This content provides a comprehensive guide to interview preparation for roles at Bristol Myers Squibb's (BMS) Global Capability Center (GCC), focusing on common questions related to finance operations, shared services, and SOX compliance.
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Bristol Meyer Squib BMS campus and
off-campus interview preparation.
Welcome back to the channel. Today we're
covering Bristol Myers Squib, one of the
world's biggest biioarma companies known
for its advanced shared services model,
strong SOX framework and global finance
operations. The Indian Global Capability
Center, GCC supports processes across
RTR, FPNA, intercomp, supply chain
finance, R&D, accounting, SOX controls,
testing, and financial reporting. These
questions are designed using research
plus internal benchmarks. So, use them
as a complete preparation guide. Let's begin.
begin.
Tell me about your understanding of BMS
and its global shared services model.
Sample answer. BMS is a global
biioharmaceutical company focused on
oncology, immunology and cardiovascular
therapies. Its shared services center
supports multi-country finance processes
like RTR, FPNA, intercomp, socks
testing, master data governance and
operational accounting. The GCC model
helps standardize processes, improve
compliance, and create scalability. I
understand that the role requires
accuracy, strong process discipline, and
working across time zones. Key point
include BMS's global presence, pharma
complexity, and SSC process standardization.
standardization.
What experience do you have working in a
shared services or captive finance
center? Sample answer. I highlight tasks
like monthend close, reconciliation, J
posting, variance analysis, or socks
documentation. I explain how
standardized processes, SLAs's, and
cross-country interactions shaped my
discipline in meeting deadlines. Even if
I lack direct experience, I will
internship industry exposure to SSC
style work. Key point mention structured
processes SLAs's crossf functional coordination.
coordination.
How do you ensure accuracy and
completeness in monthly closing
activities? Sample answer. I follow
checklists, verify data sources,
reconcile balances, review acrruels,
validate J support and doublech checkck
mappings. I make sure that dependencies
like AP, AR and intercomp are closed
before RTR activities. I always review
after posting to confirm system updates.
Key point, always include checklists,
reconciliations, dependencies, and
review steps. What steps would you take
to handle tight timelines during
monthend close? Sample answer. I
prioritize critical path activities
first. prepare schedules in advance,
maintain daily tracking and escalate
delays early. I also coordinate with
onshore teams for clarifications and
ensure zero last minute surprises
through proper planning. Key point: Show
structured planning and proactive communication.
communication.
How do you perform balance sheet
reconciliations and identify
unreconciled items? Sample answer. I
compare GL balances with supporting
subleddger or schedules. Identify aging
or unexplained variances and investigate
using transaction drill downs. I
classify differences into timing errors
or missing entries and document action
points clearly in the reconciliation
template. Key point mention mapping,
aging, investigation and documentation
so on. What controls do you test when
preparing or reviewing journal entries?
Sample answer. I verify authorization
levels, support documents, compliance
with accounting policy, proper GL coding
and reviewer signoffs. I ensure no
manual Jespass workflow and check
segregation of duties. Key point always
emphasize support, approval, and policy
compliance. End.
How do you review and validate acrruels
during month end? Sample answer. I
compare current expenses with historical
patterns, validate pending invoices,
check GR, IR and confirm estimates with
business inputs. I also ensure reversals
are recorded in the next period to avoid
double counting. Key point, mention
reasonability analysis plus reversals.
What procedures do you follow to perform
intercomp reconciliations?
Sample answer. I match receivable
payable balances, verify currency
conversions, compare transaction level
details, and coordinate with counterpart
teams to resolve mismatches. Any FX
impact or pricing differences are
documented and escalated if needed. Key
point, stress communication and cross
team alignment.
How do you deal with unresolved
intercomp mismatches close to reporting
deadlines? Sample answer. I escalate
early, create materiality based
prioritization, pass temporary
adjustments if approved, and document
open items with reasoning. I ensure
later true-ups are booked accurately.
Key point: Include escalation plus
temporary adjustments framework. What
steps do you take to ensure compliance
with accounting policies and SOPs?
