R&D Business Finance

The Business Finance (R&D Vertical) role is responsible for supporting financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, investment analysis, performance tracking, and business partnering across Research & Development functions. The role works closely with R&D, Product, Engineering, and Finance teams to provide financial insights, ensure effective investment governance, optimize resource allocation, and improve visibility into technology and product development investments. The position contributes to informed decision-making by delivering financial analysis, monitoring project performance, and supporting the efficient utilization of R&D budgets.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Strategy & Planning

• Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning for the R&D organization.
• Develop multi-year financial models for product development programs, innovation initiatives, and technology roadmaps.
• Drive capital allocation decisions and evaluate funding requirements for strategic R&D investments.

Business Partnering & Decision Support

• Serve as the primary finance partner to R&D leadership.
• Provide financial analysis, ROI assessment, scenario planning, and business case support for new programs and technology investments.
• Enable data-driven decision-making through actionable financial insights.

Performance Management

• Establish KPIs, dashboards, and governance frameworks to monitor R&D investments and project performance.
• Track budget utilization, cost variances, project milestones, and financial risks.
• Deliver portfolio-level visibility and performance reporting to executive leadership.

Cost Management & Optimization

• Drive cost-efficiency initiatives across engineering, design, and development functions.
• Optimize resource utilization, productivity, and operating expenditure.
• Manage cost structures related to laboratories, prototypes, tooling, technology platforms, and innovation assets.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Product, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, HR, and Corporate Finance teams.
• Align financial plans with business objectives and innovation priorities.
• Support audits, reporting requirements, and strategic reviews.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with accounting standards, capitalization policies, and internal controls.
• Govern project approvals, budget utilization, and milestone-based investment tracking.
• Mitigate financial risks associated with R&D investments and long-term technology programs.

Leadership

• Lead and develop a team of finance business partners, analysts, and program controllers.
• Build strong financial discipline, accountability, and business partnering capabilities across the organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA (Finance), CA, CPA, or equivalent professional qualification.
• 3-6+ years of finance experience with significant exposure to Business Finance, FP&A, or Finance Business Partnering roles.
• Experience supporting R&D, Engineering, Technology, Product Development, Automotive, Manufacturing, or Innovation-led organizations preferred.
• Strong expertise in financial planning, investment analysis, business case evaluation, and stakeholder management.