Travel & Expense Internship (Mandarin Speaker)

AstraZeneca plc; Petaling Jaya; On-site; MYR 13,000 - 20,000; Full time

Job summary

AstraZeneca plc is offering a structured Finance internship in Malaysia focused on Travel & Expense (T&E) operations. You will support daily expense submissions, respond to routine employee queries and assist with audit-like reviews within a global pharmaceutical finance environment.

The program seeks students or recent graduates in Finance, Accounting or Business Administration, with strong English, Mandarin for China-related tasks, proficient Excel/PowerPoint, and a minimum 18-week commitment.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing, or recently completed, a degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or a related discipline.
• Interest in finance operations, audit, controls, data analysis and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day Travel & Expense (T&E) transactional activities including reviewing expense submissions and responding to routine employee queries.
• Perform guided reviews of expense exceptions using T&E audit tools and defined procedures.
• Apply sound judgement to assess exceptions, document outcomes and support closure of audit findings.
• Monitor assigned work and complete follow-up actions within timelines, escalating risks when needed.
• Identify recurring submission issues and translate observations into actionable insights.

Skills

Analytical mindset

Attention to detail

Strong communication

Problem solving

Education

Pursuing a degree in Finance/Accounting

Tools

MS Office (Excel/PowerPoint)

Job description

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business focused on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines. Global Finance Services (GFS) is at the heart of the Finance function, delivering high-quality, simple-to-operate finance processes and insights that enable the business to focus on strategic priorities.

Our remit covers Record to Report (R2R), Purchase to Pay (P2P) and Order to Cash(O2C), 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.

The internship experience

This internship is designed as a structured 4 - 6 months learning journey. You will build practical knowledge of Travel & Expense (T&E) operations, strengthen audit and analytical skills, and contribute to service quality and continuous improvement. You will receive guided onboarding, hands-on experience, regular feedback and increasing ownership as your capability grows.

What you will learn and contribute (based on your assigned team)

• Support day-to-day T&E transactional activities, including reviewing expense submissions, responding to routine employee queries and following up on incomplete or outstanding items in line with defined procedures
• Perform guided reviews of expense exceptions using the relevant T&E audit tools and defined procedures.
• Apply sound judgement to assess exceptions, document outcomes and support appropriate closure of audit findings.
• Monitor assigned work and complete follow-up actions within agreed timelines, escalating questions or risks when needed.
• Identify recurring submission issues and translate observations into clear, practical insights for the team.
• Contribute ideas to improve employee submission behaviour, audit effectiveness, standardisation and process simplification.
• Assist with transaction monitoring and reconciliation activities and work with the team to resolve processing issues or escalating exceptions when required
• Maintain confidentiality, accuracy and professionalism when handling employee expense information.

What we are looking for

• Currently pursuing, or recently completed, a degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or a related discipline.
• Interest in finance operations, audit, controls, data analysis and continuous improvement. Previous work experience is helpful but not essential.
• Clear written and verbal communication in English. Mandarin capability is required where the role supports China-based employees and documentation.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.
• Curious and analytical, with attention to detail, critical thinking and a practical approach to problem-solving.
• Comfortable asking questions, receiving feedback and working collaboratively across cultures and time zones.
• Able to commit to a full internship period, with a minimum durations of 18 weeks

What you will take away

By the end of the internship, you should have a practical understanding of a T&E operation, first-hand experience applying controls and judgement, stronger analytical and stakeholder communication skills, and a tangible improvement or insight project to demonstrate your contribution.

Equal opportunity

AstraZeneca is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants without discrimination on any characteristic protected by applicable law. Applicants must have the right to work in the country where the role is advertised.