Sr. Director, R&D Finance FP&A and Portfolio

Legend Biotech is seeking a Sr. Director, R&D Finance FP&A and Portfolio as part of the Finance team based in Bridgewater, NJ.

Role Overview

A key member in the Pipeline Finance team, serving as the dedicated financial partner for the Pipeline functions, leading Finance Analyst in Data Management, Reporting and Dashboarding, and Analytics support senior management decision making. Based in the US, this role reports directly to the Pipeline Finance Head.

This role will take charge of end-to-end financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and analysis work in the R&D field, support the establishment and optimization of a standardized FP&A system, provide professional financial support for the implementation of R&D strategies, optimal allocation of resources and investment decisions, collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, and ensure that the R&D financial FP&A work is aligned with the overall financial strategy of Legend and Pipeline BU.

It translates Pipeline strategy into actionable plans for Pipeline projects, provides tailored financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting, and collaborates with Pipeline leadership, other FP&A colleagues and Pipeline Finance Analysts to ensure financial alignment and data-driven decisions.

The Ideal candidate should have pharmaceutical/biotech FP&A experience with RD familiarity, strong strategic thinking, data analysis and independent work abilities. Must be US-based, able to collaborate cross-functionally in a matrix environment, and support RD Finance strategy execution.

The ideal candidate will have a strong track record of driving improved financial performance, enhancing productivity, strengthening internal controls, and advancing systems and processes. Success requires high learning agility, the ability to collaborate across diverse and geographically dispersed teams, and skill navigating a complex, matrixed environment.
Strong leadership is essential to support business decision-making and ensure smart resource allocation across the R&D pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Portfolio Financial Leadership

• Support RD Finance Head in defining the financial strategy for Pipeline BU, as well as the overall development portfolio, including resource allocation across the pipeline.
• Align Pipeline Finance strategy with Pipeline needs, support FP&A process optimization and standardize best practices across projects and therapeutic areas.
• Provide strategic financial input into the Pipeline Strategy and business plan, enhancing transparency of cost, value, and return on investment.

FP&A Execution & Budget Management

• Develop operating plans and budgets that support timely and high-quality delivery of business objectives, including benchmarking and tracking efficiency improvements.
• Take charge of budget preparation, review, consolidation and variance analysis, ensuring alignment with R&D strategy and Pipeline priorities.
• Regularly report budget execution, forecast deviations and performance to the RD Finance Head with targeted insights.

Consolidation, Analytics, Financial Analysis & Decision Support

• Leading RD Finance consolidation, data management, reporting and analytics.
• Conduct RD-focused financial analysis (cost, ROI, resource efficiency) and apply advanced financial skills to address early development uncertainty.
• Partner with Pipeline leadership team to support project prioritization, resource allocation and investment decisions, maximizing portfolio value.
• Track Pipeline financial KPIs, establish performance measurement frameworks, analyze deviations and propose improvement measures to drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure high-quality financial evaluations for investment decisions and prepare robust financial materials for Senior Executive Team review.

Cost Control & Compliance

• Manage budget execution, warn of risks, coordinate corrective actions and control costs to ensure operational plans remain within established budgets.
• Identify cost optimization opportunities and support implementation to enhance resource utilization efficiency.
• Maintain accountability for SOX and FCF controls, ensure FP&A compliance with Finance Standards, policies and relevant global clinical trial accounting policies.

Collaboration & Process Enhancement

• Collaborate with the Pipeline team to understand business needs and resolve financial collaboration issues.
• Coordinate with other FP&A colleagues and RD Finance Analysts for data/report support, aligning ways of working.
• Identify and support partnership opportunities and external collaborations to enable portfolio growth.
• Develop and optimize FP&A processes that effectively support evolving R&D and Pipeline business needs, contributing to global policy/program implementation

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field. MBA, CPA, or CMA is a plus.
• 15+ years of progressive FP&A experience, preferably in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry, with specific experience supporting R&D functions.
• Demonstrates expertise in financial modeling, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel (Pivot tables, macros, data modeling).
• Expertise in Anaplan (as the SME) and familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., SAP).
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).

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