Sr. Director, Strategic Finance and Planning

Company: Pairwise Plants
Location: Durham
Posted on: April 6, 2025

Job Description:

About Pairwise:Pairwise is a mission driven AgriFoodTech company pioneering the application of CRISPR technology in food and agriculture. Founded in 2017 by leading scientists in the gene editing and biotechnology fields, and anchored by our Fulcrum platform, we're accelerating innovation in plant genetics. Our expert team delivers commercially viable products that benefit the planet, consumers, growers, and our business partners.We collaborate with best-in-breed companies to deliver products, including industry leaders like Bayer and Corteva. Our consumer-facing pipeline includes seedless blackberries and pitless cherries.Named one of America's Top GreenTech Companies, Pairwise is based in the start-up friendly Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina.About This Role:The Senior Director of Strategic Finance & Planning will lead the strategic finance and planning team, and serve as a critical strategic partner to the Executive Team and collaborate closely with senior executives and the Chief of Staff to drive long-term planning, evaluate revenue-generating opportunities, and enhance decision-making across the organization.This role will focus on strategic finance aspects such as long-term strategic planning, deals, collaborations, and other high-impact initiatives that advance the company's business objectives.Essential Functions:

• Strategic Planning & Analysis:
• Partner with the Executive Team to develop and implement long-term strategic plans.
• Provide financial modeling, scenario planning, and decision support to assess strategic initiatives and growth opportunities.
• Develop and maintain frameworks for evaluating business opportunities, product viability, and go-to-market strategies.
• Drive the evaluation of potential licensing deals, collaborations, and revenue-generating initiatives.
• Deal Evaluation & Strategy:
• Lead financial and strategic analysis for licensing agreements, partnerships, and other collaborations.
• Collaborate with business development, research, and external stakeholders to structure deals that align with company objectives.
• Develop recommendations and present findings to the Executive Leadership Team.
• Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration:
• Lead a high-functioning strategic finance group, providing mentorship, coaching, and identifying development opportunities.
• Work closely with the Chief of Staff to ensure strategic initiatives are aligned and effectively executed across the organization.
• Partner with R&D and Commercial to assess market opportunities, product viability, and commercialization potential.
• Align business capability planning with financial and operational feasibility.
• Lead initiatives that bridge financial strategy with business execution, ensuring alignment across departments.
• Partner with business development to support negotiations and optimize deal structures.
• Financial Planning & Reporting:
• Provide insights to guide resource allocation and investment decisions.
• Monitor progress against strategic goals and prepare reports and presentations for the leadership team and external stakeholders.
• Market Intelligence & Competitive Analysis:
• Conduct research and analysis to inform strategic decision-making and identify new business opportunities.
• Maintain awareness of industry trends, competitor activities, and regulatory developments relevant to the company's strategy.Required Education & Experience:

• 8+ years of experience in strategic finance, corporate strategy, investment banking, management consulting, or a related field.
• Experience leading teams and driving financial planning, forecasting, and business analytics.
• Strong financial modeling and analytical skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Experience working closely with R&D, Commercial, or Business Development to align business and financial priorities.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to distill complex analyses into clear recommendations.
• High learning agility, particularly in technical fields like biotechnology, agronomics, or food innovation.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and drive alignment across teams.
• MBA or equivalent experience preferred.Offerings:
  • Comprehensive Benefits Plan, including Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA/FSA, 401k, Life Insurance, Short-Term & Long-Term Disability, and more!
  • Flexible PTO (use what you need, when you need it), in addition to company holidays.
  • Casual work environment.
  • Mission-driven organization focused on creating healthier fruits and veggies.
  • A cutting-edge, driven community looking to lead the industry in innovation and nutrition.Physical Demands:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and use hands to finger, handle or feel, and techniques that require fine motor skills and repetitive motions. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. The employee is regularly required to talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.EEO Statement:We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Pairwise we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.No Recruiters please.
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Keywords: Pairwise Plants, Durham , Sr. Director, Strategic Finance and Planning, Accounting, Auditing , Durham, North Carolina