Project Management Support Analyst

At AstraZeneca we turn ideas into life-changing medicines. Working here means being entrepreneurial, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. We are inspired by things that seem impossible. Here, we see the impact of our collective ideas and expertise, and the power of science to deliver them.

Job Summary:

We are seeking diligent and detail-oriented Project Management Support Analyst with a finance background to support our R&D IT Project Management Back Office services. The team sits within Global Business Services (GBS) organisation, specifically Contract Enablement and Business Operations. The successful candidates will assist in reporting, finance and resource management, metrics tracking, purchasing, governance, and communications. The roles involve collaboration with Project Managers (PMs) located globally and other stakeholders to ensure efficient and effective project execution within AstraZeneca’s R&D-IT enabling function.

Key Responsibilities:

Finance & Resources

• Supervise finance activities for core platforms, which include:
• Handling actuals, accruals, and cross-charges to maintain financial integrity.
• Compiling and reviewing Monthly Progress Reports (MPR) for strategic insights.
• Monitor forecasts against budgetary constraints, offering insights on resource planning and the impact of vacancies and recruitment on anticipated costs.
• Manage SNow (ServiceNow) cost and resource plans to ensure completeness and accuracy of records.
• Oversee financial forecasting and actuals to align with budgets.
• Update platform pack records for core platforms utilizing Excel, ensuring alignment between forecast and actual data.
  
  

Metrics

• Compile and input Operational Health (OH) data by setting up the OH report template on the platform and following up with the PMs to gather necessary data and conduct quality review to ensure that there is consistency in reporting.
• Gather and analyze operational, delivery, and productivity metrics to enhance performance tracking.
• Compile and maintain resourcing and recruitment data within Forecast Resource and Actuals (FRES) tracker and ensuring accurate representation of project needs.
• Support the creation of project postcards that highlight achievements by utilizing templates and data sourced from Airfocus tool.
  
  
  

Purchasing

• Initiate Purchase Requisitions (PRs) and manage goods receipts against Purchase Orders (POs) through Coupa.
• Create and manage POs and oversee the submission of change requests for POs, ensuring that all documentation and approvals are meticulously recorded.
  
  
  

Communications

• Manage, maintain, and extract data from Excel and Confluence to ensure effective planning and engagement with SharePoint Online audiences.
• Assist platform teams by distributing communications for cross-team events.
• Actively engage in meetings with PMs and sponsors to ensure that project status is accurate and updated in a timely manner.
  
  
  

Onboarding & Offboarding:

• Coordinate the issuance and retrieval of equipment, such as laptops and other devices, to facilitate seamless onboarding and offboarding of resources into the project teams.
• Manage access requests for platforms like SharePoint Online, Email distribution lists, Confluence, Jira, and other crucial software.
• Track training statuses and manage communications regarding new starters.
• Promote best practices, maintain processes, and share expertise in key systems, making and implementing recommendations to streamline processes and improve data accuracy.
  
  
  

Minimum Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Finance, Project Management, or a related field.
• Experience: 4-5 years of experience in project management or relevant roles, demonstrating a solid understanding of operational processes and financial management.
• Skills:
• Must have strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Demonstrated knowledge of Procure to Pay process and experience with Coupa and ServiceNow will be a strong asset.
• Familiarity with SmartSheets, Power BI, SharePoint Online, Confluence, Jira, AirFocus, will be a plus.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a keen attention to detail.
• Demonstrable knowledge of, or aptitude to learn, current policies and guidelines that affect contracts, compliance etc. in a highly regulated environment.
• Proven record of accomplishment of meeting or exceeding objectives & goals.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, along with strong interpersonal abilities.
  
  
  

Personal Attributes:

• Proactive team player with an aptitude for managing multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Detail-oriented mindset with a strong commitment to accuracy and quality in all deliverables.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn new systems, processes, and skills.
• Enthusiastic about driving process improvements and contributing positively to team dynamics.
• Flexibility to work in shift timings aligning with UK and US (Eastern) time-zones.