Senior Financial Specialist

Job Description

Job Description:

The Senior Specialist in our Manufacturing Division, reporting to the Finance Director, will play a key role in supporting financial operations such as budgeting, forecasting, LROP, LRCP, month-end close, and actuals reporting. This position also involves partnering with various departments at the Wilson site to provide comprehensive financial support, including overseeing the capital investment process.

We offer a collaborative and forward-thinking work environment that values innovation and supports professional growth. Ideal candidates are eager to learn, possess strong technical skills, and are driven by integrity, curiosity, and commitment to teamwork. Our culture is built on mutual respect and encouragement, providing opportunities to work alongside talented colleagues and advancing your career within the organization.

We welcome energetic, motivated, and innovative individuals who are excited to join this dynamic phase of our manufacturing division, which is focused on preparing for future product launches. You will work with like-minded professionals in a modern setting, and your contributions will have a meaningful impact on our operations in Wilson NC, and across the globe.

This role will be part of the Finance team delivering finance support to Wilson site operations.

Key Responsibilities:

The FP&A Senior Specialist is responsible for supporting a diverse range of financial activities at the Wilson site. This includes providing financial oversight for production operations, leading capital planning process and offering support to departments such as Quality, Engineering, and Vaccines Manufacturing, as well as managing administrative financial matters for the office. Reporting to the Site Finance Lead, the analyst collaborates with the Finance team and operational groups to analyze and develop the financial data necessary to advance the company’s objectives. Our Manufacturing division Finance team member adds value for business partners by prioritizing FP&A functions such as forecasting, financial analysis, and management reporting, while maintaining a strong emphasis on capital management, accounting and compliance.

Responsibilities include:

·        Provision of accurate, timely, and reliable financial information

·        Ensure smooth monthly and quarterly financial closing and reporting processes

·        Support, analyze, and assist in preparing and reviewing the company’s annual budget and forecasts

·        Manage site expenditures in collaboration with budget owners, focusing on headcount, operating expense budgets, forecasting, and spending targets

·        Lead the site capital process, including leading the LRCP process, CRC/ECC site preparations, and active oversight of AuC (Assets under Construction)

·        Ensure accruals are completed promptly for both capital projects and expenses, and monthly financial adjustment are done timely

·        Provide financial stewardship for departments within scope (e.g., Quality, NASU, GSEC, RotaPod, Admin, and others ad hoc)

·        Lead the forecasting process for relevant departments in scope

·        Oversee regular headcount planning for departments in scope

·        Lead the IQV process, including handling disputes and inquiries,

·        lead accounting for inventory process as well as stockroom and spare parts management processes

·        Offer financial input and guidance to the site leadership team

·        Facilitate finance training sessions for the local site

·        Challenge and drive continuous improvement of existing processes through optimization, standardization, and stabilization

·        Maintain internal control and compliance by ensuring all activities adhere to internal control requirements and supporting internal and external audits, including SOX compliance

·        Respond to financial and tax requests from local authorities

Key Experience:

 

·        Understanding of planning, budget and forecasting processes

·        Understanding inventory accounting and manufacturing variances accounting

·        Knowledge of SAP preferable

·        Knowledge of MS Office products, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint

·        Experience with manufacturing operations and/or supply chain is desirable

·        Ability to create PowerBi reports is an advantage

·        Financial business partnering, minimum 3 years preferred

Personal Attributes:

 

·        Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

·        Passion about digital tools and innovative automated analysis ideas that add value

·        Excellent data analytics required alongside ability to take assumptions-based decisions

·        Pro-active attitude with an improvement mindset and strong analytical skills

·        Strong business collaboration through building positive working relationships

·        Business acumen, with the ability to engage people by making finance understandable

·        Analytical and problem-solving skills

·        Ability to learn quickly and use modern reporting tools (e.g. PowerBI).

·        Ability to manage change

·        Ability to prioritize tasks and work to tight deadlines

·        Ability to work independently and to be decisive in ambiguous environment

·        High self-motivation with curiosity

·        Ability to ask questions and be involved as a partner

Education:      

• Minimum of a Bachelors degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or similar

• A professionally qualified accountant with 3-5 years’ PQE ideally in a multinational manufacturing environment is an advantage

Required Skills:

Accountability, Accountability, Adaptability, Budgeting, Budget Management, Business Acumen, Business Partnerships, Capital Management, Capital Planning, Cash Management, Communication, Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A), Data Analytics, Data Visualization, Finance, Financial Analysis, Financial Modeling, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Headcount Management, Headcount Planning, Management Controls, Motivation Management, Preparation of Financial Reports, Quantitative Abilities, Self Motivation {+ 5 more}

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

The salary range for this role is

$104,200.00 - $163,900.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits.  Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
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:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

11/24/2025

*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.