AfME Cluster 3 Finance Operations Lead at Pfizer

Role Summary

Pfizer's Global Business Services (GBS) Financial Services organization delivers best-in-class accounting, finance and compliance operations globally for the Pfizer enterprise. The GBS Financial Services organization is a high performing team comprised of more than 1600 colleagues located in multiple hubs around the world. Its industry-leading value proposition is to centralize, standardize and optimize complex processes and to deliver quality service at a reasonable cost with a compliance mindset. The scope of services provided by GBS Financial Services include Record to Report processes: US Accounting, Corporate Accounting, Statutory Reporting, Financial Reporting, the Intercompany Center of Excellence (CoE), Financial Master Data Governance, Risk Management / Compliance, Capital CoE, Inventory CoE and Balance Sheet CoE; Transaction Processing in Invoice to Pay, Indirect Tax, Order to Cash, Credit Risk and Gross to Net, Manufacturing Finance support; Operational Transfer Pricing CoE; GFS Treasury Operations CoE, and MAPP Administration CoE.

The AfME Cluster 3 Finance Operations Lead has cluster responsibility across Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa markets. The role is accountable for ensuring local Country Management strategies and planning are in alignment with statutory, legal, regulatory and jurisdictional guidance, for a cluster of markets. The Cluster Finance Operations Lead will also typically have dual responsibility, ie providing oversight for the cluster as well as serving as the Finance Market Operations Lead for certain market(s) within their cluster, in this case also acting as the Market Finance Operations Lead for South Africa.

The Cluster Finance Operations Lead together with Business Finance provides Finance Leadership for the cluster of markets, to ensure Pfizer’s continued operations. The Cluster Finance Operations Lead oversees financial matters with respect to the Legal Entities for all markets in the cluster, and generally has direct accountability for the market in which the role is based. The Cluster Finance Operations Lead may also either be part of the local market LE board of directors for the market, or would prepare recommendations for the local market board of directors.

The role acts as the primary “in market” liaison and single point of escalation for any financial operational issues between the Country Manager, Business Finance and the GBS organization, and advises country management on the proper statutory financial treatment for market specific strategies and plans.

This role requires extensive collaboration with Business Finance and Country Management as well as GBS Statutory CoE and the Regional and Global GBS sites and COE leaderships to ensure the integrity of Pfizer market financial data. The scope for this role includes all role responsibilities for the Market Finance Operations Lead for the market in which the role is based as well as oversight for the Market Finance Operations Leads that support the markets in the Cluster.

Role Responsibilities

• Accountable for ensuring cluster finance operations are aligned with statutory, legal, regulatory and jurisdictional guidance.
• Advise country management on the proper statutory financial treatment for market specific strategies and plans.
• Prepare and deliver Board Meeting presentations in conjunction with the Statutory COE. If required, may be the finance member of the local entity Board of Directors.

• Where there is a legal requirement that financial statements or tax documentation must be signed “in market”, accountable to sign off market financial statements (as official financial representative for Pfizer).
• Where applicable, responsible for all legal entity company secretarial requirements in market.
• Lead support for Step Plan /LE set up – acting as Country Coordinator liaising between Finance, Tax, Legal, Commercial etc. and as Country Contact for the Global ORC.
• Provide market financial guidance and lead financial due diligence efforts for M&A and Divestiture initiatives.
• Support activities to facilitate market capital/liquidity and cash flow objectives, including cash flow forecasting and dividend strategy (in partnership with Pfizer Treasury).
• Where applicable, act as primary liaison with pension fund trustees for the pension funds in local jurisdiction. Determine financial implications for changes in pension valuation and plans to address.
• In markets where there are Work Councils, act as primary financial liaison to the council and be responsible for representations/submissions as required.
• Actively participate in periodic profit reviews with the OTP COE ensuring that profit adjustments account for any local GAAP/US GAAP differences.
• Provide local market intelligence and knowledge to support transfer pricing in market in conjunction with the OTP COE.
• Serve as finance market contact between Statutory COE and external auditors for market audits.
• Act as liaison with market Business Finance and Global and Regional Finance Teams, as well as Global and Regional Tax, Treasury and Controllers regarding all significant financial issues. Single point of escalation between Country Manager, Business Finance Partner and rest of GBS organization.
• Provide support to Credit Risk COE and regional OTC for decisions on credit limits, credit releases, credit hold and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts (ADA) etc.
• Provide support for Gross to Net accruals and accounting and Gross-to-net trend analyses as required by the GBS leadership.
• Serve as key point of contact between Global Tax, tax authorities and local finance, for any tax audits.
• Ensure statutory GAAP technical accounting guidance and technical advice are clarified and provided as it relates to local statutory accounting.
• Manage the performance and development of team members, including Market Finance Operations Leads. Provide direction, training, and motivation necessary to secure their optimum commitment, competence and engagement. Identify succession plans and lead talent planning. Provide coaching and development for team members and create an environment that drives high colleague engagement.
• Interpret, oversee and ensure implementation of corporate global policies, site and business specific guidelines and SOPs within the market/cluster. Set a strong tone of compliance.
• Provide support for other approvals and activities as necessary and applicable under specific circumstances pertaining to overall responsibility as senior GBS colleague in cluster (eg payroll)

Basic Qualifications

• University degree in Accounting, Finance or Economics or Professional accounting designation, such as CPA, Chartered Accountant (as per market norms).
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in finance, accounting or business, with significant experience in controllership and tax.
• Demonstrated ability to build business relationships with key leaders and finance team peers across borders and virtually.
• Demonstrated ability to develop external relationships with local financial regulatory authorities and thought leadership in the local finance community.
• Visible demonstration of Pfizer Values and Behaviors.
• Outstanding communication, collaboration and influencing skills; ability to influence at all levels, be persuasive, a good listener and assimilator of diverse ideas and perspectives.
• Demonstration of strong leadership behaviors, including driving individual and team performance, setting the tone for compliance, and encouraging positive culture.