Senior Director, International Finance and Operations

About the Role >>> Senior Director, International Finance and Operations 

The Senior Director, International Finance & Operations will lead the establishment and ongoing finance operations of the Company’s Ireland entity. This role is responsible for building finance infrastructure, ensuring compliance with Irish and EU requirements, and supporting integration with global financial systems. 

Reporting to the VP of Finance, this individual will serve as a key execution partner in delivering the Company’s international expansion into Ireland, a critical strategic priority. This role will work cross-functionally with internal stakeholders and external advisors to drive timely, coordinated execution across all aspects of the entity build-out and ongoing operations, including but not limited to finance operations, indirect tax compliance, and local governance. 

This role is based out of our Dublin, Ireland office and will require 10% travel. 

Your role will primarily encompass: 

Ireland Entity Setup & Execution  

• Lead execution of the Ireland entity build-out in coordination with internal teams and external partners  
• Drive implementation of cross-functional workplans, ensuring alignment with key milestones and timelines 
• Manage interdependencies across Finance, Legal, HR, IT, and external advisors 
• Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, and key milestones  
• Track progress against deliverables, proactively identify risks or delays, and drive resolution with Finance leadership  
• Indirect Tax & VAT Compliance 
• Oversee VAT registration and ongoing indirect tax compliance in Ireland/EU  
• Coordinate with external advisors on VAT filings and regulatory requirements  
• Ensure timely and accurate preparation and submission of VAT returns  
• Establish and maintain documentation, processes, and controls to support compliance and audit readiness  
• Identify and escalate tax-related risks and technical issues and process gaps 

Finance Operations & Infrastructure 

• Lead the establishment and oversight of finance operations for the Ireland entity, including payroll, local compliance, and financial processes  
• Oversee payroll setup and ongoing coordination with HR and external providers  
• Ensure payroll and related processes are accurate, compliant, and timely  
• Support integration of the Ireland entity into global financial systems, reporting, and internal controls  
• Implement global finance policies in alignment with local regulatory requirements  

Stakeholder Management & Cross-Functional Execution 

• Act as a central point of coordination across cross-functional stakeholders and external partners to support execution of Ireland-related activities  
• Drive alignment, clarity, and accountability across teams 
• Lead cross-functional meetings, track decisions, and ensure follow-through on key action items  
• Provide regular updates to Finance leadership on status, risks, and timelines  

Finance Processes & Controls 

• Establish and document finance processes and internal controls for a new entity  
• Support development of scalable processes as operations grow  
• Ensure alignment with U.S. reporting requirements and internal control frameworks, including SOX readiness, to ensure transition from setup to steady-state operations 

Additional Responsibilities 

• Support additional finance, tax, and operational initiatives as needed  
• Assist in preparation of materials for leadership review and decision-making 
• Act as a key execution partner to the VP of Finance in delivering the Ireland expansion initiative 
• Support prioritization, issue resolution, and cross-functional alignment across workstreams  

Ideal Candidate Profile  

A love of challenging, important work. We are a pragmatic team, driven to imagine and develop meaningful therapies for improving lives. All employees within our company play a unique and crucial role in our success, both in accomplishing our mission and building a positive company culture. As such, we are looking for someone with the right combination of knowledge, experience, and attributes for this role. 

Knowledge: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field (required) 
• CPA, ACA, ACCA, or equivalent (required) 
• Strong understanding of finance operations, accounting principles, and internal controls 
•  Familiarity with indirect tax/VAT in Ireland and/or EU 
• Knowledge of SOX compliance and public company financial environments (preferred) 

Experience: 

• Minimum of 12+ years of experience in finance, accounting, or related roles 
• Minimum of 3+ years in leading and managing teams 
• Experience in biotech, pharma, or life sciences (required)  
• Experience supporting international operations and/or entity setup 
• Experience working with external advisors (e.g., tax, payroll, legal) 
• Strong project management experience across cross-functional initiatives 
• Experience building or scaling finance processes and controls 
• Experience supporting integration into financial systems and reporting structures 
• Exposure to indirect tax/VAT compliance and filings 
• Experience in a SOX-compliant or public company environment (required)

Additional Attributes: 

• Strong project management and organizational skills 
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, evolving environment 
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills 
• Execution-oriented mindset  

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