About the Role:

The Global Head of Spend Management Controlling is a senior leadership role within Sanofi’s Controlling Operations organization, responsible for overseeing end-to-end Spend Management financial processes at a global scale. This role serves as the central point of expertise and governance for Spend Management forecasting, closing, reporting, and process transformation across all Market and Customer Operations (MCOs), R&D Pillars, Global Functions, and Manufacturing & Supply (M&S) sites worldwide.

Operating at the intersection of financial stewardship, digital transformation, and strategic partnership, this role plays a critical part in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of Sanofi’s global financial reporting, directly impacting decisions at the highest levels of the organization.

Key Responsibilities

1. Spend Management Forecasting, Closing & Reporting

• Lead the global Spend Management forecasting cycles, ensuring timely, accurate, and consistent delivery across all 4 Service Lines, MCOs, R&D Pillars, Global Functions, and M&S sites.
• Oversee the monthly and annual actual closing processes for Spend Management, ensuring full alignment with Group Controlling standards and timelines.
• Drive the production and delivery of high-quality Spend reporting and analytics to Service Line Controllers and senior stakeholders, enabling informed decision-making.
• Define and enforce global data quality standards to guarantee the integrity and reliability of Spend Management financial data across all reporting dimensions.
• Monitor and analyze Spend Management variances, providing meaningful insights and commentary to Group Controlling and Service Line Heads.
• Ensure compliance with internal financial governance policies and external regulatory requirements in all Spend reporting activities.

2. Process Streamlining, Automation & Service Excellence

• Co-Lead with the GPO team the design and implementation of a global process optimization roadmap for Spend Management controlling, identifying opportunities to streamline, standardize, and automate end-to-end Spend workflows.
• Champion the adoption of digital tools and automation technologies to reduce manual effort, increase process efficiency, and enhance data accuracy across all hub organizations.
• Define and maintain global governance policies and data quality frameworks for Spend Management processes, ensuring consistent application across all geographies and business units.
• Continuously assess service delivery performance against defined KPIs, driving a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Act as a trusted partner to Service Line Controllers, delivering high-quality, value-added services that support their financial planning and reporting needs.
• Collaborate with IT, HR, and Finance transformation teams to co-develop scalable solutions that future-proof the Spend controlling function.

3. Global Team Leadership & Hub Management

• Lead, develop, and inspire a global team of over 20 professionals distributed across 3 hub organizations, fostering a high-performance, inclusive, and collaborative culture.
• Define clear roles, responsibilities, and performance objectives for team members, ensuring alignment with global priorities and individual development goals.
• Drive talent development initiatives, identifying and nurturing future leaders within the team.
• Ensure effective coordination and knowledge-sharing across hubs, leveraging the diversity of the global team to deliver consistent and high-quality outcomes.
• Manage resource allocation across hubs to optimize capacity and capability in line with business demands.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field; professional qualification (e.g., CIMA, ACCA, CPA) is a strong advantage.
• Experience: Minimum 10–12 years of Progressive experience in Financial Controlling, FP&A, or a related Finance function, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Global Exposure: Demonstrated experience managing finance processes in a complex, multinational environment; prior experience in a shared services or hub-based model is highly desirable.
• People Leadership: Proven track record of leading and developing large, geographically dispersed teams.
• Process Transformation: Hands-on experience leading finance process automation and optimization initiatives, ideally leveraging tools such as SAP, Workday, Anaplan, or similar platforms.

Required Skills & Competencies

Technical Skills

• Deep expertise in Spend Management controlling, financial forecasting, and management reporting
• Strong command of financial systems and data analytics tools (SAP, Workday, Anaplan, Power BI, or equivalent)
• Solid understanding of financial governance frameworks and internal controls
• Proficiency in process design, automation, and continuous improvement methodologies

Leadership & Interpersonal Skills

• Exceptional leadership presence with the ability to inspire and align a global team around a shared vision
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills at senior levels
• High degree of cross-cultural awareness and ability to work effectively across diverse teams and geographies
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights

Strategic & Analytical Skills

• Strategic thinker with the ability to balance long-term transformation goals with short-term operational delivery
• Strong analytical mindset with a focus on data quality, accuracy, and continuous improvement
• Ability to manage ambiguity and drive decisions in a fast-paced, complex environment

Interested? Come to us and learn more about this and other opportunities at A5!

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