Sample answer. I follow standard
templates, check every J and
reconciliation against written SOPs,
keep updated with policy changes, and
attend mandatory trainings. Any
deviation is documented and approved.
Key point, reference SOP adherence plus
change management. How would you review
P&L variances and identify root causes?
Sample answer. I compare actuals versus
budget versus prior periods. Check major
drivers like volumes, pricing, FX,
one-off items, and accounting errors. I
validate with business stakeholders to
confirm the business rationale. Key
point. Mention structured variance
analysis with stakeholder confirmation.
How do you handle recurring versus
non-recurring items during FPNA
reporting? Sample answer. I separate
them clearly using templates. Tag
exceptional items. Ensure they don't
distort run rate analysis and explain
the business impact in management
commentary. Key point. Distinguish
recurring versus exceptional clearly.
What is your approach to preparing and
reviewing cash flow statements? Sample
answer. I reconcile net profit with
operating cash flows, adjust for
non-cash items, validate working capital
movements, and match investing financing
flows with supporting data such as FA
schedules or debt reports. Key point:
mention indirect method plus linkage to
BS schedules.
How do you audit fixed assets,
additions, disposals, and depreciation?
Sample answer. I verify capitalization
policies, check invoices, review useful
life assumptions, test depreciation
recalculations, and reconcile FA
register to GL for disposals. I test
gain loss computation. Key point stress
capitalization versus expense plus FA GL reconciliation.
reconciliation.
What procedures do you follow to review
capital work in progress? Sample answer.
I check project status, aging of CWIP,
pending capitalization,
actual versus budget, and ensure costs
are directly attributable. I escalate
old CWIP with no movement. Key point.
Include aging plus pending
capitalization review. How do you audit
inventory balances and valuation for a
pharma company? Sample answer. I verify
batch costing, standard cost versus
actual variance, expiry handling, sample
destruction policies, and review WIPFG
valuation based on stage of completion.
Key point mention expiry, batch costing,
and provisions.
What steps do you take to validate
standard costs and manufacturing
overhead allocations? Sample answer. I
check cost buildup, overhead pools,
allocation bases, absorption variances,
and compare actual versus standard. I
also check whether variances are settled
correctly. Key point, emphasize
allocation logic plus variance review.
How do you ensure compliance with IFRS
US GAAP as in shared service reporting?
Sample answer. I follow accounting
manuals, review policy memos, compare
transactions with the relevant GAP
rules, and ensure disclosure
requirements are met. Any deviation is
escalated to technical accounting. Key
point: mention policy memos plus escalation.
escalation.
What controls do you review to validate
completeness and accuracy of financial
reporting packages? Sample answer. I
check mandatory fields, mapping tables,
supporting schedules, reviewer signoffs,
and ensure numbers tie across P&L, BS,
CF, and notes. Key point: stress
cross-statement consistency. How do you
handle updates or changes in accounting
standards? Sample answer. I attend
training, read technical updates, assess
impact areas, update SOPs, modify
templates, and ensure changes reflect in
J reconciliations and disclosures. Key
point. Mention training plus SOP update. C.
C.
What steps do you take to audit R&D
expenses and clinical trial approvals?
Sample answer. I verify contracts with
CRO's, check project progress, validate
site level expenses, ensure
milestone-based approvals, and review
historical accuracy of estimates. Key
point: include milestone-based approval
testing. How do you perform internal
controls testing in a socks environment?
Sample answer. I test design and
operating effectiveness, verify
evidence, check user access controls,
review approvals, and document test
results as per SOCKS methodology. Key
point: mention design plus operating effectiveness.
effectiveness.
What procedures do you follow to
evaluate it dependent controls in shared
services? Sample answer. I review system
configurations, access rights, automated
workflows, audit trails, and interface
controls. I confirm no override risks
exist. Key point: mention access
configurations and audit trail. How do
you manage process documentation, SOP
updates, and change controls? Sample
answer. I maintain version control.
