Commercial Finance Manager

Are you a commercially minded finance professional who enjoys turning complex financial data into decisions that make a real difference?

We are looking for a Commercial Finance Manager to join Parexel and act as a trusted financial partner to our Commercial and Operational leadership teams.

This is much more than a traditional finance role. You will work closely with senior stakeholders across the business, using financial insight, commercial judgement and scenario modelling to shape decisions, strengthen client partnerships and improve the profitability of key client portfolios.

You will become a recognised commercial finance expert for your assigned clients, bringing together financial performance, pricing, forecasting and business intelligence to help teams make informed decisions and deliver sustainable growth.

You can work remotely or in a hybrid pattern in this role, which is connected to our Dublin office - you must live in Ireland. If you work remotely, we may occasionally ask you to come into the office for Team or Client meetings, but this is not frequent.

What you’ll do:

In this role, you will:

• Partner with Commercial, Portfolio, Business Operations and Finance leaders to improve the financial performance of key client accounts.
• Translate complex financial and commercial data into clear, actionable insights for senior stakeholders.
• Provide forward-looking financial analysis, scenario modelling and recommendations to support strategic decision-making.
• Develop a deep understanding of client economics, profitability drivers, revenue, costs and margin performance.
• Identify financial risks and opportunities across client portfolios and recommend actions to enhance profitability.
• Challenge and influence Commercial leadership where appropriate to ensure decisions balance client needs with Parexel’s financial objectives.
• Analyse actual and forecast performance, investigate variances and help drive corrective actions.
• Partner with Proposals & Contracts and Commercial teams on financial analysis and pricing for proposals, including complex, multi-million-dollar opportunities.
• Support the resolution of complex commercial finance issues, acting as a trusted escalation point where required.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and, where appropriate, directly with clients on financial and commercial matters.
• Support continuous improvement across Commercial Finance, helping simplify processes, strengthen financial discipline and embed best practices.

What we’re looking for:

We’re looking for someone who can combine strong financial expertise with genuine commercial judgement and stakeholder influence.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Approximately 6–10 years of progressive Finance experience, with a strong track record in commercial finance, financial analysis or business partnering.
• A degree in Finance, Accounting or a related discipline, with professional Accounting or Finance Qualification e.g. CIMA, ACA, ACCA or equivalent.
• Strong financial modelling and analytical skills, with the ability to identify the story behind the numbers.
• Experience supporting commercial decisions around areas such as pricing, profitability, forecasting, revenue and margin.
• The confidence to challenge assumptions, influence decision-making and have constructive conversations with senior stakeholders.
• Strong business partnering skills and the ability to build credibility with both Finance and non-Finance leaders.
• Experience working within a complex, matrixed and ideally global organisation.
• An ability to operate effectively when priorities are changing or information is incomplete.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex financial concepts clearly.
• Experience within the CRO, pharmaceutical, life sciences or another project-based professional services environment would be particularly valuable.

What will make you successful:

You’ll thrive in this role if you naturally look beyond reporting the numbers and ask “What does this mean for the business, and what should we do next?”

You will be comfortable moving between detailed financial analysis and strategic conversations with senior leaders. You’ll understand when to challenge, when to influence and when to propose a different commercial approach.

Most importantly, you’ll be able to balance customer needs with strong financial stewardship, helping Parexel build sustainable, profitable client partnerships.

If you’re looking for a role where you can combine finance, strategy, commercial partnership and influence, we’d love to hear from you!