Sr. Finance Director, Innovative Medicine UK and Ireland

Job Function

Finance

Job Sub Function

Finance Business Partners

Job Category

People Leader

All Job Posting Locations

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom

Job Description

Please note that our office will be relocating to central Maidenhead from October 2026. Applicants should ensure that this location is suitable for them.

Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine UK & Ireland is responsible for sales and marketing across two important markets, with close to $1 billion in Net Trade Sales. We are seeking an exceptional senior finance leader to set the financial direction of the business, enable sustainable growth and serve as a trusted strategic partner to senior leaders across the UK, Ireland and EMEA.

This is a high-impact role at the intersection of enterprise strategy, commercial decision-making, governance and people leadership. Reporting to the EMEA CFO for Innovative Medicine, you will be a member of the UK & Ireland Leadership Team and serve as a statutory director of Janssen-Cilag Ltd.

As Senior Finance Director, you will provide end-to-end financial leadership, direction and stewardship for Innovative Medicine UK & Ireland. You will translate enterprise and market strategy into clear financial choices, lead planning and performance, optimise resource allocation and working capital, and proactively manage risks and opportunities. You will also bring constructive challenge, commercial insight and an external perspective to decisions that shape patient access, portfolio value and long-term growth.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Strategy, Planning and Performance

• Own the financial leadership of the strategic plan, business plan, Integrated Business Plan, updates and quarterly Latest Thinking process.
• Turn complex market and business dynamics into robust scenarios, clear choices and actionable insights for the UK & Ireland Leadership Team and EMEA stakeholders.
• Lead periodic performance reviews and budget variance analysis, clearly articulating performance drivers, forward-looking implications, risks and opportunities.
• Guide the financial evaluation of transformation initiatives and sponsor compelling investment cases with senior leadership.
• Shape commercial decisions across pricing, target setting, resource allocation, portfolio trade-offs, turnarounds and risk management.
• Lead the finance contribution to Johnson & Johnson transformation programmes.

Strategic Business Partnership and Market Leadership

• Act as a trusted strategic partner to the UK & Ireland Leadership Team, departmental leaders, EMEA counterparts, local cross-sector leadership and global functions.
• Bring constructive challenge and identify value-creating opportunities that support sustainable growth.
• Advise on the financial dimensions of pricing agreements, VPAG negotiations, life sciences strategy opportunities and priority local initiatives.
• Drive delivery of business plan commitments across Sales, Headcount, Operating Expense, Free Cash Flow, Capital Expenditure and Days Sales Outstanding.
• Build credible external relationships, including the ABPI Finance Directors Forum and appropriate healthcare stakeholders.
• As a board member, sponsor strategic and operational priorities beyond Finance, including Security of Supply, and lead or contribute to EMEA and cross-sector initiatives.
• Ensure strong Finance partnership in Business Unit management meetings, Integrated Business Planning, Brand Plans, Board Reviews and Strategic Plans.

Governance, Compliance and Operational Excellence

• Provide oversight of all finance-related activities in close partnership with shared-service and specialist teams, including Tax, Treasury, Statutory Accounts and Legal Entity Accounting.
• Champion strong financial governance and accountability, ensuring adherence to Johnson & Johnson worldwide financial, HCBI, transparency and Business Conduct procedures.
• Ensure compliance with local regulatory requirements and lead the local team through internal and external audits.
• Maintain trusted relationships with external auditors and service providers, while ensuring the Credo is reflected in decisions and ways of working.

People and Organisational Leadership

• Provides direct and indirect leadership across the function, driving performance, capability development, and successful execution of strategic priorities.
• Build, develop and retain an inclusive, high-performing finance team with the capabilities to support today's business and tomorrow's opportunities.
• Create strong connectivity across Finance groups and serve as the single point of contact for the UK & Ireland Board and EMEA Finance.
• Lead with curiosity, courage and an external, customer-focused mindset; develop a clear perspective, influence outcomes and promote an agile test-learn-adapt culture.
• Coach and mentor key finance talent across EMEA, Innovative Medicine UK & Ireland and cross-sector Finance.
• Contribute as an active member of the Innovative Medicine EMEA Finance Leadership Team, advancing talent, culture, efficiency and effectiveness across the organisation.

Requirements/Experience

Experience and Expertise

• University degree in Business, Finance, Economics or a related discipline.
• 10-15 years of relevant business and finance experience; pharmaceutical industry knowledge is an advantage.
• Proven experience leading teams and partnering with senior business and functional leaders.
• Strong financial, digital and analytical capabilities with a record of delivering results.
• MBA, CMA and/or CPA qualification preferred.

Leadership Profile

• An enterprise-minded leader who combines strategic thinking with disciplined execution.
• Exceptional communication, influencing and framing skills.
• A collaborative working style and the confidence to challenge constructively.
• Demonstrated ability to create high-performing teams and develop people to their full potential.
• Comfort leading through complexity, ambiguity and change.
• Strong customer orientation, marketplace knowledge and business acumen.
• A visible commitment to quality, service, compliance and Credo-based leadership.Excellent command of English.

Why This Role

This opportunity offers the breadth of a market CFO role within a global healthcare organisation: significant commercial scale, board-level responsibility, direct influence on strategy and access, and the chance to shape an outstanding finance organisation. It is suited to a senior finance leader who wants to make a visible business impact while helping advance innovative medicines for patients across the UK and Ireland.

Required Skills

Preferred Skills

Budget Management, Business Savvy, Corporate Finance, Data Quality, Developing Others, Execution Focus, Expense Controls, Financial Analysis, Financial Forecasting, Financial Reports, Financial Risk Management (FRM), Inclusive Leadership, Internal Controls, Leadership, Risk Management, Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance, Succession Planning, Tactical Planning, Vendor Management