Update SOPs when policy/process
changes occur. Perform annual review and
obtain stakeholder approval before
publishing. Key point: highlight version
control plus approvals.
How do you prioritize tasks when
supporting multiple countries or
business units? Sample answer. I follow
a priority matrix based on deadlines,
criticality, and dependencies. I
communicate schedules early with
stakeholders and adjust workloads where
needed. Key point: emphasize
prioritization and stakeholder alignment.
alignment.
What KPIs do you track for RTR or FPNA
performance? Sample answer. In RTR, I
track metrics like on-time close,
reconciliation, aging, J accuracy, open
items, and audit issues. In FPNA, I
track forecast accuracy, variance
explanations, cycle time efficiency, and
quality of management insights. I always
follow BMS defined SLA and KPI
dashboards for consistency. Key point,
mention accuracy, timeliness, and
reconciliation metrics.
How do you handle stakeholder
communication with onshore finance
teams? Sample answer. I maintain
structured communication, daily, weekly
syncs, timely email updates, clear
status trackers, and early escalation of
risk areas. I ensure everything is
documented because BMS follows strict
audit and compliance expectations across
regions. Key point, stress, clarity,
frequency, and proactive escalation. End.
End.
What steps do you take to investigate
material variances during management reporting?
reporting?
Sample answer. I break variances into
components. Volume, rate, one-offs, FX,
business drivers, or accounting errors.
Then I validate with business partners
or country finance teams. After root
cause identification, I update
commentary in a simple narrative format
for management. Key point mention
variance decomposition plus stakeholder validation.
validation.
How do you support budgeting and
forecasting activities in an SSC
environment? Sample answer. I gather
inputs from different departments,
validate assumptions, update templates,
run whatif scenarios, and ensure
timelines are met. I reconcile final
numbers with historical data and present
clear variance explanations. Key point
show structured consolidation plus
assumption validation.
What procedures do you follow to
validate cost allocations across
business units? Sample answer. I verify
cost drivers, allocation logic, mapping
rules and allocation pools. I reperform
calculations and compare outcomes with
prior periods for consistency. Any
unusual swings are discussed with
controlling teams. Key point mention
cost driver validation plus consistency
checks. How do you review rebate
acrruels, chargebacks or pricing
adjustments in pharma? Sample answer. I
validate contracts, recalculate rebate
formulas, check historic patterns and
compare acrruels with actual
settlements. I ensure cutoff accuracy
and documentation completeness because
pharma rebates can materially impact
margins. Key point include contractbased
recalculation plus cutoff testing.
What steps do you follow to audit vendor
payments and procurement accounting?
Sample answer. I check three-way match,
POGR, invoice, payment approvals, vendor
master controls, and aging of unpaid
invoices. I also ensure no duplicate
payment risk exists through system
validations. Key point, always mention
three-way match plus master data controls.
controls.
How do you ensure compliance with
internal audit and risk management recommendations?
recommendations?
Sample answer. I track findings,
implement corrective actions, document
controls, and ensure closure evidence is
uploaded. For high-risk items, I
schedule follow-up reviews and report
progress to governance teams. Key point,
highlight tracking, plus closure documentation.
documentation.
How do you manage the approval workflow
for journals, reconciliations, or APA
items? Sample answer. I ensure approval
tiers are followed, documentation is
attached, workflows are system logged
and segregation of duties is maintained.
Any exceptions require documented
justification. Key point mention
workflow discipline and SOD compliance.
End. What procedures do you follow to
ensure data integrity across multiple
ERP modules? Sample answer. I validate
interface controls, reconcile module
balances with GL, check for failed
postings, and ensure correct master data
mapping. I monitor system exceptions and
correct them promptly. Key point: stress
interface accuracy, plus automatic
posting checks. How do you audit foreign
currency transactions and translation
adjustments? Sample answer. I reperform
FX revaluation, verify exchange rates
used, check unrealized gain loss
postings and ensure consolidation
translation rules are correct. I also
validate exposures with treasury data.
Key point mention revaluation testing
plus rate validation.
