At Astellas we are a progressive health partner, delivering value and outcomes where needed.
We pursue innovative science, focussing initially on the areas of greatest potential and then developing solutions where patient need is high, often in rare or under-served disease areas and in life-threatening or life-limiting diseases and conditions.
We work directly with patients, doctors and health care professionals on the front line to ensure patient and clinical needs are guiding our development activities at every stage.
Our global vision for Patient Centricity is to support the development of innovative health solutions through a deep understanding of the patient experience. At Astellas, Patient Centricity isn’t a buzzword - it’s a guiding principle for action. We believe all staff have a role to play in creating a patient-centric culture and integrating an awareness of the patient into our everyday working practices, regardless of our role, team or division.
We work closely with regulatory authorities and payers to find new ways to ensure access to new therapies. We deliver the latest insights and real-world evidence to inform the best decisions for patients and their care-givers, to ensure the medicines we develop continue to provide meaningful outcomes.
Beyond medicines, we support our stakeholder communities to drive initiatives that improve awareness, education, access and ultimately standards of care.
The Opportunity:
The Payroll and Cost Controller is a key global role responsible for the end-to-end accounting of payroll and payroll-related costs across all Astellas Affiliates. This includes salaries, bonuses, vacation accruals, social taxes, benefits, and share-based compensation.
Acting as a central point of control and expertise, the role partners closely with HR and other stakeholders to ensure payroll accounting is accurate, compliant, well-controlled, and fully auditable. The position plays a critical role in ensuring payroll-related liabilities on the balance sheet are correctly evidenced and governed, and serves as a focal point for payroll controls, audits, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Strong, hands-on payroll accounting experience is essential for success in this role.
Hybrid Working:
At Astellas we recognise the importance of balancing your work and home life, so we offer a hybrid working solution allowing time to connect with colleagues in person at the office alongside the flexibility to work from home; optimising the most productive work environment for you to succeed and deliver.
Key Responsibilities:
- Act as Controller for all payroll-related journal entries received from third-party payroll vendors across all Affiliates
- Partner closely with the HR function to ensure seamless, accurate end-to-end payroll and benefit accounting processes
- Provide oversight and approval of payroll payments, acting as the central approver for centralized payroll payment processing
- Manage and book global corporate bonus accruals (short-term and long-term incentive plans) into Affiliate accounts using standardized data and processes
- Book share-plan accruals in line with global standards
- Ensure social taxes are correctly accrued and booked in compliance with local regulations
- Book HR benefit recharges in accordance with corporate policy
- Oversee corporate payroll balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring accuracy and completeness
- Contribute to the Project Tomorrow recharges process, ensuring appropriate mark-ups are correctly applied
- Serve as the key contact for J-SOX/SOX controls and audit requests related to payroll and benefits accounting
- Drive continuous improvement, supporting efficiency, compliance enhancements, and finance transformation initiatives.
Essential Knowledge & Experience:
- Strong, hands-on experience in payroll accounting, including payroll journals, accruals, social taxes, benefits, and balance sheet reconciliations
- Proven experience partnering closely with HR to ensure accurate end-to-end payroll and benefits accounting
- Solid background in General Ledger accounting with a strong focus on payroll-related entries
- Experience acting as a control owner for payroll processes, including audit readiness and compliance
- Advanced proficiency in English and preferably the local language as well (spoken and written)
Preferred Knowledge & Experience:
- Solid experience in accounting, bookkeeping, or payroll-controlling roles
- Experience working in a multinational, matrix organization with global or regional scope
- Proven exposure to external audits, tax authorities, and internal control frameworks (J‑SOX / SOX)
- Familiarity with Shared Service Centres or Global Capability Centre operating models
- Experience supporting or contributing to finance transformation or process improvement projects
Education:
- University degree in accounting, Finance, Economics, or a related field
- Professional accounting or payroll-related certifications are an advantage
Additional Information:
This is a permanent role based in our Global Capability Centre in Warsaw, Poland and hybrid working with the expectation for some office presence. Flexibility may be required in line with business need. Candidates must be located within a commutable distance of the office
Astellas’ Global Capability Centres – Overview:
Astellas’ Global Capability Centre’s (GCCs) are strategically located sites that give Astellas the ability to access talent across various functions in the value chain and to co-locate core capabilities that are currently dispersed. Our three GCCs are located in India, Poland and Mexico.
The GCCs will enhance our operational efficiency, resilience and innovation potential, enabling a timely response to changing business demands.
Our GCCs are an integral part of Astellas, guided by our shared values and behaviors, and are critical enablers of the company’s strategic priorities, sustainable growth, and commitment to turn innovative science into VALUE for patients.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Beware of recruitment scams impersonating Astellas recruiters or representatives. Authentic communication will only originate from an official Astellas LinkedIn profile or a verified company email address. If you encounter a fake profile or anything suspicious, report it promptly to LinkedIn's support team through LinkedIn Help.
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