Financial Controller Pharma

Financial Controller — Milan (Hybrid, 3 days office / 2 days smart working) Our client is a global, research-driven specialty pharmaceutical company with a long-established Italian presence in Milan. The business is going through an exciting period of transformation, including a new ERP rollout, making this a genuine opportunity for a curious finance professional to grow into a true finance leader. The role Reporting to the Country Finance Lead and working closely with the cross-functional business team and Global Finance organisation, the Financial Controller will support all finance operations of the Italian business — covering accounting, controlling, analysis and business partnering. Key responsibilities FP&A: Prepare full financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow) and monitor KPIs to support strategic decision-making. Accounts Payable oversight: Supervise the Financial Shared Service Centre (FSSC) on invoice processing, manage vendor master data and ensure payments respect internal approval limits. Logistics controlling: Oversee inventory valuation, write-offs and warehouse movement reporting to maintain accurate records. Closing & accruals: Manage monthly closing, accrual accounting, payroll reconciliations and the fixed asset register. Reporting excellence: Deliver weekly, monthly and quarterly sales and OPEX reporting, ensuring accuracy in the consolidation system (Tagetik). Audit & compliance: Coordinate documentation for internal and external audits and handle requests from public authorities, in line with local GAAP. ERP integration: Act as a key contributor to the rollout and integration of the new SAP system. Budgeting & forecasting: Partner with the Finance Business Partner on budget submissions and month-end distribution to the business. What you'll bring Proven accounting / finance experience, ideally within an international or pharmaceutical environment. Strong knowledge of international finance standards and local GAAP, with a track record of facing audits. Hands-on experience with SAP (Tagetik and Esker an advantage). Excellent Excel skills (power-user level) and high-level command of Microsoft Office. Fluent written and spoken English (essential for this global environment); Italian native/fluent. Master's degree in Finance, Accounting or Financial Management would be ideal. Previous Big 4 experience is a plus. Structured, detail-oriented and analytical, able to solve complex problems under tight deadlines. Strong stakeholder management across diverse functional teams, with a high capacity for confidentiality. What's on offer Learning & development through a varied programme. A collaborative, inclusive working environment. Hybrid working — 3 days in the Milan office, 2 days smart working. Our client is an equal-opportunities employer committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.