Director of Finance and Operations

Unlearn exists to transform clinical development by making every trial smarter. We harness data, AI, and digital twins to enable faster, more robust studies that bring life-saving treatments to patients faster. This mission drives everything we do as we partner with biopharmaceutical companies to redesign how clinical trials are planned, run, and analyzed.

We are defining the future of clinical development with unmatched scientific credibility, replacing uncertainty with AI-powered precision so decisions are clearer and trials are stronger. We don’t just disrupt the pharmaceutical industry, we create lasting change.

We believe AI will define the future of medicine, and we are committed to building that future responsibly, rigorously, and in close collaboration with our partners in clinical development.

We come from a variety of backgrounds ranging from machine learning to marketing—but regardless of where we come from, Unlearners share some common traits:

• Unlearners are ambitious; we aren’t intimidated by big, challenging goals.

• Unlearners are disciplined experimenters; we break down our big goals into smaller chunks and meet as often as necessary to track our velocity and iterate quickly.

• Unlearners are gritty; we never give up, setbacks just make us try harder.

• Unlearners are receptive to new ideas; in fact, we hate being stuck with the status quo

• Unlearners are storytellers; sharing information with each other and with the world is super important, too important to be boring. And, last but not least,

• Unlearners are team-oriented; we put the mission first, the company second, the team third, and individuals last.

Headquartered in San Francisco, Unlearn was founded in 2017 by a team of world-class machine learning scientists. We have raised venture capital from top tier investors such as Altimeter, Insight Partners, Radical Ventures, 8VC, DCVC, and DCVC Bio, and completed our $50 million Series C in January 2024.

If our purpose and culture resonate with you, we invite you to apply.

We are seeking a Director of Finance & Operations to serve as a strategic partner to the CFO/COO and executive team, owning financial planning, operational processes, and cross-functional business initiatives that drive sustainable growth.

This is a high-impact individual contributor role that combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution. You will own the company's FP&A processes, lead operational excellence initiatives, and serve as a trusted advisor to department heads. You'll shape how we allocate resources, evaluate opportunities, and scale our infrastructure.

Reporting to the CFO/COO, you will collaborate closely with Tech Ops, Commercial, Product, R&D, People Operations, and Executive teams. The ideal candidate is analytical, strategic, and execution-oriented with strong business partnership skills.

• Own annual budgeting, quarterly forecasting, and long-range strategic planning processes

• Build and maintain financial models for revenue, expenses, headcount, and cash flow

• Lead scenario planning and sensitivity analysis to support major business decisions

• Provide financial insights that shape company strategy and resource allocation

• Prepare materials for executive reviews, investor updates, and board presentations

• Deliver monthly and quarterly business reviews with variance analysis, KPIs, and actionable insights

• Develop executive dashboards and reporting frameworks that track business performance

• Partner with department leaders to build bottoms-up budgets aligned with company goals

• Drive continuous improvement in forecasting accuracy and planning methodologies

• Lead operational planning for capacity modeling, resource optimization, and territory planning

• Drive process improvements that enhance efficiency and scalability across the organization

• Manage vendor relationships, contract negotiations, and procurement activities

• Implement and optimize business systems and tools to support data-driven decision making

• Own special projects and strategic initiatives on behalf of leadership

• Partner with Commercial on pipeline analytics, bookings forecasting, and revenue planning

• Collaborate with Product and R&D on project costs, resource planning, and ROI analysis

• Support People Operations on workforce planning and compensation analysis

• Translate complex financial concepts into clear insights for diverse stakeholders

• 8-12 years in FP&A, Operations, Corporate Finance, or Consulting

• Experience managing full planning cycles (budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning)

• Proven ability to influence senior leadership and drive cross-functional alignment

• Background in tech, biotech, healthcare, SaaS, or high-growth analytical industries

• Advanced Excel/Google Sheets proficiency with strong financial modeling capabilities

• Experience with business systems (ERP, CRM, BI tools)

• Understanding of key financial metrics, and cash flow management

• Ability to build dashboards, reports, and analytical frameworks

• SQL or data analysis skills a plus

• Strategic thinker who can balance big-picture vision with detailed execution

• Exceptional analytical rigor and problem-solving skills

• Strong communicator who can present to executives and boards

• Self-starter with ownership mentality and bias for action

• Adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity in fast-paced environments

• Collaborative partner who builds trust across the organization

• MBA or advanced degree in Finance, Business, or Economics

• Experience at venture-backed startups or high growth companies

• Exposure to board materials and investor reporting

The following benefits and perks are for full time roles only.

• Generous equity participation

• 100% company-covered medical, dental, & vision insurance plans

• 401k plan with matching

• Flexible PTO plus company holidays

• Annual company-wide break December 24 through January 1

• Commuter benefits

• Paid Parental Leave

Unlearn is an equal opportunity employer. 

At Unlearn, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, because inclusion and diversity are essential to achieving our mission. If you’re excited about this role, and your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply nevertheless.