Director, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) - Technical Operations

kailera; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 192,000 - 235,000; Full time

Job summary

Kailera is seeking a Director of FP&A for Technical Operations to lead budgeting, forecasting, and deep-dive financial analysis across Drug Product, Drug Supply, and Global Supply Chain. This on-site role is based at Kailera's Waltham, MA headquarters and aims to build scalable financial infrastructure for growing manufacturing capabilities.

Lead cross-functional partnerships with Operations and Accounting, deliver executive-ready insights, and drive monthly close and planning tool enhancements

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive finance experience in biotech/pharma, including 3+ years supporting Technical Operations, Manufacturing, Drug Product, Drug Supply, or Supply Chain
• Experience leading budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning for complex, multidisciplinary functions
• Strong financial modeling and analytical skills, with ability to translate data into actionable insights for senior leadership
• Proven ability to build cross-functional partnerships with Technical Operations, Accounting, and Corporate FP&A
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for audiences from working teams to executives
• Experience in fast-paced, evolving biotech environments with resilience and sound judgment

Responsibilities

• Develop annual budgets, long-range financial plans, and rolling forecasts for COGS, capex, and operating expenses
• Serve as the financial business partner to Technical Operations leadership, translating data into actionable insights
• Lead financial analysis of manufacturing costs and third-party spend; identify risks and opportunities
• Build and maintain financial models for scale-up, capacity planning, and make-versus-buy analyses
• Drive the monthly close and variance analysis with Accounting to ensure spend visibility and accrual accuracy
• Collaborate with Technical Operations, Accounting, Procurement, and Corporate FP&A on reporting standards and timelines
• Champion ERP and planning tool improvements to increase efficiency and scalability of reporting
• Prepare executive and board-level materials summarizing performance, risks, and recommendations

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Long-range financial planning

Cross-functional leadership

Financial modeling

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/Business/ Economics

MBA or CPA preferred

Tools

ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Hyperion, Anaplan, Adaptive Insights)

Job description

What You'll Do:

As Director, FP&A - Technical Operations, you will serve as the strategic finance partner to Kailera's Technical Operations organization, partnering closely with leadership across Drug Product, Drug Supply, and Global Supply Chain. You will contribute to Kailera's budgeting processes and own the financial planning, forecasting, and analysis that underpin our manufacturing and supply chain strategy, including cost of goods sold, capital investments, and third-party manufacturing spend. As the key business partner to Technical Operations leadership, you will lead complex, cross-functional financial initiatives and translate data into insights that inform executive decision-making. This is a highly visible, full-time role based at our Waltham, MA headquarters, offering the opportunity to build financial infrastructure and processes as Kailera scales its manufacturing and supply chain capabilities to bring new obesity therapies to patients.

Required location: Waltham, MA (hub-based, onsite 3-4 days per week)

Responsibilities:

• Partner with leadership across Drug Product, Drug Supply, and Global Supply Chain to develop annual budgets, long-range financial plans, and rolling forecasts for cost of goods sold (COGS), capital expenditures, and operating expenses
• Serve as the key financial business partner to Technical Operations leadership, translating financial data into actionable insights that guide strategic and operational decisions
• Lead financial analysis of manufacturing costs, third-party CDMO/CMO spend, and Technical Operations project budgets to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for leadership
• Build and maintain financial models supporting manufacturing scale-up, capacity planning, and make-versus-buy analyses for Drug Product and Drug Supply
• Contribute to Kailera's enterprise budgeting process, ensuring Technical Operations plans are integrated with company-wide financial goals and timelines
• Drive the monthly close and variance analysis process for Technical Operations, partnering with Accounting to ensure accurate accrual tracking and spend visibility
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Technical Operations, Accounting, Procurement, and Corporate FP&A to align financial priorities, timelines, and reporting standards
• Champion process and systems improvements (e.g., ERP and planning tools) to increase the efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of Technical Operations financial reporting
• Prepare executive and board-level materials summarizing Technical Operations financial performance, key risks, and recommendations

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive finance experience within the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry, including at least 3 years supporting Technical Operations, Manufacturing, Drug Product, Drug Supply, or Supply Chain functions
• Demonstrated experience leading budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning for complex, multidisciplinary functions
• Strong financial modeling and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for senior leadership
• Proven ability to lead through influence and build trusted, cross-functional partnerships with Technical Operations, Accounting, and Corporate FP&A
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages for audiences ranging from working teams to executive leadership
• Demonstrated ability to lead and deliver results in a fast-paced, evolving biotech environment, responding to shifting priorities with resilience and sound judgment

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting CDMO/CMO relationships and external manufacturing financial oversight
• Experience with ERP and financial planning systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Hyperion, Anaplan, or Adaptive Insights)
• Experience in obesity, metabolic disease, or GLP-1 therapeutic areas
• Experience operating in a high-growth, pre-commercial biotech environment

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field, with 10+ years of relevant experience or 8+ years with advanced degree.
• MBA or CPA preferred

Salary Range

• $192,000 - $235,000 USD

For Full Time Roles: This range represents the company's good-faith estimate of the salary at the time of posting. Actual pay may vary based on experience, skills,