Sr. Director, Finance Operations and Manufacturing (USA, Remote)

Overview

This role serves as a senior Finance leader for finance operations tied to manufacturing performance and enterprise value. Responsibilities focus on building the insights, operating mechanisms, and investment discipline needed to improve cost, capacity, quality, delivery, working capital, and profitability across a manufacturing network.

The Senior Director, Finance Operations and Manufacturing partners closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Commercial, and executive leadership to improve financial visibility, challenge operational assumptions, support capacity and capital decisions, and build scalable product costing and profitability capabilities across an integrated business.

The position reports to the Chief Financial Officer. On-site work is preferred. While the role is posted in Fargo, ND, and Coralville, IA, applications from qualified candidates in other locations will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Act as the senior Finance partner to Operations and Manufacturing across the business, connecting operational execution to financial outcomes, enterprise value, and strategic decision-making.
• Build and lead financial operating mechanisms that improve visibility to cost, capacity, quality, delivery, inventory, working capital, and profitability.
• Design, strengthen, and scale product costing capabilities including standard costing, cost accounting, manufacturing variance, COGS, absorption costing, inventory valuation, BOM/routing cost, and profitability frameworks.
• Partner cross-functionally (Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Commercial, R&D, and Corporate Finance) to identify risks and opportunities early and support better business decisions.
• Support capital deployment, capacity expansion, manufacturing network planning, automation, ERP implementation, and investment decisions through rigorous financial analysis and business case development.
• Improve forecast accuracy, operational KPI governance, executive reporting, and business review processes across a complex manufacturing footprint.
• Lead Finance transformation, integration, organizational redesign, and continuous improvement initiatives by establishing standard work, accountability, and scalable processes.
• Build, coach, and develop a high-performing Operations Finance team and expand Finance Business Partner capability.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or related field; MBA or CPA preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive Finance leadership experience supporting manufacturing, operations, supply chain, or technical operations, with 5+ years leading leaders or senior teams.
• Demonstrated experience supporting multi-site operational finance in biotech, pharmaceutical, CDMO, medical device, life sciences, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Deep expertise in manufacturing finance, including product costing, standard costing, cost accounting, COGS management, manufacturing variance analysis, absorption costing, inventory valuation, and profitability analysis.
• Strong understanding of P&L management, manufacturing cost structures, inventory optimization, capital deployment, capacity investment decisions, forecasting, and S&OP processes.
• Experience supporting businesses with complex product portfolios, capacity constraints, significant capital investment requirements, and transformation or integration initiatives.
• Experience with ERP systems, enterprise reporting, executive KPI dashboards, and advanced financial modeling.
• Ability to operate with high accountability, influence cross-functional leaders, challenge assumptions constructively, and create clarity through metrics, standard work, and disciplined operating mechanisms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with gene reading and writing segments, including exposure to CDMO business models.
• Familiarity with continuous improvement methodologies.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive transformation in complex, global organizations.

Compensation & Benefits

• Annual salary range: $200,000 to $250,000.
• This role is also eligible for bonus/incentive pay.
• Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k) to eligible employees.

Location

• Fargo, ND and Coralville, IA (on-site preferred).
• Applications from qualified candidates in other locations will be considered.

Travel Requirements

• Ability to travel domestically and occasionally internationally, up to 25%, as business needs require.