Job Title: Director, Strategy & Finance

Reporting to: Chief Finance Officer

Location: Durham, North Carolina, US


About Pairwise:

Pairwise is a mission-driven, food+tech company dedicated to building a healthier world through better fruits and vegetables. Pairwise was founded in 2017 by scientists at Harvard University, MIT, and Broad Institute who are eminent in the field of gene editing, as well as biotechnology industry pioneers. Our team is tuned in to consumer food trends, and we believe that consumers deserve more variety and innovation in their fresh food choices. We are primed to deliver that innovation through one of the best gene-editing platforms in food and agriculture. Pairwise has an exclusive 5-year research collaboration with Bayer to develop products in corn, soybean, wheat, canola, and cotton. Plus, Pairwise is developing new types of leafy greens, berries, and stone fruit, with the first product expected in late 2022. Pairwise is based in the start-up friendly Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina.


About This Role:

Pairwise is seeking a Strategy and Finance Director with proven analytical and strategic experience to partner with the Finance, Commercial, Business and Corporate Development teams. This new position is a fantastic opportunity for someone with a well-rounded skill set in analytics, financial acumen, problem-solving and executive communication. This individual will play a key role in charting Pairwise near- and long-term growth and portfolio development, ensuring the company invests in the assets and capabilities needed to create and sustain market leadership and providing the financial and strategic analysis which underpins the formulation of its business and corporate strategy. This role will help to drive the full gamut of strategic finance activities, quantitatively and qualitatively evaluating potential business investment, initiatives and / or external partnerships in pursuit of profitable growth. The ideal candidate is a highly motivated individual who functions with confidence and expertise in a dynamic business environment, managing multiple competing priorities effectively.


Essential Functions:

  • Provide thought leadership to business partners, including the CFO and other executive leaders, on a broad range of business-critical topics.
  • Identify and deconstruct business issues and develop strategic, analytical, and financial frameworks to conduct analyses (i.e. market sizing and opportunity assessment, valuation, ROIC / IRR, etc.).
  • Help the company to grow by driving special projects to evaluate new markets and opportunities, building “executive ready” deliverables and materials for Pairwise leadership to guide strategic decision-making and formulate recommendations.
  • Maintain an external mindset, including market research and financial analysis of key consumer, customer, partner, competitive, and macroeconomic/geopolitical trends.
  • Collaborate with Commercial team in shaping go-to-market strategy and product development, as well as identifying and qualifying key partners to further scale the Pairwise business model.
  • Partner with Business and Corporate Development and Commercial teams on strategic projects and contract negotiations, including:
    • Developing and refining financial models
    • Participating in diligence
    • Preparing tailored narrative and materials to support discussions with prospective partners
    • Collaborating with legal and finance to craft contracts and navigate internal communications
    • Working directly with partners in the business to communicate key results and support decision-making


Required Education & Experience:

  • 5+ years of experience in finance (e.g. investment banking) or a related analytical field (e.g. management consulting), or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Candidates with an MBA are preferred.
  • Effective written and oral communication skills, including capabilities for developing and presenting analyses and insights to senior leadership.
  • Strong analytical skills with an ability to create financial models and reports using Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint, as well as other business intelligence tools.
  • Solid business acumen to help interpret and place metrics into context.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with a proven ability to meet tight deadlines and prioritize workloads in an ambiguous environment.
  • Recognized ability to succeed in cross-functional teams through influence versus direct management.
  • Learning agility with capability to learn and work in-depth in a technical field, specifically biotechnology and agronomics.
  • Prior experience within a start-up or entrepreneurial environment, is a plus. As well as, prior experience in food, produce, or CPG industries.


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.


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.

This position has been filled. Would you like to see our other open positions?