Senior Director of Accounts Receivable & Finance Operations

Senior Director of Accounts Receivable & Finance Operations

At Azenta, new ideas, new technologies and new ways of thinking are driving our future. Our customer focused culture encourages employees to embrace innovation and challenge the status quo with novel thinking and collaborative work relationships. All we accomplish is grounded in our core values of Customer Focus, Achievement, Accountability, Teamwork, Employee Value and Integrity

How You'll Add Value

The Senior Director of Accounts Receivable & Finance Operations leads the full order to cash cycle and all operational finance functions, shaping financial strategy, protecting cash flow, and ensuring strong internal controls. This role oversees the Accounts Receivable and Finance Operations teams, driving cross functional alignment, operational excellence, and disciplined execution. As a key partner to executive leadership, the Senior Director provides financial insight, guides planning, and ensures adherence to budget and governance standards. A core responsibility is championing a Lean culture embedding Standard Work, continuous improvement, and waste reduction practices to enhance efficiency, flow, and customer experience.

What You'll Do

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute long-range financial and operational strategies that support goals across Accounts Receivable and Finance Operations.
• Serve as a senior advisor to executive leadership, providing insights on cash flow, financial risk, operational performance, and opportunities for Lean transformation.

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis for SRS operations and enterprise finance functions.
• Review and approve financial planning recommendations, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, fiscal discipline, and Lean efficiency principles.

Accounts Receivable Leadership

• Lead the full order-to-cash cycle at a strategic level, including credit, billing, collections, cash application, and dispute resolution.
• Establish policies, systems, and controls that protect cash flow, reduce financial risk, and improve customer payment performance.
• Sponsor modernization initiatives, including automation, workflow redesign, and Lean process improvements.

Operational Finance

• Drive continuous improvement in inventory management, cost control, and profitability.
• Implement scalable processes and systems that support operational excellence and financial accuracy.

Cross-Functional Business Partnering

• Collaborate with leadership, operations, sales, legal, Azenta Business Systems (ABS), and corporate finance to support growth initiatives and optimize resource allocation.
• Ensure alignment between financial strategy and operational execution across all business units.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure adherence to financial policies, internal controls, audit requirements, and regulatory standards.
• Strengthen governance frameworks to minimize risk and ensure financial integrity while improving process flow and reducing non-value-added work.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing finance and AR organization.
• Build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and Lean leadership.
• Ensure clear succession planning, professional development pathways, and capability building in Lean tools and methodologies.

As a Leader, You Will

Build an Accountable and Collaborative Culture

• Build and models a culture of teamwork and employee value, where questioning and constructive challenge are the standard to foster openness and candid dialogue

• Encourage accountability and responsibility that enables others to act with integrity

• Build effective working relationships across groups with customer focus at the center of all actions; exemplifies "one team; one company'

• Promote partnership and communication within department and across the organization. Consider all parts of the organization when implementing changes

Lead with Customer Focus and Strategic Agility

• Set and clearly articulate a compelling vision that inspires customer focus

• Develop bold strategic plans and drives achievement by crafting pragmatic solutions to implement them

• Recognize opportunities and challenges and modify strategy accordingly

• Move easily between addressing current needs and planning for the future with informed insight

• Consider customer needs as well as economic forces and trends in making sound business decisions

Navigate Change

• Adept at Sensemaking. Ask insightful questions and link ideas to assess the complexities of the environment and explain them to others in simple terms. Help to "map" the terrain so others can navigate the journey

• Decide and act, even when faced with uncertainty

• Clearly communicate the need for change and is proactively responsive to the resistance it can evoke

• Address the conflict and ambiguity inherent in change; create alignment to overcome inherent challenges

• Quickly focus on the critical issues while prioritizing current work

Develop Organizational Capability

• Engage employees by inspiring passion for growth and continuous improvement; inspires individuals to reach their full potential

• Build and improve effective internal systems and processes that align with organizational priorities

• Build and foster effective teams in a global matrix organization

• Utilize best practices and resources for acquisition, organization, and engagement of talent. Empower, delegate and develop talent in consideration of business and development needs both locally and globally

Drive Innovation

• Lead others to seek better ways of doing things. Generate breakthrough solutions, and enables others to do the same

• Draw on unexpected or seemingly unrelated ways of thinking

• Operate from a framework of possibility; cultivate an environment of idea generation

• Incorporate stakeholder feedback to improve the business

What You Will Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field required.
• MBA, CPA, or equivalent advanced credential strongly preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive finance experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership roles.
• Demonstrated success in multi unit or operational finance environments.
• Proven experience leading Lean transformations or operating within a mature Lean culture.
• Track record of driving measurable improvements in cash flow, operational efficiency, and financial performance.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities.
• Expertise in financial modeling, forecasting, and operational metrics.
• Exceptional communication, executive presence, and stakeholder management.
• Proficiency with ERP systems; advanced Excel and BI tool experience preferred.
• Ability to influence cross functional teams, lead through change, and drive results in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to coach teams in Lean principles, Standard Work, and continuous improvement.

Your Working Conditions:

• General office setting

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Azenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This company considers candidates regardless of race, color, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

United States Base Compensation: $212,000.00 - $265,000.00

The posted pay range for this position is an estimate based on current market data and internal pay structure. Final compensation may vary above or below this range depending on factors such as experience, education (including licensure and certifications), qualifications, performance, and geographic location, among other relevant business or organizational needs.