Associate Director/Director, Financial Planning & Analysis

Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage the execution of the annual budget, periodic forecasts, and long-range planning processes, including planning calendars, templates, assumptions, consolidation, analysis, and stakeholder coordination.
• Develop and maintain integrated financial models for operating expenses, headcount, cash requirements, and other key business drivers, with particular focus on research and development programs, clinical trials, and external vendor activity.
• Serve as a finance business partner to assigned functional and program leaders, translating operating plans into financial forecasts and providing timely, practical guidance on performance, risks, opportunities, and resource allocation.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly management reporting, budget-to-actual and forecast variance analyses, trend analyses, dashboards, and executive-ready narratives to support presentations to senior leadership and, as requested, the Board of Directors.
• Develop a detailed understanding of the Company’s pipeline, development plans, contractual commitments, workforce plans, and other value and cost drivers to improve forecast accuracy and decision support.
• Partner with clinical, research, program management, and accounting teams to monitor study and program spend, analyze CRO and other vendor forecasts, and align operational milestones with financial assumptions.
• Coordinate with accounting during monthly and quarterly close to ensure management reporting reflects complete and accurate financial results; provide forecast, commitment, accrual, and variance information without assuming ownership of accounting conclusions or the close process.
• Maintain clear reporting for purchase orders, contracts, headcount, and other financial commitments, and identify emerging deviations from approved plans for timely escalation and action.
• Support strategic analyses, scenario planning, capital allocation, financing and corporate development evaluations, and other special projects as directed.
• Help develop, document, and maintain scalable FP&A policies, procedures, calendars, data definitions, internal controls, and review protocols that support accurate, consistent, and audit-ready planning and reporting.
• Improve management reporting and planning processes through standardized models, automation, disciplined data governance, and effective use of ERP, planning, reporting, and visualization tools.
• Build effective working relationships across the organization, communicate financial concepts clearly to non-finance stakeholders, and promote accountability for budgets, forecasts, commitments, and operating performance.
• Contribute to the continued evolution of FP&A capabilities as the organization grows; direct reports may be added as business needs evolve.

Education and Experience

8-10 years of progressive FP&A, corporate finance, or related experience, including meaningful responsibility for budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, management reporting, and business partnering; prior experience in the life sciences or biotechnology industry is strongly preferred. Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics, business, or a related field required; MBA, CPA, or other relevant advanced credential is preferred.

Specialized Knowledge

• Demonstrated ability to manage annual budgets, rolling forecasts, long-range plans, and recurring management reporting in a dynamic, resource-constrained environment.
• Strong financial modeling and analytical skills, including the ability to connect operational assumptions, program timelines, headcount, contractual commitments, operating expenses, and cash requirements.
• Experience supporting research and development, clinical, or other technical organizations is strongly preferred, including familiarity with clinical trial cost drivers, CRO and vendor arrangements, and the drug development lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of U.S. GAAP and the relationship between FP&A processes, financial results, accruals, commitments, and internal controls; this role is not intended to own external reporting or technical accounting.
• Proven business-partnering skills and the ability to constructively challenge assumptions, influence outcomes without direct authority, and translate complex financial information into clear recommendations.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of concise, executive-level presentations and narratives for senior leadership and Board audiences.
• Excellent judgment, integrity, organization, and attention to detail, with the ability to take ownership of assigned areas, manage competing priorities, and deliver accurate work within demanding deadlines.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint and experience with ERP, planning, reporting, or visualization tools; experience with NetSuite and Planful, Adaptive Planning, or a similar platform is preferred.
• Experience building or improving FP&A processes, data models, systems, controls, and reporting in a growing or pre-commercial company is a plus.