Senior Manager FP&A, R&D

Wave Life Sciences is a biotechnology company focused on unlocking the broad potential of RNA medicines to transform human health. Our RNA medicines platform, PRISM, combines multiple modalities, chemistry innovation and deep insights in human genetics to deliver scientific breakthroughs that treat both rare and prevalent disorders. Our toolkit of RNA-targeting modalities includes editing, splicing, RNA interference and antisense silencing, providing us with unmatched capabilities for designing and sustainably delivering candidates that optimally address disease biology. Our diversified pipeline includes clinical programs in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and Huntington’s disease, as well as a preclinical program in obesity. Driven by the calling to “Reimagine Possible”, we are leading the charge toward a world in which human potential is no longer hindered by the burden of disease.

Description

The Senior Manager FP&A serves as a key finance partner to pre-clinical and clinical operations and other R&D teams, providing strategic financial support, analysis, and insights to drive decision-making and optimize clinical program efficiency. This role combines the financial expertise with a deep understanding of clinical trial dynamics to ensure alignment between financial goals and business strategies.

Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, or related field; MBA is preferred.
• 5 years of relevant work experience showing progressive advancement. 
• Experience supporting clinical operations or R&D is a must.

Responsibilities

Financial Planning and Budgeting

• Collaborate with pre-clinical and clinical operations, R&D and other stakeholders to develop and manage clinical trial budgets.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure accurate forecasting of clinical program expenses, including CROs, investigator sites, and other third-party vendors.
• Contribute to the annual budgeting process and long-range planning by providing clinical program costs projections.

Variance Analysis and Reporting

• Monitor clinical trial spending against budget and provide variance analysis with clear explanations of deviations.
• Deliver actionable insights through financial dashboards, presentations, KPI tracking and ad-hoc reports.
• Support monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial close processes by generating monthly accrual schedules and adjusting forecasts.

Business Partnering and Decision Support

• Serve as a trusted financial advisor to clinical operations leadership, providing financial insights to guide operational decision-making.
• Assist in scenario planning for clinical trial design changes, program delays or unplanned expenses.
• Evaluate clinical trial cost drivers and recommend strategies to improve financial efficiency.

Vendor and Contract Oversight

• Collaborate with clinical teams to assess the financial implications of vendor contracts and change orders. Coordinate monthly finance calls with CRO’s and key vendors.
• Approve, track, and manage vendor commitments, purchase orders, and invoices to ensure proper financial control.

Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to enhance forecasting accuracy, budgeting tools, and reporting processes.
• Drive implementation of best practices in clinical program financial management.

Key Skills

• Strong knowledge of clinical trial processes, CRO contracts, and R&D operations.
• Ability to analyze complex data sets, distill insights, and make recommendations.
• Advanced proficiency in financial modeling, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present financial concepts to non-financial stakeholders.
• Proven track record to partner effectively with cross-functional teams in a dynamic environment.
• Expertise in financial planning tools (Adaptive Insights) and ERP systems and accounting principles particularly clinical trial accruals.
• Advanced excel skills, modeling capabilities and scenario planning.
• Self-starter with ability to operate independently, drive processes, identify and implement process improvements, establish and adjust priorities to achieve objectives and operate with speed and agility.

Wave Life Sciences provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Wave Life Sciences complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Wave Life Sciences expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Wave Life Sciences’ employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.

We value our relationships with professional recruitment firms. To protect the interests of all parties and given the large volume of inquiries received from third-party placement agencies, we are not able to respond to all agency inquiries. We do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates for current or future positions. Submission of unsolicited resumes in advance of a signed agreement between our company and a placement agency does not create an implied obligation and, if an unsolicited candidate represented by a placement agency is hired, we are not obligated to pay a fee. Only approved recruitment firms will be allowed to provide services to Wave Life Sciences, USA.