Director of Finance

Rocket Lab

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, spacecraft components, satellites and other spacecraft and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle and the Photon satellite platform and is developing the Neutron 8-ton payload class launch vehicle. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered 109 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft platform has been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a second launch site in Virginia, USA which is expected to become operational in 2022. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

Director of Finance

Based in Denver, CO, the Director of Finance will oversee all financial management of Rocket Lab’s solar manufacturing operations, delivering financial planning, forecasting, KPI reporting, cost analysis, and project management. This position requires the ability to maintain accurate P&L reporting and analysis in a manufacturing environment.

The Finance Director will report to the Senior Director of Finance & Strategy for Rocket Lab’s Space Systems business, manage an established Finance group locally, and partner closely with the local site lead and various team members throughout the organization.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Act as key finance business partner to the VP & GM Space Systems Power Solutions, as well as supporting local operations, accounting, IT, engineering and HR functions
• Execute strategic initiatives to meet long-term financial targets
• Consolidate, maintain, and provide analyses related to short- and long-term financial projections, department budgets, and cash flow projections
• Oversee monthly project management and financial projections related to Overtime and Point in Time Contract execution
• Facilitate efficient backlog and revenue forecast consolidation to corporate FP&A
• Formulate and communicate manufacturing and operational performance metrics for product costing and inventory management while assisting the business to drive cost reduction initiatives
• Collaborate with IT and other functional leaders to implement business processes and systems to maximize manufacturing intelligence and efficiency
• Support accounting leads to facilitate financial close process and external audit reviews
• Lead the development and efficient deployment of local finance team (approximately 2-5 direct reports)
• Initiate process improvement projects to update transactional, financial, and reporting processes.
• Provide ad hoc analytics

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain complex project management information to others
• Strong skills to analyze variance, attention to details organizational skills and ability to prioritize
• Analytical & independent problem-solving skills to evaluate operations activities and financial impact to project cost
• Ensuring compliance with GAAP and/or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
• Experience with manufacturing ERP System to evaluate production orders cost, bill of materials and routings
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Advance Excel skill is a must

REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in finance or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience; MBA preferred
• Minimum ten (10) years of experience in a finance management role
• Experience working in a manufacturing environment, preferably within the aerospace and defense industry.

PREFERRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• ERP experience using Infor LN, Oracle, JDE, SAP or similar ERP system