Head of Commercial Finance

Avid Bioservices•Tustin, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly strategic and analytically rigorous Head of Commercial Finance to serve as the financial partner to our Commercial, Business Development, and Program Management organizations. This role sits at the intersection of pricing, deal structuring, and profitability, ensuring that all commercial agreements are economically sound, cash-efficient, and aligned with the company’s value creation objectives. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in contract manufacturing and/or pharma, is comfortable operating in high-stakes negotiations, and has a strong command of how contract terms translate into revenue, margin, and cash flow outcomes over time.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in commercial finance, FP&A, or deal finance
Significant experience in one or more of the following: Contract manufacturing (CDMO preferred), Biopharma / life sciences, Complex project-based or long-term service contracts
Proven track record supporting or leading commercial negotiations
Strong financial modeling skills, including: Profitability modeling, Scenario and sensitivity analysis, Cash flow modeling

Nice To Haves

Experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing or CDMO environments
Familiarity with: Capacity-based pricing models, Yield, batch economics, and manufacturing constraints, Long-term supply agreements
Hands-on, pragmatic, and business-first mindset
Comfortable operating in ambiguity and fast-moving deal environments
Willing to challenge assumptions and push for economically sound outcomes
Strong communicator who simplifies complexity for decision-makers

Responsibilities

Act as the primary finance partner to Commercial leadership on all pricing, contracting, and deal-related decisions
Establish and continuously improve commercial finance frameworks for pricing, margin optimization, and deal approval
Drive consistency and rigor in evaluating customer profitability across lifecycle (from RFP to execution)
Actively participate in customer and partner negotiations as the finance lead
Structure commercial agreements to optimize: Revenue recognition and timing, Margin profile and cost recovery, Cash flow timing (milestones, prepayments, working capital)
Ensure contracts appropriately reflect: Capacity utilization dynamics, Cost structure (fixed vs. variable), Risk allocation (e.g., batch failure, forecast risk, change orders)
Build and own advanced models to evaluate: Project-level and customer-level profitability, Scenario analyses (volume, yield, pricing, input cost variability), Sensitivity to operational and contractual assumptions
Partner with Operations and Program Management to ensure cost assumptions reflect real manufacturing economics
Continuously track and report actual vs. expected profitability and identify drivers of variance
Develop deep understanding of how contract terms impact: Cash conversion cycle, Working capital requirements, Long-term value creation
Ensure commercial structures appropriately balance: Pricing vs. payment terms, Upfront vs. back- ended economics, Risk vs. return trade-offs
Serve as a bridge between Finance, Commercial, Legal, and Operations
Translate complex financial concepts into clear decision frameworks for non-finance stakeholders
Support executive decision-making on strategic accounts, partnerships, and large deals
Ensure a standardized and effective pricing and deal review framework across all major opportunities
Establish visibility into customer and program-level profitability
Ensure discipline and consistency in commercial decision-making and approvals
Improve cash flow profile through enhanced contract structuring
Build credibility as a trusted partner in negotiations and strategic discussions