Director, Financial Planning & Analysis

Job Description

Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a global biotechnology leader committed to scientific innovation and the development of transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. Our finance function is a strategic enabler of Vertex's mission — providing insights, rigor, and partnership that drive high-quality decisions across the enterprise.

This is a high-visibility, high-impact role at the intersection of science and finance — where your work directly shapes how Vertex invests in bringing transformative therapies to patients.

We are seeking a strategic finance leader to serve as Director, R&D Finance & Strategic Business Partnering, acting as the primary finance partner to the Medical Affairs, Quality, and Regulatory functions. Reporting to the VP of R&D Finance and managing 2 direct reports, this role leads financial planning, forecasting, reporting, and investment decision support across a significant and complex budget.

The Director will work closely with senior stakeholders to translate strategy and operating priorities into driver-based financial insights, multi-scenario planning, disciplined resource allocation, and strong financial governance. This role demands exceptional cross-functional stakeholder management, executive-level communication, and the ability to deliver data-driven decision support in complex, highly regulated business areas.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Business Partnership

• Serve as the trusted finance business partner to VP- and SVP-level leaders across Medical Affairs, Quality, and Regulatory, influencing strategy and investment decisions without direct authority.
• Identify risks, opportunities, and financial tradeoffs across functions, translating complex data into clear, actionable recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Lead investment decision support across headcount, external spend, and operating needs, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and financial governance standards.
• Support Medical Affairs investment decisions including medical education programs, publication planning, and MSL field force deployment.
• Provide financial oversight for Quality ensuring spend aligns with regulatory obligations, compliance requirements, and risk mitigation priorities.
• Support regulatory submission planning providing financial analysis and scenario modeling to guide resource allocation and submission investment decisions.
• Partner with Medical Affairs and Commercial Finance on pre-launch and launch readiness financial planning, including cross-functional evidence generation budgets and market access readiness cost modeling.

Planning, Forecasting and Reporting

• Lead all planning cycles including annual budgeting, quarterly forecasting, monthly outlooks, and long-range planning, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and strategic alignment.
• Build and maintain driver-based financial models that translate business activity into actionable planning assumptions, investment decisions, and go/no-go recommendations.
• Develop multi-scenario financial models to support pipeline investment decisions, resource prioritization, and strategic tradeoff analysis at the executive level.
• Deliver timely and insightful reporting including variance analysis, trend analysis, and executive-level business commentary that drives action.
• Develop KPIs, dashboards, and reporting tools that improve financial transparency, business visibility, and decision-making speed across supported functions.

Finance Operations and Controls

• Partner with Accounting and Controllership on close activities, accruals, expense recognition, financial controls, and audit readiness.
• Ensure financial plans and business activities are aligned with company policies, accounting requirements, and internal control expectations.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with FP&A, Accounting, Controllership, Procurement, HR, and business operations to drive integrated financial management.

Leadership and Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop 2 direct reports building a high-performing team with strong analytical, business partnership, and digital finance capabilities.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive team culture that values intellectual curiosity, continuous improvement, and a passion for impact.
• Manage competing priorities across multiple functions with distinct operating cadences and financial profiles, maintaining quality and stakeholder trust.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive finance experience, including FP&A, finance business partnering, or related roles.
• Proven ability to build and maintain driver-based financial models in a complex, high-growth environment.
• Demonstrated experience deploying AI-enabled tools and automation to improve planning accuracy, reduce cycle time, and scale finance operations.
• Proven ability to synthesize complex data into clear, executive-ready recommendations.
• Experience managing and developing direct reports in a matrixed organization.
• Strong executive communication and presentation skills; ability to influence VP- and SVP-level stakeholders.
• Experience with ERP systems, planning tools, dashboards, and data visualization platforms (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles, accruals, close processes, expense classification, and controllership practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA, CPA, or other advanced finance/accounting credential.
• Experience supporting Medical Affairs, Commercial, or Regulatory functions in a biopharma or life sciences company.
• Familiarity with integrated business planning (IBP) frameworks.
• Data literacy skills including SQL, Python (basic), or advanced Excel/Power Query for working with large, complex datasets.
• Track record of leading or contributing to finance digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience with pre-launch and launch financial planning in a commercial-stage biopharma environment.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strategic business judgment with a collaborative leadership style and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, matrixed, and highly regulated environment.
• Ability to connect business strategy, financial planning, accounting requirements, and operational execution into a coherent and actionable financial narrative.
• Forward-looking mindset and genuine passion for improving finance through automation, digital tools, and scalable, repeatable processes.
• Deep understanding of the intersection between Medical Affairs strategy, regulatory obligations, and financial investment planning in a commercial-stage biopharma environment.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and building structure and clarity in evolving, fast-scaling organizations.
• Ability to manage competing priorities across multiple functions with distinct operating cadences and financial profiles, without sacrificing quality or stakeholder trust.

Pay Range:

Disclosure Statement:

Flex Designation:

Flex Eligibility Status:

In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as: 
1.    Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select
2.    On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.

Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex’s Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time. 

#LI-Hybrid
 

Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at [email protected]