projects

• Regional financial accountability for the regional value creation projects and periodic tracking of progress
• Active participation in the SAP Group Central Finance system implementation project
• Standardisation of Constant exchange rate reporting across the region and ensuring alignment of sales numbers with the GFS system
• Work in close collaboration with the Group Finance Projects Executive and supporting team to ensure that the finance and business reporting systems support the business objectives

People Management / Relationship Management

• Build a strong team culture
• Support GRFMs in enforcing Group policies and procedures, regional corrective action initiatives and other areas where there is misalignment/conflict with regional operational objectives
• Ensure GRFMs are of a quality to earn the respect of regional CFOs and make sure that regional performance objectives are fully aligned with Group objectives
• Build a strong relationship with regional CFOs and their senior finance heads
• Active monitoring of regional staff development and training to ensure ongoing professional development and upskilling

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Chartered Accountant (SA)
• The ideal candidate should demonstrate at least 10 to 15 years of working experience in both traditional financial and commercial financial analysis/management roles with 8 to 10 years at a senior level
• Sound Leadership experience
• Knowledge of underlying business processes and ability to propose improvements
• Ability to interface and engage with external auditors on all financial aspects
• Global/Multinational exposure and experience
• Ability to implement and maintain a strong and robust internal financial control framework and supporting processes
• Strong manufacturing background displaying a sound commercial sense of the mechanics and key drivers within factory operations
• Previous experience in the pharmaceutical industry is preferable
• Detailed, up to date knowledge of IFRS and Tax
• Extensive experience of legal and tax considerations from a commercial finance perspective. Familiar with commercial and financial contracts and experience in reviewing business agreements
• Sound experience in financial management, with executive level exposure and liaison essential. Understanding of and experience in ERP systems and related business intelligence tools to optimise seamless financial and commercial reporting processes. Strong excel skills essential for deep commercial analysis

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES:

• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to multi task and work in a challenging fast paced environment
• Ability to manage a team of GRFM’s in a consolidated, focused and coordinated manner
• Independent worker and analytical thinker with the ability to conduct research, data analysis and solve complex problems
• Ability to evaluate and discuss key business unit issues/drivers across a consolidated region with diverse business units
• Strong presence with the ability to interact with global colleagues
• A commercially astute, business minded, operationally oriented individual of superior intelligence who is profit driven with bottom line awareness
• Able to breakdown manufacturing cost complexity into easily manageable components
• Persistent, continuously probing and challenging the commercial status quo, able to intelligently and thoroughly interrogate the business processes and trading terms
• Must be diligent, astute, with a focus on attention to detail, high sense of urgency and deadline driven and have the ability to work under pressure
• Mature, resilient, assertive, someone with unquestionable integrity who commands respect
• Good interpersonal and communication skills (verbal & written), able to function well as a member of a senior executive team
• Ability to travel and spend blocks of time ensuring implementation of corrective actions
• Highly analytical, strategic thinker, project management, ability to influence and logical thinking skills and abilities are essential for success in the role
• Ability to cost processes/projects/business payback returns
• Good report writing skills with senior executive level exposure and liaison essential
• Ability to build strong relationships with local management and demonstrate strong leadership skills
• EQ to undertake projects directly from the Group and Deputy Group Chief Executives

ASPEN COMPETENCIES:

Business

• Performance Driven - results oriented, focused
• Makes Good Decisions – Information seeking, business analysis and financial skills, good judgement

People

• Communicates effectively – informal communication skills, report writing, presentation skills
• Dealing with ambiguity and embraces change – capacity for and resistance to stress, perseverance and tenacity
• Leads and Influences Others – Leadership, credibility, influencing skills