Director of Finance

Role Overview

The Director of Finance is responsible for leading the day-to-day Finance function and ensuring that accounting, reporting, forecasting, controls, audit, tax coordination, treasury, and finance operations are executed accurately and on time. This role operates with substantial independence, resolves issues at the Finance level before escalation, and serves as the primary operational point of contact for internal stakeholders and external finance partners.

Key Responsibilities

Finance Operations, Month-End Close & Accounting Ownership

• Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process from close calendar through final financial statements.
• Direct the full-cycle accounting function including general ledger, AP, AR, cash application, payroll accounting, bank reconciliations, accruals, prepaids, fixed assets, and intercompany activities.
• Review and approve journal entries, account reconciliations, and material accounting estimates in compliance with U.S. GAAP.
• Own inventory and cost accounting including valuation, reserves, standard versus actual costing, manufacturing variances, overhead allocation, and margin analysis.
• Establish and enforce close deadlines and service expectations across Finance and cross-functional contributors.

Financial Reporting, Technical Accounting & Management Reporting

• Own preparation, review, and tie-out of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and management reporting packages.
• Research and document accounting conclusions for non-routine or complex transactions.
• Prepare monthly variance analysis, KPI reporting, operating commentary, and decision-ready explanations of material changes.
• Maintain financial reporting policies, accounting memos, supporting schedules, and documentation standards.

Budgeting, Forecasting, FP&A & Board Support

• Own the annual budget process and rolling forecasts including departmental inputs, revenue and gross margin assumptions, opex planning, headcount planning, capex, and cash flow forecasts.
• Lead monthly forecast-to-actual and budget-to-actual reviews with department leaders.
• Develop financial models and scenario analyses for strategic initiatives, pricing, capacity, capital investments, and equipment financing.
• Prepare Finance sections of Board and senior leadership materials.
• Respond to follow-up questions from senior leadership with complete supporting analysis and recommendations.

Treasury, Cash Flow & Working Capital

• Own short- and medium-term cash forecasting and provide regular liquidity updates.
• Oversee banking administration, cash positioning, payment controls, and treasury processes.
• Drive working-capital performance through oversight of collections, aged receivables, vendor payment timing, and inventory-related cash impacts.
• Coordinate lender, banking, equipment-financing, and other finance-provider information requests.

Internal Controls, Audit & Compliance

• Own the Finance internal control framework across accounting, payroll, revenue, expenditures, inventory, cash, and financial reporting.
• Serve as primary day-to-day Finance lead for external and internal audits including PBC lists, audit schedules, and resolution of auditor questions.
• Review and approve sensitive or higher-risk transactions within delegated authority.
• Identify control deficiencies, develop remediation plans, and track completion.
• Ensure financial processes support regulatory and pharmaceutical-industry requirements including SOX-style controls and FDA/cGMP considerations.

Tax, R&D Tax Credits & External Advisor Coordination

• Own day-to-day coordination of U.S. federal, state, and local tax compliance matters in partnership with external advisors.
• Serve as primary Finance contact for external tax advisors and ensure deadlines are met.
• Coordinate R&D tax credit workstreams including data collection, validation, and reconciliation.
• Coordinate Finance responses to tax notices, audits, and regulatory inquiries.

Strategic Finance, Capital Projects & Business Partnership

• Partner with Operations, Manufacturing, Commercial, R&D, Quality, and other functions to translate operational activity into financial implications.
• Lead Finance analysis for capital expenditures, equipment purchases or financing, make-versus-buy decisions, and productivity initiatives.
• Support pricing, profitability, customer economics, and margin analysis.
• Develop recommendations and financial scenarios for executive review.

Systems, Automation & Process Improvement

• Own Finance requirements and business-process design for accounting, reporting, payroll, expense, billing, and other financial systems.
• Lead financial-system implementations, upgrades, integrations, and process redesigns.
• Drive automation of reconciliations, reporting, data flows, and recurring analyses.
• Maintain standardized Finance procedures, close checklists, approval matrices, and documentation.

Leadership, Team Management & Accountability

• Directly manage designated finance and accounting team members and serve as first leadership escalation point.
• Set clear responsibilities, deadlines, performance standards, and review controls across the Finance team.
• Coach and develop team members, conduct performance management, and participate in hiring and succession planning.
• Create redundancy and cross-training across critical Finance processes.
• Build a culture of ownership, responsiveness, accuracy, confidentiality, and continuous improvement.