Senior Director, Strategic Finance & Analysis

SENIOR DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC FINANCE & ANALYSIS

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Scripps Research is a nonprofit biomedical institute ranked as one of the most influential in the world for its impact on innovation. We celebrated our 100-year legacy in 2024, marking a century of seminal discoveries in immunology, infectious diseases (such as COVID-19, flu, HIV), neuroscience, heart disease, cancer, and more. Located in La Jolla, California, the institute houses six research departments, multiple Nobel laureates, a top-ranked graduate school, and a leading postdoctoral training program.

Scripps Research encompasses two elite and highly innovative institutes, the Cali ‑Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines and Scripps Research Translational Institute, which merge foundational studies in biology, chemistry, and computer science with translational science to produce pioneering drugs and advances in digital and precision medicine. Together, we cultivate new scientific leaders and expand the frontiers of knowledge to deliver medical breakthroughs impacting human health around the globe.

As the Senior Director, Strategic Finance & Analysis, you will drive the financial planning, reporting, and analysis to support the mission of Scripps Research and the development of financial strategies. This role requires an in-depth FP&A background with a demonstrated track record of building a holistic picture of financial health and providing deep insights and forecasts to inform strategic decision making for large, complex organizations.

You will serve as a partner to executive‑level management across the Institute, enabling data‑driven decisions around investments of time and resources while ensuring alignment with the Institute’s strategy. The successful candidate will build effective teams who form strong partnerships across the organization to influence both strategic decision making and tactical execution.

• Partner closely with the executive team and serve as a thought leader in meeting short‑term financial goals while also maintaining the foundation for long‑term strategy to ensure Scripps Research’s financial commitments are met – internally and externally.
• Drive annual budgeting and forecasting, and long‑range financial planning for the institute.
• Support Scripps Research’s leadership by maximizing opportunities in new initiatives/strategic investments, evaluating processes to drive efficiencies, and measuring outcomes.
• Identify process gaps and implement solutions to increase transparency, speed, and automation to enable best‑in‑class forecasting, measurement tools and processes.
• Be responsible for all financial analyses and management reporting, forecasting and post‑close activities.

• Bachelor’s degree in finance or a similar field; prior background in investment banking or management consulting is a plus.
• Ten or more years of experience, preferably in the life sciences or academic/research institutions, with strong analytic skills and a track record of growing and managing organizations in fast‑paced, fluid environments.
• Ability to understand complex business drivers, develop insights using a data‑driven approach, and communicate succinctly to a range of audiences (department heads to executives and the Board of Directors).
• Adept in ambiguous situations, flexible, and comfortable making decisions using available data points that may be limited and/or imperfect.
• Adaptable to changing priorities while effectively managing multiple commitments, even on tight deadlines.
• Strategic mindset coupled with the willingness to roll up sleeves where necessary and a desire to constantly improve the status quo.
• Experience building and managing highly collaborative and effective FP&A teams supporting multiple organizations/business units.
• Knowledge of spearheading organizational and/or process transformation.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills with proven experience in cultivating cross‑collaborative working relationships across an organization and influencing at all levels.
• Prior experience…