Meet Tina Huang: Senior Manager, Finance

I am Tina Huang. I have been with Parexel since 2015, and I am a Senior Manager in the Project Finance Excellence Group located in the Taipei office.

What does a day as a Finance Manager look like?

I manage a team of five Project Financial Analysts, who primarily work on Enterprise projects. What I do daily changes depending on where we are in the month.

• One of the Financial Analysts’ core responsibilities is monthly revenue recognition and forecasting. During that period, I will work with my team to ensure that revenue is properly recognized at the project level, all necessary controls and checks are completed, and any variance anomalies are analyzed and explained. Project revenue is key, as these numbers are reported each month to upper management and compared to our forecasted targets.
• During other times in the month, I will support my team and help them deal with any issues on projects (i.e., sponsor requests, invoicing errors, project margin maintenance, etc.)
• As a people manager, another key part of my role is to help my team members gain experience and develop skills that further advance their careers.

When did you join Parexel, and why did you choose Parexel above our competitors?

I joined Parexel in mid-2015. I previously worked in Public Accounting in the US and returned to Taiwan after 10 years in the US. I did not know much about the CRO or the Pharma Industry. But I had a family member already working in Parexel, and she recommended Parexel to me. She thought it would be a good fit, since I was looking for a company that had an international presence and a good work culture.

What skills are needed to be successful in a Finance role at Parexel?

Being a problem solver, analytical thinker and good communicator are key to success as a manager of a project financial analyst team.

How do you support your team members to be successful?

I optimize the opportunities available for my team members to help them develop their careers in the direction they would like to go. Whether it is finding new challenging projects or initiatives for them to work on, or helping them get the career advancement they are working for.

How would you describe what it’s like to work at Parexel?

Parexel is a great place to work. There is a culture of respect and openness. The people make Parexel a great place to work. I really enjoy collaborating with my team members in project finance, as well as the project leaders with whom I have had a chance to partner.

Share a moment where you have gained a real sense of job satisfaction?

As a member of the Finance team, I sometimes get the opportunity to provide training to colleagues in other departments. One of the trainings I recently facilitated was the Business Acumen training for Project Leaders. It was great to engage with non-finance colleagues and work together to help Parexel achieve its financial goals. I was very encouraged by the level of interest and commitment of the participants to increasing their financial knowledge.

How has Parexel supported your career development?

I have had multiple roles and opportunities to advance my career and skillset, both horizontally and vertically.

• I started at Parexel as a Finance Business Partner (now known as Financial Analyst).
• After about 2.5 years, I volunteered to be one of the APAC project finance representatives for the Order to Cash initiative. The goal was to assist with the implementation and adoption of a new revenue recognition methodology at Parexel.
• Shortly after that, I officially joined the O2C team as a Change Champion and became a trainer and SME for the program. I had the opportunity to travel to Parexel's office in Billerica, Massachusetts, twice as part of the O2C team, which was a unique opportunity to meet fellow O2C team members.
• After the new revenue recognition program was fully adopted and had been implemented for around 2 years, I had the opportunity to further develop my career and rejoin the Project Finance team as a Finance Manager.

What do you enjoy when you’re not at work?

When I have the time, I enjoy cooking, experimenting with new recipes and baking as well.