Transversal Finance Lead

Job description

Reference Number: R2873854 Position Title: Transversal Finance Lead Department: Finances Canada Location: Toronto, Ontario (Hybrid) About Sanofi We’re an R&D-driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people’s lives and delivering compelling growth. Our deep understanding of the immune system –and innovative pipeline – enables us to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world. Together, we chase the miracles of science to improve people’s lives.​ We are committed to creating an engaging and all-inclusive culture that empowers individuals to unleash their talents & creativity and develop aspired skills. About the Job The Transversal Finance Lead – Canada is a newly created, future-ready finance leadership position that consolidates and elevates the finance function across Sanofi Canada. This position is the single point of financial leadership for all transversal, cross-GBU, and corporate finance matters in Canada, acting as the primary finance partner to the CFO Canada and GBU Finance Business Partners. The role is uniquely positioned at the intersection of finance modernization, digital/AI innovation, and hub partnership, driving the next generation of finance capabilities for Sanofi Canada (and Sanofi North America). The incumbent will serve as the architect of a modern, data-to-foresights driven finance function — embedding AI-powered P&L forecasting, leading legal entity governance, and championing the Bogotá Hub as a strategic delivery partner. Main responsibilities: Transversal & One-Canada Finance Lead Serve as the single transversal finance lead for Canada, ensuring a unified "One-Canada" financial view across all GBUs (Specialty Care, General Medicines, Vaccines) Coordinate legal entity oversight for all Canadian Sanofi entities, including statutory reporting, tax compliance coordination, and regulatory financial submissions. Lead corporate functions partnership (Legal, P&C, Procurement, HSE, Business Operations, Communications, Market Access & Pricing etc) as the primary finance interface, ensuring alignment of financial planning with Sanofi priorities Coordinate consolidated Canada-wide financial reporting: monthly actuals, rolling forecasts, Strategic Plan, and Budget Act as CFO Canada deputy for transversal financial matters; prepare and present consolidated Canada financials and analytics to senior leadership including Country Council Drive internal control excellence across all transversal finance processes; ensure zero material deficiencies and full audit readiness Lead and arbitrate cross-functional financial governance, resolving conflicts and aligning priorities across GBUs and corporate functions Champion the "One Finance" culture across Canada, standardizing processes, tools, and ways of working Digital / AI Capabilities Lead Own the digital and AI transformation agenda for Finance Canada, acting as the primary champion and delivery lead for technology-enabled finance capabilities Lead the design, deployment, and continuous improvement of AI-based P&L forecasting models for Canada, in partnership with Global Digital and Data Science teams Extend digital/AI capabilities beyond Finance — partnering with Commercial, Supply Chain, and Medical functions to embed data-driven decision-making across the affiliate Serve as the Canada Finance representative on global digital finance initiatives, ensuring local needs are reflected in global tool design and rollout Drive adoption of advanced analytics, automation, and self-service reporting tools (e.g., Power BI, AI-driven scenario planning) across the finance community Identify and pilot emerging AI use cases relevant to the Canadian market context (e.g., GTN optimization, demand forecasting, working capital analytics) Build digital fluency within the Finance team through training, upskilling, and change management Act as a thought leader and internal consultant on AI/digital finance topics for the broader Canada leadership team Bogotá Hub Collaboration Lead & GTN Transition Support Serve as the primary Canada finance liaison to the Bogotá Hub, ensuring effective collaboration, clear governance, and high-quality delivery of hub-supported finance activities Lead the transition of Gross-to-Net (GTN) processes to the Bogotá Hub, including scoping, knowledge transfer, process documentation, quality assurance, and stabilization Define and monitor service-level expectations with the Hub; establish KPIs and regular review cadences to ensure delivery quality and continuous improvement Partner with Hub leadership and Global Finance Operations to expand the scope of Hub-supported activities over time, identifying further opportunities for transversal finance tasks Ensure robust change management and communication for all Hub transition activities, maintaining team engagement and business continuity throughout Act as an escalation point for Hub-related issues impacting Canada finance operations CFO / GBU FBP Support Provide high-quality analytical and strategic support to the CFO Canada, including preparation of Executive-level financial presentations, ad hoc analyses, and scenario modelling Partner closely with GBU Finance Business Partners (Specialty Care, General Medicines, Vaccines) to ensure consistency of financial frameworks, assumptions, and reporting standards Support GBU FBPs in the preparation and challenge of Budget, Rolling Forecast, and Strategic Plan submissions, providing a transversal lens and identifying cross-GBU synergies or risks Lead or co-lead Canada-wide financial projects requiring cross-GBU coordination (e.g., Healthy Savings, cost optimization initiatives (T&E), M&A/BD support) Provide financial modelling and business case support for strategic investments, partnerships, and operational decisions Represent Finance Canada in North America and Global finance forums as delegated by the CFO Canada About you Required qualifications: Educational Background University degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field (required) MBA, CPA, CFA, or equivalent advanced qualification (preferred) Formal training or certification in data analytics, AI/ML applications in finance, or digital transformation (an asset) Professional Experience Minimum 10 years of progressive finance experience, including roles in FP&A, Corporate Finance, Finance Business Partnering, and/or Finance Operations Demonstrated experience leading finance transformation or digital/AI initiatives in a complex, multi-GBU or multinational environment Prior experience managing or collaborating with offshore/nearshore finance hubs (e.g., shared service centers, COEs) Proven track record of delivering through significant organizational change without direct authority Experience in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, or consumer health industry preferred Familiarity with GTN processes, legal entity management, and statutory reporting in Canada is a strong asset Major Skills and Competencies: Visionary digital mindset: genuine passion for AI, automation, and data-driven finance; ability to translate technology potential into practical business value Strong transversal leadership: ability to influence, align, and mobilize stakeholders across GBUs, corporate functions, and global teams without direct authority Advanced financial acumen: deep expertise in P&L management, forecasting, budgeting, and financial modelling Exceptional communication and storytelling skills: ability to synthesize complex financial data into clear, compelling narratives for senior executives High learning agility and comfort with ambiguity: thrives in a fast-changing environment and embraces new ways of working Strong project management skills: ability to manage multiple high-priority workstreams simultaneously with rigor and discipline Collaborative and inclusive leadership style: builds trust and fosters a culture of continuous