Executive Director, Global Finance

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for an Executive Director, Global Finance based in the United States.

This is a senior finance leadership opportunity focused on building and scaling global finance capabilities as the organization expands into new international markets.

You will own the strategy, operating model, governance, and financial readiness required to launch and support new jurisdictions.

The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution, particularly during market entry, transition, and periods of limited local resources.

You will lead cross-functional initiatives spanning controllership, accounting, reporting, controls, tax, treasury, legal, HR, payroll, and FP&A.

The position offers significant visibility with executives, external advisors, auditors, service providers, and international business leaders.

You will establish scalable processes, playbooks, controls, and transition frameworks that enable compliant and sustainable global growth.

This role is ideal for a globally minded finance leader who thrives in complex environments and can turn strategy into practical execution.

Accountabilities

• Lead the global finance strategy and operating model for entry into new countries and jurisdictions, from initial planning through operational launch and stabilization.
• Serve as the U.S.-based interim finance leader for newly incorporated international entities until the appropriate local, regional, or outsourced finance structure is established.
• Define finance readiness priorities, investment requirements, milestones, risk mitigation strategies, and success measures across a portfolio of international markets.
• Lead complex strategic change initiatives across finance functions, regions, and business units, ensuring stakeholder alignment, accountability, adoption, and sustainable execution.
• Own and continuously enhance the global finance launch playbook, including workplans, timelines, dependencies, RACI frameworks, control points, templates, escalation processes, and lessons learned.
• Determine and implement the appropriate steady-state finance operating model for each international market.
• Lead transitions from interim U.S.-based support to local finance leadership, regional structures, or approved third-party service providers.
• Design, implement, and govern global finance policies, process standards, control frameworks, decision rights, and escalation mechanisms for international operations.
• Establish clear distinctions between global, regional, local, and outsourced finance responsibilities, including ownership and control expectations.
• Develop and lead scalable international business review processes covering financial reporting packages, key metrics, variance analysis, meeting cadences, action plans, and follow-up.
• Lead quarterly business certifications and sub-certification processes as required.
• Maintain close relationships with international business partners to identify significant transactions, unusual contracts, regulatory changes, evolving business activities, and emerging finance or accounting requirements.
• Manage a rolling portfolio of newly launched international entities, ensuring each market has compliant, efficient, and sustainable finance operations throughout its transition to steady state.
• Partner with Technical Accounting, Corporate Accounting, SEC Reporting, SOX, Tax, Treasury, Legal, HR/Payroll, FP&A, and business leadership to resolve complex cross-functional matters.
• Represent Global Finance in strategic negotiations and decision-making with executives, auditors, advisors, service providers, regulators, and other external stakeholders.
• Establish scalable frameworks, transition criteria, and governance practices that support continued international expansion and operational maturity.
• Balance global consistency with local-market requirements while ensuring controls remain practical, effective, and aligned with public-company expectations.

Requirements

• Experience: 15+ years of progressive finance leadership experience, including responsibility for strategy development and complex global, multi-entity, or multifunctional finance operations.
• Professional qualification: CPA, ACCA, or an equivalent accounting or finance qualification.
• Demonstrated experience working within a public company and SOX-controlled environment, with a strong understanding of financial governance and internal controls.
• Proven ability to establish strategy and lead complex transformation or change initiatives across multiple finance functions, regions, or business units.
• Strong global finance perspective, with the ability to balance standardization, scalability, operational efficiency, and local regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated experience designing finance operating models and transitioning between interim, local, regional, and outsourced structures.
• Strong business-partnering skills, including the ability to identify risks and opportunities by staying closely connected to local teams and business stakeholders.
• Ability to determine when issues should be resolved directly and when specialized support is required from accounting, SEC reporting, SOX, tax, treasury, legal, FP&A, or other functions.
• Excellent project and program management capabilities, including managing dependencies, establishing accountability, driving timelines, and creating structure in ambiguous environments.
• Demonstrated ability to influence executive-level stakeholders and build effective relationships with external service providers, auditors, advisors, and regulators.
• Hands-on leadership style with a willingness to execute directly when local resources, processes, or systems are not yet fully developed.
• Practical and commercially minded approach to internal controls, with the ability to meet public-company requirements without unnecessary complexity.
• Strong communication, influencing, negotiation, decision-making, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving international environment with multiple simultaneous priorities.
• Experience in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry is preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with sound judgment when addressing complex financial, operational, and regulatory matters.

Benefits

• Base salary: $252,000-$315,000 USD, with the applicable range adjusted according to the candidate’s work location and local market conditions.
• Competitive overall total rewards package combining cash compensation, equity opportunities, benefits, and professional development.
• Equity awards as part of the broader compensation package.
• Comprehensive employee benefits designed to support health, wellbeing, and financial security.
• Significant learning and development opportunities to support continued professional growth.
• Remote U.S.-based opportunity with substantial international scope and cross-functional executive exposure.
• Opportunity to build and shape global finance infrastructure during a period of international expansion.
• High-impact leadership role with direct influence over finance strategy, governance, operational readiness, and global growth.
• Collaborative environment working with senior finance leaders and multidisciplinary teams across accounting, tax, treasury, legal, HR, FP&A, and other functions.