Director, Portfolio Finance – Clinical Programs

Elstar Therapeutics; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative biotech company is seeking a dynamic FP&A leader to drive strategic decision-making and financial insights. This role is pivotal in shaping the financial direction of the firm, which is dedicated to pioneering therapeutics for cancer treatment. The ideal candidate will thrive in a collaborative environment, engaging with cross-functional teams to ensure financial transparency and support clinical development. Join a passionate team committed to transforming patient care and making a significant impact in the field of oncology. This is an exciting opportunity for a finance professional eager to contribute to groundbreaking science.

Benefits

Health Insurance

401(k) Plan

Flexible Work Hours

Professional Development Opportunities

Collaborative Work Environment

Qualifications

• 10+ years of FP&A experience in clinical-stage biotech or pharma.
• Expertise in financial modeling and budgeting processes.
• Strong business acumen with analytical mindset.

Responsibilities

• Drive the full financial planning cycle including budgets and forecasts.
• Serve as FP&A lead for clinical programs, delivering cost analyses.
• Build financial models to support decision-making.

Skills

Financial Planning & Analysis

Clinical Development Knowledge

Financial Modeling

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Finance or Accounting

MBA or Advanced Degree

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

FP&A Software Tools

Job description

Description

Marengo Therapeutics is pioneering first-in-class therapeutics that activate the right immune response to promote lifelong protection against cancer. Marengo has uncovered a novel approach to T cell activation by targeting the Vß TCR chain to unleash rapid, potent, and long-lasting anti-tumor immune responses safely and effectively. We’re leveraging our versatile, proprietary bispecific fusion protein platform to selectively deliver the right activation to the right T cell subsets, customizable to patient needs with its tunable properties, with an initial focus on advanced solid tumors and broad applicability beyond.

Marengo is driven by core values that guide our company’s mission and approach from the inside out: we demonstrate an unparalleled commitment to patients and their loved ones, we are confident in our science and our team, we operate with courage, and we creatively apply deep expertise to new ways of thinking with curiosity and imagination. With an exciting journey ahead and a tremendous opportunity for growth, now is the time to join the Marengo team and impact cancer patient care – are you ready to join the new frontier?

To learn more, visit marengotx.com

Role:

Marengo Therapeutics is seeking a seasoned and dynamic FP&A leader to join our innovative team at a pivotal point in our growth. Reporting into our Program Management group, this position will play a critical role in driving strategic and operational decision-making through deep financial insight and cross-functional collaboration. The ideal candidate will bring extensive clinical-stage FP&A experience, ideally within the biotech or pharmaceutical industry, and will be energized by the opportunity to help shape the financial direction of a cutting-edge, international biotech company headquartered in Cambridge, MA.

Who are we looking for?

· You are an energetic and passionate Finance professional who likes to think outside of the box, challenge the norm, and is passionate about the company’s mission of discovering and developing new medications

· You are a resourceful self-starter and team player with a strong results orientation

· You consider yourself a guru in all the critical clinical stage organization areas

· You can develop trusting relationships to gain support and achieve results at all levels of the organization

What are we looking for?

· A driven professional who knows how to work and contribute to an ever-changing working environment

· A collegial individual who enjoys working in close collaboration with leaders in the research, development, manufacturing, quality, clinical, and administrative areas of the company

· A willingness to learn new things, adapt to new ways and go with the flow

· A person who thrives in a small company atmosphere

· Ability to determine task priority and maintain established deadlines

What are we offering?

· Membership within a growing, CARING, and collegial organization

· Being part of a passionate, involved, and cutting-edge Team

· Exposure to pioneering science and the discovery of drugs to help treat patients

Responsibilities:

• Lead Financial Planning: Drive the full financial planning cycle, including annual budgets, quarterly forecasts, and long-range plans. Partner with program leaders and executive stakeholders to evaluate scenarios, identify key risks and opportunities, and ensure alignment with business strategy.
• Clinical Focus: Serve as the FP&A lead for our clinical programs, delivering detailed analyses of clinical development costs, timelines, and resource allocation. Provide financial oversight across multiple programs in development and contribute to cross-functional planning.
• Data-Driven Decision Support: Build robust, adaptable financial models to support real-time decision-making. Conduct sensitivity analyses and scenario planning to assess the financial impact of various clinical and strategic initiatives.
• Collaborate Across Functions: Act as a strategic thought partner to cross-functional teams including R&D, clinical operations, and regulatory affairs. Foster open communication and ensure financial transparency throughout the organization.
• Reporting & Insights: Deliver timely, insightful financial reporting to leadership. Analyze actuals versus plan, highlight variances, and clearly articulate business implications and potential actions.
• Continuous Improvement: Contribute to the development and refinement of tools, processes, and systems that support better forecasting, faster reporting, and more agile decision-making

Requirements

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, or related field required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive FP&A experience with significant time supporting clinical-stage biotech or pharmaceutical organizations.
• Deep understanding of clinical development operations and budgeting processes.
• Expertise in financial modeling, Excel, and PowerPoint; experience with FP&Asoftware tools a plus.
• Strong business acumen, analytical mindset, and the ability to distill complex data into clear, actionable insights.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a track record of influencing senior stakeholders.
• Adaptable, resourceful, and eager to contribute in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience supporting immuno-oncology programs: Familiarity with financial drivers and cost modeling specific to immuno-oncology drug development is highly desirable, including a deep understanding of oncology study design, regulatory considerations, and the unique challenges of oncology drug development.
• Knowledge of varied funding streams: Prior exposure to managing or supporting budgets and non-dilutive funding sources can be a plus.
• ERP and FP&A systems experience: Hands-on experience implementing or working within enterprise finance platforms (e.g., NetSuite, Adaptive Insights, Planful, or similar tools) to streamline reporting and planning functions.
• IPO or fundraising support experience: Exposure to financial preparation for capital raising events (e.g., Series C financing or IPO readiness) and comfort working in high-stakes, fast-paced environments involving investor presentations and financial due diligence.

Competencies:

• Strategic Financial Acumen: Demonstrates a deep understanding of financial principles and applies this knowledge to support business strategy, guide resource allocation, and optimize clinical program investments.
• Analytical Rigor: Applies advanced analytical skills to model complex financial scenarios, evaluate business trends, and extract actionable insights to support decision-making at the executive level.
• Planning : Creates a comprehensive and realistic business plan by defining deliverables, milestones, accountabilities and measures of success to achieve objectives, while ensuring the optimal use of resources to meet efficiency, requests and due dates. Allocates appropriate amounts of time for completing own work. Prioritize critical and less critical activities. Proactively plans to avoid problems.
• Business Partnership: Acts as a proactive, trusted advisor to cross-functional teams and senior leadership—helping to shape strategy, identify opportunities, and drive performance through clear financial guidance and collaboration.
• Cross Functional Collaboration : ls and promotes collaboration and works effectively with others across the organization to achieve goals. Demonstrates proficient cross company communication, cultural sensitivity, and partnership in interactions with others. Involves others in decisions and plans and credits them for their contributions and accomplishments.
• Adaptability: Responds resourcefully, flexibly and positively when faced with new challenges, transitions and demands. Willingly and effectively deals with the stress and complexities of various situations. Moves forward productively and optimistically under conditions of change and uncertainty.
• Execution : Drives execution of strategic and operating plans while maintaining operational effectiveness. Conveys a strong sense of urgency around continuous improvement, achieving high quality results, and accelerating business performance. Addresses problems directly and drives changes necessary to achieve business objectives.

Location: Cambridge, MA ( We are located in Lower Cambridge, called Cambridgeport)