Senior Manager - P2P Continuous Improvement Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Location Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Job ID R-233567

Date posted 17/08/2025

Job Title: Senior Manager - P2P Continuous Improvement

Career Level: E

Introduction to role:

Are you ready to inspire change and make a significant impact? As the Purchase to Pay Continuous Improvement Manager, you'll be at the forefront of enhancing AstraZeneca’s global P2P operations. This role is perfect for someone with advanced expertise and a curiosity about process excellence, efficiency, and quality. Collaborate with international teams and lead initiatives that transform our operations.

Accountabilities:

Continuous Improvement & Process Excellence

• Analyse end-to-end P2P processes to find opportunities for standardisation, simplification, automation, and efficiency gains.
• Lead or participate in improvement projects, delivering measurable results in straight-through processing (STP), reduced manual intervention, cost reduction, and enhanced quality.
• Collaborate closely with the P2P CI & Optimisation Lead to develop, plan, and implement global and regional improvement strategies and roadmaps.
• Champion the adoption and embedding of leading P2P practices, supporting change management and process harmonisation efforts.
• Gather and interpret operational data, using reporting tools (e.g., Celonis, PowerBI) to supervise KPIs, identify trends, root causes, and improvement areas.
• Develop high-quality cases for process improvement or automation opportunities, supporting prioritisation and collaborator engagement.
• Collaborate with business collaborators, process owners, regional teams, and partner functions to ensure local and global needs are appropriately balanced.
• Facilitate workshops and training sessions to increase process awareness, knowledge, and improvement culture within the P2P community.
• Support project teams, providing process expertise, documentation, and guidance.
• Supervise ongoing performance of improvement projects, reporting regularly on outcomes, impacts, and lessons learned.
• Apply Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, or other relevant methodologies to drive impactful and sustainable improvements.
• Support risk assessment activities and develop mitigation strategies in collaboration with the P2P CI & Optimisation Lead.

Essential Skills/Experience:

Education

• Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or similar.
• Other degrees considered with significant experience in Finance/P2P/AP.

Skills

• Strong process orientation and analytical attitude.
• Proficiency in KPI development, process measurement, and operational reporting.
• Demonstrated collaborator management and communication skills.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and a data-driven approach.
• Solid experience working in multicultural and virtual teams.
• Ability to independently handle priorities, deadlines, and workload.
• Strong facilitation skills, with experience leading workshops or training.
• Fluent written and verbal communication skills in English.

System / Process Specific

• SAP FICO Module (Accounts Payable / Finance and Accounting).
• Coupa / Ariba or other similar e-Procurement / P2P solution.
• Concur / Expense Management solution.
• Expert knowledge of Accounts Payable process (Invoice Processing / GRIR Movements / Payments / Treasury).
• General Accounting knowledge (Credits / Debits / Balance sheet reconciliations).
• Experienced user of Celonis, PowerBI or similar reporting tools.

Experience

• 5+ years’ working in Finance / Accounts Payable / Procurement / Procure to Pay.
• Hands-on experience in process improvement, change management, or operational excellence projects.
• Shown experience of P2P/AP processes, SAP (FICO) or comparable ERP systems, and e-Procurement tools (e.g., Coupa, Ariba).

Desirable Skills/Experience:

Desirable

• Lean, Six Sigma (Green Belt or above), or equivalent continuous improvement methodology.
• Project management skills.
• Experience with SAP MM (Material Management/Procurement) module.

Other Role Requirements

• Flexibility to travel and support activities in other AZ locations as needed.
• Willingness to work flexibly to accommodate business needs and support global teams.

Office Policy Statement:

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we ignite aggressive thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and aggressive world.

AstraZeneca offers an environment where you can delve into intellectually stimulating work. With a dedicated global team powering our enterprise forward, you'll be part of a dynamic environment that thrives on creativity and innovation. Here, you can take smart risks to turn ideas into reality while contributing to significant projects that impact patients' lives. With countless opportunities for growth and development, AstraZeneca is where you can build an unrivalled reputation.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now to join our team!

Date Posted

Closing Date

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.