Business Analyst, FP&A Operations (1-year Contract; Mandarin Speaker)

AstraZeneca plc; Petaling Jaya; On-site; MYR 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca plc is seeking a finance professional for Global Finance Services in Malaysia on a 1-year contract. The role emphasizes reporting, planning, forecasting, and control with required Mandarin language skills to support the China market.

You will collaborate with SAP/Hyperion/PowerBI-based processes, ensure SOX alignment, and drive standardization and automation in close, reporting, and planning activities.

Qualifications

• Qualified finance professional with professional accounting certification.
• Experience in FP&A, accounting or controlling in a corporate setting.

Responsibilities

• Deliver robust monthly management reporting with variance analysis and commentary for operations leadership.
• Partner with business and GFS SPOC during forecast and planning cycles to provide inputs and analysis.
• Manage month-end close processes, ensuring timely, accurate journals and reconciliations.
• Support finance transformation projects and cross-functional initiatives.

Skills

English communication

Mandarin language

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Deadline orientation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CPA or equivalent

Tools

SAP

Hyperion

Oracle

Power BI

BPC

Anaplan

Job description

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven BioPharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious disease. But we’re more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

We are trusted partners who are connected and integrated across the global enterprise, working closely with all functions from Commercial to Manufacturing. It opens up greater development opportunities for more responsibility on a global scale.

Join a team that supports the delivery of life-changing medicines for patients by enabling the rest of the business to run effectively and harness our transformative science. We’re on a journey of growth and evolution – to find better ways to translate value for the business and our patients.

Global Finance Services (GFS) is the heart of the AZ Finance function. We are accountable for the design and delivery of high quality, simple to operate transactional finance processes. These combined with an outstanding business analysis and insight has enables our customers to focus on AZ’s strategic priorities. We play a role in tax, planning & forecasting, and management reporting to customers across AZ globally in Commercial, Science, Operations & Enabling Functions, Tax, Treasury and Group Finance. AstraZeneca’s Finance function is continuing its transformation journey with the objective of delivering excellence in financial operations.

Key Responsibilities

Reporting, Planning & Forecasting

• Management reporting: Deliver robust monthly financials with clear variance analysis and insightful commentary tailored for operations leadership and Finance Business Partners.
• Forecasting and plans: Partner proactively with business and GFS Single Point of Contact (SPOC) during forecast and plan cycles to provide inputs, challenge assumptions, and produce analysis for core planning decks.
• Risk and opportunity management: Work with Finance Business Partners and GFS Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to identify and quantify risks/opportunities across P&L, escalating with clear recommendations.

Controlling

• Month-end close: Execute close activities to deliver timely, accurate results; prepare non standardized journals and accruals, ensure cut-offs and controls are met.
• Financial controls: Ensure a strong control environment aligned to SOX and Financial Control Framework (FCF); maintain high-quality documentation and evidence.
• Balance sheet integrity: Ensure timely review and issue remediation to maintain a healthy balance sheet.
• Statutory and Tax support: Provide required financial information and documentation to auditors and tax authorities, as needed, in coordination with relevant teams
• Policy adherence: Ensure corporate governance standards and operating procedures are consistently applied across processes.

Other Responsibilities

• Decision support: Respond to ad hoc queries with GFS SPOC and/or Embedded Finance, providing actionable financial insights that support operational and strategic decisions.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify and drive standardization, simplification, and automation opportunities across close, reporting and planning processes.
• Initiatives and projects: Contribute to finance transformation, system enhancements, cost improvements initiatives, and cross-functional projects; support change management and stakeholder adoption
• Qualification: Qualified finance professional (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA, etc.) or equivalent.
• Experience: Minimum 5 years in accounting, controlling, and/or FP&A within a corporate environment; shared services experiences preferred.
• Manufacturing exposure: Understanding of manufacturing accounting, standard costing, inventory and capital/project spend is advantageous
• Systems: Working knowledge of SAP and planning/reporting tools (e.g., Hyperion/Oracle, PowerBI, BPC, or Anaplan) is advantageous; ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Communication: Strong English communication skills, written and verbal; able to explain complex financials to non-finance stakeholders and influence outcomes.
• Language requirement: Professional working proficiency in Mandarin is required to support the role’s responsibilities in the China market, including communication and collaboration with Mandarin-speaking internal and external stakeholders.
• Change and collaboration: Demonstrated experience in change management and building engagement; ability to work effectively across diverse global teams and time zones
• Ways of working: High attention to detail, strong analytical skills, problem-solving mindset, and commitment to deadlines and control standards.
• Willing to work on a 1-year contract position.

At AstraZeneca, we’re committed to being a Great Place to Work—where you’re empowered to push the boundaries of science and bring an entrepreneurial mindset to everything you do. This is a place to make a meaningful impact on medicine, patients, and society. Our inclusive culture champions diversity, collaboration, and psychological safety, with a constant focus on lifelong learning, growth, and development. Join us on our journey to pioneer the future of healthcare.

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, race, national or ethnic origin, age, religion or belief, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, protected veteran status (where applicable), or any other characteristic protected by law. We hire only individuals with the legal right to work in the country or countries where this role is advertised.