What steps do you take to test the
accuracy of revenue accounting and
unearned revenue? Sample answer. I
reconcile booking systems with GL,
validate cutoff, test deferred revenue
based on delivery of performance
obligations and confirm correct
amortization logic. I ensure no
premature revenue is recognized. Key
point mention reconciliation plus
performance obligation testing.
How do you ensure proper segregation of
duties in shared service processes?
Sample answer. I ensure the same user
does not raise approve and post entries.
I check system access periodically and
validate user role changes during
onboarding offboarding. Key point
highlight SOD user access review.
What steps would you take to prevent and
detect fraud in financial operations?
Sample answer. I monitor exception
reports. Test unusual transactions.
Check duplicate payments. Validate
manual journals and ensure blacklisted
vendor controls. I report anomalies
immediately to governance. Key point
mention exception reports and manual J testing.
testing.
How do you audit travel and expense
claims and employee reimbursement
policies, sample answer, I check policy
compliance, receipt validation,
duplicate claim detection and approval
workflow. I also review samples for
high-risk categories like travel,
hotels, or entertainment. Key point:
emphasize policy adherence plus sample testing.
testing.
What would you do if you found a major
control gap during socks testing? Sample
answer. I document the gap clearly, test
compensating controls, escalate
immediately, quantify potential impact,
and collaborate with process owners to
fix the issue before year end. Key
point: mention documentation,
escalation, and remediation. End. How do
you maintain audit readiness for
internal, external, and compliance
audits? Sample answer. I ensure all
reconciliations. Jes and documentation
are updated monthly. Maintain a clean
audit trail. Store evidence in
centralized folders and proactively
prepare schedules required by auditors.
Key point stress monthly discipline plus
clean documentation
slash. What steps do you take to handle
high volume reconciliations efficiently?
Sample answer. I automate using Excel
ERP tools. Use aging buckets. Classify
reconciling items and prioritize
material accounts. I maintain trackers
for open items with deadlines. Key point
mention automation and aging analysis.
How do you ensure documentation quality
for audit and compliance requirements?
Sample answer. I follow standardized
templates, attach all supporting
documents, ensure version control and
include clear reviewer comments.
Highquality documentation is critical in
BMS due to socks. Key point, mention
template discipline plus completeness.
How do you handle escalations from
onshore teams about process delays?
Sample answer, I acknowledge early.
Provide revised timelines, explain
constraints factually, and prioritize
critical items. Postclosure, I perform
root cause analysis to prevent
recurrence. Key point: Emphasize
transparency plus corrective action.
What steps do you take to analyze and
report financial insights to the
business? Sample answer. I analyze
trends, compare actuals with forecasts,
identify unusual movements, and prepare
dashboards. I convert numbers into
simple business narratives for better
decision-making. Key point: Show ability
to convert data into insights.
How do you identify automation or
process improvement opportunities in RTR
or FPNA? Sample answer. I review
repetitive tasks. Look for manual
intervention points. Suggest macros or
ERP enhancements. Create templates and
propose standardization across regions.
Key point. Mention standardization plus
automation mindset.
How do you ensure smooth handoff between
AP, AR, RTR, and FPNA teams during close
cycles? Sample answer. I coordinate
deadlines, share dependencies, set clear
cutoff times, and maintain shared
trackers. Early alignment prevents
bottlenecks in close. Key point mention
cross teamam alignment. How do you
maintain controls and accuracy when
adopting new tools, automations or
workflows? Sample answer. I perform UAT,
validate results with old reports,
verify configurations, check user access
during migration and ensure no data
mismatch. Documentation is updated
immediately. Key point, mention UAT plus
reconciliation during migration.
How would you design a riskbased audit
plan for recurring activities in a
shared services center?
Sample answer. IMAP processes. Identify
high-risk areas like Jes, intercomp, FX,
and inventory. Review past audit
findings. Assess control maturity and
allocate more testing effort to high
impact items. Medium low-risk items
follow samplebased testing. Key point
include risk mapping plus resource prioritization.
prioritization. Dot.
Dot.
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