Director, R&D & Technical Operations Finance

Akebia Therapeutics•Cambridge, MA

21h•$199,712 - $246,703

About The Position

Nearly 37 million Americans are currently affected by Chronic Kidney Disease. 37 million. At Akebia we take that number very seriously and every day we come to work, with the purpose of bettering the lives of each person impacted by kidney disease and the renal community that serves them. Our tenacious, passionate employees’ challenge the status quo and work to develop unique therapeutics that have the potential to set new standards of care for people living with kidney disease. This is life-changing work, and we are all in, are you? Job Summary Reporting to the Vice President, FP&A, the Director, R&D & Technical Operations Finance will lead all aspects of financial management for the Research & Development and Tech Ops functions. This individual will partner with teams across those functions to drive operational and strategic decision-making key to Akebia’s success.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
Minimum of 10 years’ experience in finance and accounting functions
Pharmaceutical / Biotechnology industry experience required
Experience in Operational Finance, including business partnering with R&D and / or Technical Operations functions

Nice To Haves

Deep understanding of drug development process
Strong written & verbal communication skills, including with Executive Leadership
Significant experience with clinical trial accruals and execution
Strong understanding of Cost of Goods Sold & Inventory accounting
In depth understanding of US GAAP and financial statement reporting
Excellent analytical, decision making, and organizational skills
Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
Experience with NetSuite ERP and Adaptive Planning EPM tools

Responsibilities

Responsible for all aspects of the R&D and Tech Ops budget & forecast, including leading the team through annual budget development and interim updates
Provide guidance to the R&D and Tech Ops teams in financial planning and project financial management, including informing forecasts for clinical trials, cost of goods sold, and related working capital impacts
Drive various analyses to support strategic & operational decision making for the Supply & Operations Planning process (S&OP) in collaboration with the Supply Chain team
Lead departmental and cross-functional prioritization initiatives, as needed
Lead the team responsible for R&D and Tech Ops planning to ensure understanding, communication, documentation, and reporting of ongoing and future project initiatives, including scope definition and changes, contract amendments, and change orders
Ensure a culture where scope, provisions, vendor obligations and payment terms included in project work orders and contracts are understood and consistent with budgetary and accounting guidelines and methodologies
Responsible for overseeing and reviewing the monthly accounting close process for the R&D and Tech Ops functions, working closely with accounting, functional business partners, and external vendors (including CROs and CMOs) to ensure appropriate expense recognition for clinical trials & other outsourced spend
Support Company’s Sarbanes-Oxley compliance efforts and ensure team’s deliverables for quarterly and annual audits are met
Develop an in-depth understanding of key collaborative agreements to help the team develop processes for tracking, complying with and reporting on financial provisions/deliverables in connection with all agreements
Work closely with Alliance Management, Program Management, and Business Development to establish and foster relationships, communication, and reporting with strategic partners
Drive long-range planning activities in partnership with Corporate Finance & business partners
Define and anticipate risks and opportunities and propose solutions and plans of action to inform key decision makers, including the Leadership Team, CFO, and Executive Team
Identify and enable opportunities for operational improvements and efficiencies
Develop and manage a team of leading finance professionals