Head of Commercial Finance

Description

Head of Commercial Finance

Reports to: CFO

Location: Tustin/Irvine, CA

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly strategic and analytically rigorous Head of Commercial Finance to serve as the financial partner to our Commercial, Business Development, and Program Management organizations.

This role sits at the intersection of pricing, deal structuring, and profitability, ensuring that all commercial agreements are economically sound, cash-efficient, and aligned with the company's value creation objectives.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience in contract manufacturing and/or pharma, is comfortable operating in high-stakes negotiations, and has a strong command of how contract terms translate into revenue, margin, and cash flow outcomes over time.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Finance Leadership

• Act as the primary finance partner to Commercial leadership on all pricing, contracting, and deal-related decisions
• Establish and continuously improve commercial finance frameworks for pricing, margin optimization, and deal approval
• Drive consistency and rigor in evaluating customer profitability across lifecycle (from RFP to execution)

Deal Structuring & Negotiation Support

• Actively participate in customer and partner negotiations as the finance lead

• Structure commercial agreements to optimize:

• Revenue recognition and timing

• Margin profile and cost recovery

• Cash flow timing (milestones, prepayments, working capital)

• Ensure contracts appropriately reflect:

• Capacity utilization dynamics

• Cost structure (fixed vs. variable)

• Risk allocation (e.g., batch failure, forecast risk, change orders)

Pricing & Profitability Analytics

• Build and own advanced models to evaluate:

• Project-level and customer-level profitability

• Scenario analyses (volume, yield, pricing, input cost variability)

• Sensitivity to operational and contractual assumptions

• Partner with Operations and Program Management to ensure cost assumptions reflect real manufacturing economics

• Continuously track and report actual vs. expected profitability and identify drivers of variance

Cash Flow & Contract Economics

• Develop deep understanding of how contract terms impact:

• Cash conversion cycle

• Working capital requirements

• Long-term value creation

• Ensure commercial structures appropriately balance:

• Pricing vs. payment terms

• Upfront vs. back-ended economics

• Risk vs. return trade-offs

Cross-Functional Business Partnering

• Serve as a bridge between Finance, Commercial, Legal, and Operations
• Translate complex financial concepts into clear decision frameworks for non-finance stakeholders
• Support executive decision-making on strategic accounts, partnerships, and large deals

Success in the First 6 Months

• Ensure a standardized and effective pricing and deal review framework across all major opportunities
• Establish visibility into customer and program-level profitability
• Ensure discipline and consistency in commercial decision-making and approvals
• Improve cash flow profile through enhanced contract structuring
• Build credibility as a trusted partner in negotiations and strategic discussions

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in commercial finance, FP&A, or deal finance

• Significant experience in one or more of the following:

• Contract manufacturing (CDMO preferred)

• Biopharma / life sciences

• Complex project-based or long-term service contracts

• Proven track record supporting or leading commercial negotiations

• Strong financial modeling skills, including:

• Profitability modeling

• Scenario and sensitivity analysis

• Cash flow modeling

Key Capabilities

• Commercial Acumen: Understands how deals are won and structured in competitive environments
• Analytical Rigor: Able to build and interpret complex financial models quickly and accurately
• Negotiation Presence: Comfortable in customer discussions, able to influence outcomes
• Systems Thinking: Connects pricing, operations, contracts, and financial outcomes holistically
• Judgment: Balances risk and return, short-term vs. long-term value creation

Preferred Experience

• Experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing or CDMO environments
• Familiarity with:
• Capacity-based pricing models
• Yield, batch economics, and manufacturing constraints
• Long-term supply agreements

Mindset & Style

• Hands-on, pragmatic, and business-first
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and fast-moving deal environments
• Willing to challenge assumptions and push for economically sound outcomes
• Strong communicator who simplifies complexity for decision-makers

Why This Role Matters

This role directly impacts revenue quality, margin expansion, and cash generation-and is critical to ensuring the company scales with disciplined, value-accretive growth.