Senior Accountant

Position Overview:

We are in search of a Senior Accountant to join our finance team. The Senior Accountant will serve as a key liaison between the finance teams and third-party vendors/Shared Service Center (SSC) to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting of multiple entities in the Putnam group. This role is responsible for managing outsourced accounting services and aligning vendor outputs with internal reporting needs. The individual will support month-end reporting processes, including the consolidation of trial balances, intercompany reconciliations, and preparation of supporting schedules. The ideal candidate will be proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of providing strategic insight to business stakeholders.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Vendor and SSC Oversight

• Manage relationships with SSC and third-party vendors responsible for journals, payroll processing, accounts receivable/payable and account reconciliations
• Ensure that vendor deliverables align with internal reporting requirements and deadlines
• Act as a liaison between vendors and Agency accounting stakeholders to resolve discrepancies and clarify expectations

Month-End Reporting and Consolidation

• Upload trial balances from local entities into the consolidation system and ensure timely submission
• Complete and submit supporting schedules such as aged accrued income, deferred income, accrual provision worksheets, and intercompany worksheets
• Review consolidated results and identify and resolve intercompany variances and mismatches in reported internal revenue & cost recharges
• Maintain schedules on month-end business accruals, including discretionary bonuses, vacation balances, tax accruals, and IFRS adjustments
• Maintain schedules in accordance with internal control and SOX requirements

Revenue and Business Unit Support

• Oversee internal revenue recognition alignment and ensure reporting reflects accurate intercompany relationships
• Partner with account and project teams to validate revenue and costs, monitor KPIs, and ensure accuracy in billing and forecasting

Financial Analysis and Reporting

• Analyze variances between actuals and budget/forecast and investigate discrepancies proactively
• Prepare internal financial reports and dashboards using Excel and/or BI tools (e.g., Power BI)
• Support the development and maintenance of financial models for scenario planning and forecasting

Audit and Compliance

• Assist in preparation for internal and external audits, including supporting documentation and audit schedules
• Ensure adherence to internal controls, corporate policies, and applicable accounting standards
• Propose and implement corrective actions to address any identified compliance gaps

Process Improvement and Systems

• Identify opportunities to improve financial processes and reporting efficiency
• Contribute to automation efforts through ERP functionality and reporting tools
• Maintain and enhance financial systems and participate in system upgrades or implementations

Additional Responsibilities

• Perform other duties as assigned by the CFO or Financial Controller

Qualifications

• CA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified or at final stages of certification (required)
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• Minimum 4 years of progressive accounting experience, ideally in a multinational or agency environment
• Advanced proficiency in Excel; experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and BI tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) is a strong advantage
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to both detail and big-picture context
• Effective communicator who can explain financial matters clearly to non-financial stakeholders
• A keen interest in the detail whilst being able to see the big picture
• Able to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines in a dynamic environment
• Demonstrate an understanding of the Agency objectives and the impact on finance priorities
• Comfortable operating independently while collaborating effectively across teams

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive compensation packages 
• Professional growth and promotion opportunities
• Working in a team-based environment on a global scale
• Hybrid working model
• Great benefits [paid time off, pension benefits, health and wellness, and more

Company Description

Putnam, an Inizio Advisory company, is a leading scientific and strategic consulting partner that helps the global life science community make confident, impactful decisions and develop bespoke solutions that support bringing life-changing innovations to clinicians and patients. For more than 30 years, we’ve taken a client-centric approach uniquely combining our strategic mindset and global cross-functional capabilities to deliver unrivaled depth across therapeutic areas, healthcare sectors, and technology platforms to maximize the human impact and commercial success of client innovations.

We believe that to create real, lasting change on human health, we must bring out the best in our people, in every way and at every level. We offer a boutique-firm feel inside a global enterprise, opening the door to limitless opportunities to kickstart your career or hone your expertise. Built on the pillars of empowerment, collaboration, and meaning, we’re proud to offer a fulfilling environment where world-class advisors can come together to shape the future of healthcare for the better.

Serving the life sciences industry, including the top 20 global biopharmaceutical companies, consistently ranked as one of the top consulting firms by Vault, and maintaining a true global team of experts with 400+ talented team members sitting across 3 continents, we offer a unique opportunity to play a central role in supporting our clients.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are tenets of our core values. We strive to create a culture and environment that fosters belonging and authenticity across all levels and values individuals for their skills, experience, diverse backgrounds, and unique perspectives. Collectively, DEI serves as a foundational element of who we are and how we work with our clients and with each other.

Our core values:

• Team
• Excellence
• Strategic
• Passion
• Diversity

We are proudly part of Inizio Advisory, a trusted advisor for pharmaceutical and life science companies that turns science into strategy, supporting execution at every stage of the product and patient journey from early commercialization to launch and beyond. Offering market research and insights; strategy, people and transformation consulting; and commercial benchmarking delivered through sector specific connected solutions and intelligence, Inizio Advisory helps create long-term value for clients and their patients.

This is an Equal Employment Opportunity

Don't meet every job requirement? That's okay! Our company is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. If you're excited about this role, but your experience doesn't perfectly fit every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right person for this role or others.