Director, R&D & Technical Operations Finance

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?

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.

• 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

• 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

• 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 Net Suite ERP and Adaptive Planning EPM tools

Targeted Base: $199,712 - $246,703*

* Base Compensation for this role will depend on a number of factors including a candidate’s qualifications, skills,…