The Finance Business Partner for Athlone & External Manufacturing will be a member of the Ireland Financial Planning & Analysis Team within the Alexion Global Operations Group, based in Dublin, Ireland. This role reports to the Finance Lead, Global Manufacturing, within the Global Operations Finance team. The position will have a key role in partnering with the Athlone, Transgenics and External Manufacturing organisations to provide financial planning and analysis with a focus on cost drivers, cost discipline & cost management. The role also has responsibility for headcount reporting, monthly inventory obsolescence analysis, forecasting of raw material obsolescence and process order management.

This individual will need to be a quick learner, with excellent analytical skills. She/he will be able to work independently and as part of a team, in a very dynamic environment with the ability to both implement and continuously improve processes. This person should be a change agent who challenges, is curious, works with an agile, positive mindset, and has the ability to think differently and make it happen.

The Finance Business Partner role will provide end to end finance business partnering support, identifying and supporting initiatives to improve processes, maintain spend within agreed budgets, gain greater efficiencies and be a key player in the drive to improve financial acumen throughout the wider Operations organisation. This person should be able to identify digitization opportunities in processes, performance and reporting.

You will be responsible for:

The specific roles and responsibilities of the Finance Business Partner, include:

Business Support, Planning and Analysis

Partner with the relevant sites in preparation of their forecast & budget (Opex, Capital, Headcount) with a view to being able to justify & explain the plans:
Work with the Leadership teams to understand the key drivers of the business
Produce Departmental and consolidated reports for discussion at leadership meetings
Drive compliance with financial processes at a business level
Present the financial results at leadership meetings
Deliver training on financial management as appropriate
Monthly results: variance analysis (Actual vs Budget vs Forecast, produce results at a Gross / Net / Departmental basis and preparation & presentation of Metrics
Drive cost awareness among the organisation
Approval & Control of costs in accordance with Alexion/AZ Policies
Determine assessments of costs to Inventory or Net P&L based on business drivers
Determine if synergies are on track and where off track, take actions to manage in line with commitments.
Understand the make up of Capital projects, what is driving delays, what the sites want to prioritise and what support they need from Finance
Ensure processes are being followed by operations and are reviewed timely to ensure they are still adding value
Continue to review metrics decks periodically to ensure the most relevant information is being shared with the business
Liase with accounting when required to ensure policies are adhered to and reflected in all budgets and forecasts
Review monthly accruals and support the business where required
Provide insights into Risks & Opportunities
Using AI to help streamline and automate processes while eliminating non value add activities

Headcount Planning

Work with HR and business partners, utilizing relevant systems, to govern headcount and streamline headcount management & reporting
Ensure the correct approvals are received before position ID’s are generated and track adversity to MTP
Understand the make up of site headcount (FTE’s, FTC’s and CW’s) working with the business to ensure HC is suitable to support business requirements (including supporting a flexible workforce).
Support workforce strategic planning activities when required

Inventory Management, Variance Reporting & Process Order Analysis

Review Monthly inventory reports to understand the inventory make up, review this in line with production schedules to understand if there is potential obsolescence in the future
Review the monthly reserves entries with a view to analysing the drivers and ultimately driving accountability
Understand the drivers of manufacturing variances across the business, if corrections are required, drive this with the business with solutions expected before month end
Work with the operations team to problem solve process order issues to ensure correct accounting outcomes
Maintain BDS Variance summaries for each BDS campaign
Review WIP balances at month end, take relevant action when required
Represent finance in Continuous Improvement projects and be a representative on various global forums when the need arises
Generating training material suitable for delivery with the intent to improve business acumen among Operations colleagues.
Cross training in other functional areas in FP&A
Ad hoc requests as required

You will need to have:

5+ years operations experience preferably in the Biopharmaceutical industry
5+ years of business partnering experience with multiple stakeholders
Qualified accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA/CPA)
Experience in US multinational
Solid understanding of cost behaviour & cost management
Detailed working knowledge of SAP and process orders
Financial modelling skills
Process driven - Experience in process improvement/lean/Six Sigma initiatives desirable
In-depth understanding of financial systems and a desire to automate.
Computer skills - Highly proficient in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint essential
Strong AI skills with a view to automation and simplification

We would prefer for you to have:

Anaplan experience
Drive to hold those accountable for commitments
Curiosity to better understand drivers and actions needed to demonstrate continuous improvement
Storytelling to be able to articulate issues and solutions in an engaging way.
Owners mindset
Very strong attention to detail

Why AstraZeneca:
Join a global group of high-performing, curious minds who use design thinking, data, and digital innovation to modernize how the enterprise operates. You will work where unexpected teams come together to unleash bold ideas, balancing ambition with kindness, and translating insight into tangible progress for patients. Here, your finance expertise fuels smarter decisions, sharper execution, and visible impact—on the business and on the lives our medicines touch.

Call to Action:
If you are ready to turn complex financial challenges into clarity and momentum, step forward and help us shape outcomes that matter for patients and for your career!

Date Posted

06-Feb-2026

Closing Date

22-Feb-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.

Finance Business Partner, Athlone & External Manufacturing

Job Description