Financial Planning and Reporting Lead

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines. Guided by our purpose to push the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines, we are transforming the future of healthcare through innovation, collaboration and a relentless focus on patients.

Our people are empowered to challenge convention, drive meaningful change and make a lasting impact on the lives of millions worldwide. Joining AstraZeneca means becoming part of a purpose-driven organisation where your ideas, expertise and ambition can help shape the future of medicine.

Financial Planning & Reporting Lead – Balkans

Location: Zagreb (Croatia), Ljubljana (Slovenia), or Belgrade (Serbia) Reporting to: Chief Financial Officer, Balkans Cluster

Join AstraZeneca and Drive Financial Excellence Across the Balkans

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Financial Planning & Reporting Lead to support our Balkans Cluster. This is a highly visible leadership role that combines strategic finance business partnering, financial planning and analysis, people leadership, and operational excellence.

As a trusted advisor to senior business leaders, you will play a critical role in shaping financial strategy, driving performance, delivering insights that influence decision-making, and leading a team of Finance Assistants across the cluster. You will help ensure AstraZeneca continues to make informed, data-driven decisions that support sustainable growth and patient impact.

What You'll Do

Strategic Finance Business Partnering

• Partner proactively with business leaders to understand financial requirements and provide insightful decision support.

• Develop business cases, KPIs, forecasts and financial models to support strategic initiatives.

• Provide financial guidance and challenge to support effective business decisions and resource allocation.

• Influence stakeholders across multiple functions and levels of the organisation.

• Support the development of short and long-term business strategies through analytics and financial insights.

Financial Planning & Performance Management

• Lead forecasting, budgeting, long-range planning and monthly reporting processes.

• Jointly own forecast accuracy with business stakeholders.

• Deliver timely and insightful performance reports, highlighting risks, opportunities and key business drivers.

• Ensure financial resources are allocated effectively to maximise value creation.

• Analyse operational and financial performance, identifying improvement opportunities and efficiency gains.

• Support post-deal financial management and commercial analysis of agreements and partnerships.

• Prepare executive presentations and materials for key finance and business review meetings.

Governance, Risk & Continuous Improvement

• Drive improvements in financial processes, systems and ways of working.

• Promote compliance with AstraZeneca policies, financial controls and statutory regulations.

• Lead proactive risk management activities and strengthen financial governance across the cluster.

• Share best practices across the finance organisation and business partnering network.

• Champion the adoption of digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence solutions to improve efficiency and decision-making.

Leadership & People Development

• Lead and develop a team of Finance Assistants across the Balkans Cluster.

• Foster a high-performance culture through coaching, mentoring and regular development discussions.

• Identify and nurture future talent within the team.

• Create opportunities for team members to broaden their skills through projects, initiatives and learning programmes.

• Drive employee engagement, capability development and succession planning.

Essential Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

• University degree in Finance, Economics or a related discipline.

• Qualified finance professional (ACCA, CIMA, CPA or equivalent) or MBA.

• Minimum 3 years' experience in Finance Business Partnering, FP&A or a comparable commercial finance role.

• Strong experience in budgeting, forecasting, financial modelling and business performance analysis.

• Proven ability to manage complex finance deliverables and competing priorities.

• Experience influencing and partnering with senior stakeholders.

• Strong communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated commercial awareness and business acumen.

• Passion for continuous improvement and challenging the status quo.

• Interest in digital innovation and emerging technologies, including AI.

Preferred Experience

• Experience as a Senior Accountant or within financial control environments.

• Leadership experience with responsibility for developing and managing teams.

• Experience within a multinational or global organisation.

• Understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare sector, drug development lifecycle and commercial operations.

• Experience working across multiple markets or regional organisations.

What Makes You Successful

You are:

• A strategic thinker with strong analytical capability.

• Comfortable influencing decisions at all levels of an organisation.

• Curious, proactive and solutions-oriented.

• A collaborative leader who develops and empowers others.

• Resilient in a fast-paced and evolving environment.

• Passionate about driving business value through data-driven financial insights.

Key Stakeholders

You will work closely with:

Internal Partners

• Chief Financial Officer, Balkans Cluster

• Cluster Director

• Senior Finance Business Partners

• Finance Managers

• Regional Finance and Audit teams

• Commercial and functional leaders across Balkans markets

External Partners

• Fiscal and accounting authorities

• Third-party service providers

• Suppliers and customers

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca, finance is a strategic partner to the business. Our finance professionals help shape key decisions, drive innovation and support our mission to improve patient outcomes worldwide.

You'll join a collaborative and forward-thinking environment where your expertise is valued, your growth is supported, and your work contributes to delivering life-changing medicines to patients across the globe.

If you're looking for an opportunity to combine financial leadership, strategic business partnering and people development within a global organisation that is transforming healthcare, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today and help shape the future of AstraZeneca across the Balkans.

Date Posted

30-Jul-2026

Closing Date

12-Aug-2026

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.