At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead financial strategy and insights for innovative R&D projects in a dynamic environment.
- Company: Join GSK, a global leader in healthcare with a commitment to innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative team environment with strong career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of medicine while driving impactful financial decisions.
- Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in finance or accounting; experience in R&D finance preferred.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 ÂŁ per year.
The Senior Finance Partner will provide financial leadership to the newly established Translation & Developmental Science ("TDS") organisation in R&D, partnering with three R&D senior leaders across Translation Sciences, Developmental Sciences and Asia R&D, including the new Translational Hub. TDS integrates translational science, development sciences, human biology, and real‑world data to accelerate and de‑risk pipeline decisions. It provides decision‑shaping insight across discovery and development to improve the probability of technical success, optimise portfolio allocation and speed medicines to patients.
Job purpose: The Senior Finance Partner is a senior, independent business partner providing strategic financial leadership, insight, and challenge to TDS. As the primary finance interface for senior stakeholders, the role shapes strategy and investment choices, drives R&D productivity and resource allocation, and ensures disciplined financial stewardship to maximise value creation in line with GSK's strategy and priorities. Operating with a high degree of autonomy and judgement, the role partners closely with business leaders to frame the critical questions, quantify trade‑offs, and guide decisions across the full strategy, planning and delivery lifecycle—balancing scientific ambition, delivery feasibility and financial value.
Key responsibilities:
- Strategic Finance Partnering: Act as the lead Senior Finance Partner for TDS, providing forward‑looking financial leadership, insight, and constructive challenge to senior business stakeholders to shape priorities and portfolio choices. Influence strategic choices by translating complex financial and operational data into clear, decision‑oriented insights—including value, opportunity cost, timing, and risk. Partner across Finance, Commercial, R&D, Manufacturing, Portfolio and Corporate functions to ensure enterprise alignment, coherent narratives, and transparent trade‑offs in value and data‑based decisions. Provide finance leadership for the Translational Hub, including resource model and ramp‑up plan, and ongoing performance insights to ensure productivity and value delivery.
- Investment, Business Cases & R&D Productivity: Lead the financial evaluation of investments, business cases, and scenarios with a portfolio lens, ensuring assumptions are robust, risks are understood, and trade‑offs/opportunity costs are explicit. Partner with TDS leaders to define, measure, and improve R&D productivity (e.g., resource utilisation, throughput, cycle times, cost to deliver, and value per FTE), using insight to drive prioritisation, stop/start decisions, and reinvestment. Ensure financial commitments and expected benefits are clearly articulated, tracked, and communicated in real time, enabling course‑correction and value realisation.
- Planning, Forecasting & Performance Management: Own and lead planning, budgeting, and forecasting for the area of responsibility, translating strategy into resourcing and financial plans while balancing robustness with pragmatism. Drive performance management through root‑cause and driver analysis, leading indicators, and forward‑looking outlooks—linking insights to clear actions and decisions. Provide stakeholders with an integrated view of performance, future risks and opportunities, and practical options to protect or enhance value.
- Financial Stewardship & Reporting: Be accountable for the integrity, accuracy, and transparency of financial reporting, forecasts, and valuations—ensuring decision makers have a trusted fact base. Maintain strong control and compliance standards—applying pragmatic risk management and fit‑for‑purpose processes that enable pace while protecting value and reputation in line with GSK policies and Finance Ways of Working. Understand balance sheet, P&L, and cash flow impacts of strategic choices, including capital allocation implications, valuation sensitivities, and risk of impairments where relevant.
- Value Creation & Continuous Improvement: Lead identification of opportunities to optimise spend, improve productivity, and reallocate resources to the highest‑value priorities; quantify benefits and track delivery. Champion continuous improvement, simplification, and automation of finance insights and processes (including analytics and self‑serve reporting), enabling Finance to focus on higher‑value strategic work.
- Leadership & Collaboration: Build strong, trusted relationships with senior stakeholders through credibility, curiosity and strategic storytelling; influence without authority to drive alignment and action. Line manager responsibilities for a small team, focused on coaching, capability building, and building a high‑performing culture.
Basic Qualifications: We are seeking professionals with the following required skills and qualifications to help us achieve our goals:
- Bachelor's degree in finance or accounting (or qualified by experience).
- Experience as a Finance Partner in a business unit environment ideally in R&D.
- Track record of driving sound business decision making in relation to complex problems based on robust, impartial financial analysis.
- Track record of setting and delivering financial plans.
- Strong skills in modelling, analysis, forecasting, strategic / scenario planning, and decision making. Some project management skills.
- Understanding of financial systems and processes (e.g., SAP, CERPS, SAC).
- Ability to work in a complex and fast‑moving environment with multiple priorities.
- Ability to connect with and influence business stakeholders at all levels in a technical environment and to establish a high level of credibility with senior internal and third‑party stakeholders.
GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.
Senior Finance Partner Translational & Developmental Sciences employer: WISE Campaign
Contact Detail:
WISE Campaign Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Finance Partner Translational & Developmental Sciences
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance and R&D sectors. Attend industry events or webinars, and don’t be shy about introducing yourself. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company and its recent projects, especially in Translational & Developmental Sciences. Be ready to discuss how your financial expertise can drive R&D productivity and value creation. Show them you’re not just another candidate, but the right fit!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of follow-ups! After an interview, send a thank-you email to express your appreciation and reiterate your interest in the role. It’s a simple gesture that can keep you top of mind for the hiring team.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We’ve got a streamlined process that makes it easy for you to showcase your skills. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team. So, get your application in and let’s make some magic happen together!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Finance Partner Translational & Developmental Sciences
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in finance, especially in R&D. We want to see how your skills align with the Senior Finance Partner role, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Strategic Thinking: In your application, emphasise your ability to provide strategic financial leadership. Use examples that demonstrate how you've influenced decision-making and shaped priorities in previous roles. We love seeing candidates who can think critically and drive value!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and make sure your key points stand out. This will help us quickly understand your qualifications and fit for the role.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do—just follow the prompts!
How to prepare for a job interview at WISE Campaign
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Finance Partner, you'll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on key financial metrics and be ready to discuss how you've used data to influence strategic decisions in the past. Prepare examples that showcase your ability to translate complex financial information into actionable insights.
✨Understand the Business
Familiarise yourself with the Translational & Developmental Sciences landscape. Research GSK's current projects and challenges in R&D. This will help you frame your answers in a way that aligns with their goals and shows that you're genuinely interested in contributing to their success.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect to face scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills. Think about past experiences where you had to make tough financial decisions or manage risks. Be ready to explain your thought process and the outcomes of those decisions, highlighting your strategic thinking.
✨Build Relationships
Since this role involves collaborating with senior stakeholders, think about how you can demonstrate your relationship-building skills. Prepare to discuss how you've influenced others without authority and how you’ve built trust in previous roles. This will show that you can navigate the complexities of the organisation effectively.