ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, FINANCE - GLOBAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & OPERATIONS (GPSO)SUMMARY:We are seeking an Assistant Director, Finance, to serve as the primary finance business partner to the Medical Affairs, Insights & Analytics (I&A), and New Product Planning functions, within the Global Product Strategy & Operations Organization (GPSO). This role is responsible for leading financial planning, forecasting, accounting close support, management reporting, and business partnering activities.
The Assistant Director will partner closely with business leaders to provide financial insights, support resource allocation decisions, identify risks and opportunities, and promote financial accountability across the organization. This individual will help inform decision-making through thoughtful analysis, proactive business partnership, and clear communication of financial performance and key business drivers.
The position requires strong financial planning and analytical capabilities, attention to detail, and the ability to build trusted partnerships with business leaders across Medical Affairs, Insights & Analytics, and New Product Planning. The successful candidate will have exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to develop executive-ready presentations and clearly communicate financial performance, risks, opportunities, and key business drivers to senior leadership. This individual must be comfortable navigating ambiguity, managing competing priorities, partnering closely with accounting on close and reporting activities, and translating complex financial and operational information into actionable business recommendations.
About Global Product Strategy & Operations (GPSO)Global Product Strategy & Operations (GPSO) is responsible for helping shape the success of both Ionis' marketed products and future pipeline assets. By supporting Medical Affairs, Insights & Analytics, and New Product Planning, this position offers broad exposure to product strategy, market insights, lifecycle management, medical affairs operations, and commercialization planning across multiple therapeutic areas. The role provides a unique opportunity to partner closely with teams that influence both current business performance and the future growth of the organization, making it an excellent opportunity for finance professionals seeking broader exposure across the product lifecycle and commercial organization.
WORK LOCATION: onsite/hybrid - Carlsbad, CA
RESPONSIBILITIES:- Serve as the lead finance business partner for Medical Affairs, Insights & Analytics (I&A), and New Product Planning, providing financial guidance, business insights, and decision support to functional leadership.
- Build trusted relationships with business leaders and provide financial guidance on investment decisions, resource allocation, and operational initiatives.
- Lead the annual budget, quarterly forecasts, long-range planning, and monthly financial review processes for supported organizations.
- Develop and communicate financial performance updates, underlying business drivers, risks, opportunities, and recommendations to functional and senior leadership.
- Prepare and deliver executive-ready analyses, presentations, and recommendations that support decision-making by functional and senior leadership.
- Partner with business leaders to evaluate spending trends, investment opportunities, and resource requirements, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.
- Proactively identify financial risks and opportunities and provide actionable recommendations to support achievement of business objectives.
- Develop, maintain, and enhance financial models, forecasting tools, and management reporting to improve visibility and decision support.
- Drive continuous improvement of financial planning, forecasting, and reporting processes to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability across supported functions.
- Partner closely with Accounting to support monthly and quarterly close activities, including accrual preparation, variance analysis, financial reporting, and compliance with company policies.
- Support special projects, ad hoc analyses, and evolving business needs as required.
REQUIREMENTS:- BS degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or related discipline and at least 8 years of related experience, or an MBA degree with at least 6 years of related experience.
- At least 5+ years of progressive experience in Finance, FP&A, Accounting, or Finance Business Partner roles demonstrating increased responsibility and business partnership experience.
- Demonstrated success partnering with senior business leaders and influencing decisions through financial insights and data-driven recommendations.
- Strong experience supporting annual budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning, and management reporting processes.
- Proven ability to develop executive-level presentations and communicate complex financial information to senior leadership audiences.
- Experience identifying business risks and opportunities and translating financial analyses into actionable recommendations.
- Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and drive alignment within a matrixed organization.
- Experience supporting month-end and quarter-end close processes in partnership with Accounting.
- Strong financial modeling, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills required; SAP and OneStream experience strongly preferred.
- Working knowledge of GAAP and financial accounting principles.
- Proven ability to operate independently and effectively in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
- Life sciences, biotechnology, or pharmaceutical industry experience preferred.
Please visit our website, http://www.ionis.com for more information about Ionis and to apply for this position; reference requisition # IONIS004163
Ionis offers an excellent benefits package! Follow this link for more details:
Ionis BenefitsFull Benefits Link: https://ionis.com/careers#:~:text=Highly%20competitive%20benefits
The pay scale for this position is $112,267 to $156,122
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY.
