Associate Director Financial Planning & Analysis

Job Description

Job purpose

Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Cluster Finance Team is focused on providing financial perspectives and overall strategic and tactical support for better decision making to the Animal Health Commercial organization across the CEE countries.

This Associate Director FP&A role will be a senior position serving as a key finance business partner, working closely with the CEE commercial team with primary focus on Alliance Markets (distributor-driven markets: Ukraine, West Balkans, Baltic States and Bulgaria).

You will play a key role in shaping financial insights for markets with diverse operating models, including distributor-based setups and alliance partnerships.  

Requiring a strong understanding of commercial drivers, pricing structures, and market dynamics.

In this role you will be responsible for overseeing and supporting financial performance of the business ensuring; sustainable growth, profitability, and high standards of financial governance over controls and compliance.

The job requires preparing and analyzing monthly operating results, financial forecasts, and other reports for use within the CEE Cluster. Partnering and collaboration with different stakeholders and across team members is essential.

The successful candidate will work very closely with business to develop an excellent understanding of business, leading to a valued contribution to business decision-making.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

· Participate in and support the financial planning processes by providing timely analysis to commercial leads.

· Deliver management reporting and present the results with leadership team.

· Track performance against forecasts to understand and clearly articulate the drivers of performance.

· Evaluates cluster and country financial results to ensure optimization of resources – making trade-offs across the business to identify opportunities and ideas for ensuring the appropriate investments for maximized return.

· Act as trusted partner providing support to optimal business decisions with a comprehensive understanding of end-to-end company operations.

· Work collaboratively with different stakeholders across different functions and markets to align and deliver local market finance and business objectives.

· Be a “person-to-go” for diverse ad-hoc finance related questions.

· Ensure compliance with company policies and procedures and supports company mission, values and standards of ethics and integrity.

· Lead different projects and initiatives with focus on areas for improvement within the team and identify and drive efficiencies as appropriate.

· Bring a high level of energy and desire to contribute to the high performing finance team.

· Perform pricing, deal, and profitability analysis to support commercial initiatives and sustainable margin development

Skills and Competencies:

· Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance or related field.

· Minimum 5 years of relevant Finance experience.

· Advanced level spreadsheet skills and PC literacy (SAP Knowledge is an advantage).

· Strong business acumen and working knowledge of applications/business processes.

· Works effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, under pressure and with a high degree of professionalism and independently, capable of handling multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.

· Highly engaged, collaborative and a strong team player able to create positive relationships across teams and functions.

· Strong communication (written and spoken), interpersonal, and organization skills required.

· Business-level English skills (speaking and writing) required.

· Comfortable working in a fast paced, cross border CEE environment.

Travel Requirements:

25% (depending on the location)

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Required Skills:

Budget Management, Commercial Awareness, Finance Strategy, Financial Business Planning, Financial Forecasting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Planning Budgeting And Forecasting (PBF), Preparation of Financial Reports, Profit and Loss (P&L) Analysis, Strategic Thinking

Preferred Skills:

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Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

11/5/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.