Accounting Manager (7 Month FTC)

7 month Fixed Term Contract

Position Summary:

Alexion (AstraZeneca Rare Disease) is a high-growth biopharmaceutical company operating in over 70 countries. As the organization has expanded in scale and geographic reach, the Group Controllers team has built a reputation as a high‑performing function delivering monthly and quarterly IFRS results while maintaining a robust control environment.

This Accounting Manager role sits within the AZ Group Controllers team in Dublin, supporting controllership activities for the principal Irish hub entities; APIO and AZIL. The role offers significant cross-functional exposure to both Operations and Finance with admin staff co-located on the main manufacturing site. The role suits a self‑starter who is flexible, curious, and comfortable operating in a dynamic, manufacturing‑enabled environment.

What you will do

• Record-to-report ownership: Own the IFRS month-end and quarter-end close for defined areas, including Intangible assets, Capex and embedded leases; ensure timely, accurate, and compliant outcomes.

• Technical accounting leadership: Provide guidance on capital projects in line with AZ Group policy; assess accounting treatments for changes in facts and circumstances while meeting global deadlines.

• Cross-team collaboration: Partner with Finance colleagues locally and globally; liaise with Global Financial Services (GFS) teams to drive a complete and accurate execution of close tasks.

• Financial reporting & commentary: Prepare APIO month-end and quarter-end reporting inputs, including financial analysis and variance commentary; own the preparation of APIO reporting packs for quarterly meetings.

• Balance sheet integrity: Review high‑risk balance sheet reconciliations; drive timely resolution of reconciling items and strengthen account ownership across APIO.

• Impairment & costing: Support impairment assessments for intangible and tangible assets, as required; review standard cost analyses, investigate anomalies, and ensure alignment with expectation Statutory reporting: Support the local statutory audit and FRS 102 financial statement preparation; act as the key liaison with external auditors and service providers; prepare board materials for approval.

• US GAAP alignment: Assess accounting differences under US GAAP for sub‑consolidation purposes; ensure appropriate documentation and communication.

• Tax support: Engage with Tax on compliance activities, including R&D tax credit submissions and related accounting.

• Controls & compliance: Operate within the SOX control framework; perform assigned controls; support Internal and External audit walkthroughs; maintain and update control narratives as required.

• Management reporting: Prepare ad hoc APIO management accounts and reporting packs when required.

• Process improvement: Leverage automation tools and AI to drive process efficiencies, strengthen data quality, and reduce manual effort.

• Transformation & integration: Support AZ integration initiatives and S/4HANA deployment activities as needed.

• Stakeholder engagement: Build strong relationships across the Alexion/AZ network and with third‑party stakeholders; support Group, Internal, and Statutory audit efforts.

What you will need

• Professional accounting qualification: ACA, ACCA, CIMA (or equivalent).

• Experience: Minimum 5+ years post‑qualification or industry experience in accounting/controllership.

• Technical skills: High proficiency in Microsoft Excel; strong numeracy and analytical capability with meticulous attention to detail.

• Communication & collaboration: Proven interpersonal skills; strong written and verbal communication.

What we would prefer

• Organizational excellence: Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high performance standards.

• Learning mindset: Natural curiosity and ability to learn quickly.

• Standards & frameworks: Strong understanding of IFRS and/or US GAAP.

• Industry background: Experience in a multinational pharmaceutical or life sciences environment