Finance Director, Meam

At Ipsen we share a strong sense of purpose: to prolong patients’ lives, improve health outcomes and create a positive impact for patients and society. This deeply rooted purpose is at the heart of what we do, as we operate in highly specialized areas of healthcare: oncology, rare diseases and neuroscience. It is also an exciting time at Ipsen. We are on an incredible growth and transformation trajectory, having recently completed the acquisition of Albireo accompanied by several favourable developments in the pipeline.

If you want to be part of a team who is passionate and committed to finding innovative solutions which add value to patients and healthcare systems and who will go the extra mile with tenacity and persistence to achieve our goals, then Ipsen could be the right place for you.

Come and join us in our mission

Reporting to the Senior Vice President - Commercial and Global Alliances, and sitting on the Middle East, Africa, & Maghreb (MEAM) leadership team, the **Head of Finance MEAM** will be a trusted advisor and sparring partner for the Cluster GM providing strategic guidance on growth initiatives and resource allocation. Spanning 29 countries, and with direct presence in 4, MEAM is a vibrant and dynamic cluster for Ipsen, with pivotal strategic importance for our mission.

As Head of Finance MEAM, you will lead finance activities and teams for the total perimeter (direct affiliates and distributor markets) and assist the MEAM GM in ensuring that resources are fully aligned behind strategic and operational priorities and that costs are properly managed and controlled.

As a key member of the Commercial and Global Alliances Finance Leadership team you will participate in defining finance strategy & processes for the region and contributes more broadly to Finance projects.

This role can be located either in Boulogne or in Dubai.

Main responsibilities:

- Act as a business partner for the MEAM GM and Leadership team members
- Be the finance and procurement point of contact for the division, leading performance monitoring, FP&A, working capital optimisiation, audit, tax etc. across the region
- Lead Performance Committees, Monthly Check-in and Business reviews
- Support cluster and country decision making process to achieve Sales and overall profitability ambition
- Recommend and challenge actions to maximize business capabilities on a short/long term basis
- Oversee end-to-end supply chain including - sales forecast, inventory planning and the interface with global supply chain to ensure appropriate stock levels and risk of stock outs is mitigated
- Whenever relevant, prepare scenarios and ensure business cases are properly translated into Financials (Actuals & Planning): Access, Pricing and competitive landscape, Go to Market Models, distribution strategies
- Support Mid-term and long-term strategic initiatives
- Accountable for Tax and Statutory activities performed by local finance teams in Maghreb, UAE and KSA
- Lead a strong and efficient Finance team in Maghreb, UAE and KSA
- Develop and maintain all necessary systems, policies and procedures to ensure effective and efficient financial management within the company.
- Ensure compliance with Company guidelines and country/ industry standards.
- Carry out all necessary actions to ensure that the company meets its financial and statutory obligations.
- Coordinate Risk Management plan

Knowledge, abilities & experience

Education / Certifications:

- Solid educational background: Business school, Engineering School or master’s in finance

**Experience**:

- A minimum of 15 years of experience in finance leadership positions
- International experience: responsibility for an international scope with multi-subsidiaries, within matrix and complex organizations incl. distributor markets
- Proven track record in business partnering
- Management experience
- Solid knowledge of Statutory accounting and tax implications
- Experience in Pharmaceutical business in general
- Expert level Excel and knowledge of at least one ERP Finance (SAP & TM1 are a plus)
- English Fluent (required); French & Arabic is a plus
- Excellent presentation and communication skills with the ability to simplify and structure messages to different layers of the organization