Director, Project Finance Business Partner

The Director, Project Finance Business Partner leads the project finance business partner model for complex fixed, portable, and producing project portfolios. The role serves as a senior strategic finance partner to Regional Leadership, Project Management, Producing, Production, Operations, FP&A, Project Accounting, and Finance leadership, connecting financial insight to enterprise decision-making from project bidding and quote-to-completion through project closeout.

Through governance, constructive challenge, and leadership of the Project Finance Business Partner team, this role builds forecast reliability, margin discipline, commercial transparency, and unbiased visibility into project performance and emerging financial risks. The Director establishes standards, develops talent, and champions data-driven and digital finance capabilities that accelerate decision-making and improve business outcomes.

Operating independently from delivery pressures while remaining deeply embedded with the business, this role drives consistency across geographies, supports contract, commercial, and accounting alignment, and enables scalable project finance partnership in dynamic, client-driven project environments.

Responsibilities: 

Enterprise Project Finance Strategy & Governance

• Lead the operating model for project finance business partnering across Fixed, Portable and Producing portfolios, setting consistent standards for forecast reviews, risk escalation, documentation, and portfolio reporting.
• Partner with regional and finance leadership to translate business strategy, market and capability priorities, and project portfolio economics into clear financial decisions.
• Own the finance review framework for project bidding, quote-to-completion, project finance reviews, and geography/compliance expectations.
• Establish governance rhythms that provide leadership with an independent and unbiased view of project performance, margin exposure, and emerging financial risks.

Portfolio Financial Assurance & Risk Management

• Lead independent review of high-risk and high-value project forecasts, including contract value, revenue, cost-to-complete, project valuations, margin assumptions, change orders, risk contingencies, and cash impacts.
• Challenge assumptions across contracts, scope, delivery plans, vendor commitments, site or production progress, sequencing, productivity, and operational realities.
• Escalate material financial risks early with recommended actions and clear accountability for mitigation.
• Drive consistent application of revenue recognition, cost treatment, capitalization, and agent vs. principal considerations in partnership with Project Accounting and Controllership.

Strategic Business Partnering & Commercial Decision Support

• Serve as the senior finance advisor to Project Management, Producing, Production, Operations, and regional leadership from project award through closeout.
• Influence decisions on scope, delivery approach, client negotiations, vendor or subcontractor strategy, project trade-offs, and commercial terms.
• Translate complex financial insight into simple, compelling narratives, visualizations, and recommendations for executive and non-financial decision-makers.
• Build trusted cross-functional relationships while maintaining independence, objectivity, and constructive challenge.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Build, coach, and develop a high-performing team of Project Finance Business Partners supporting Fixed, Portable and Producing workstreams across assigned geographies.
• Set expectations for quality, responsiveness, independence, partnership, and financial discipline; provide prioritization, performance feedback, and career development.
• Create standard ways of working, onboarding materials, knowledge-sharing routines, and capability-building practices that scale the function.
• Foster a culture of learning, experimentation, collaboration, accountability, and financial integrity.

Digitalization, Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Champion automation, data visualization, and standardized digital tools that reduce manual effort, improve transparency, and increase speed and confidence in decision-making.
• Lead the development of portfolio dashboards, predictive indicators, and early-warning metrics for margin risk, forecast reliability, cost exposure, and project financial performance.
• Partner with FP&A, Finance Systems, IT, Project Accounting, and Operations to improve ERP/project costing data quality, reporting usability, and tool adoption.
• Encourage testing of new analytical methods, AI, and planning techniques to improve traditional ways of working and strengthen data-driven decision support.

Controls, Compliance & Audit Readiness

• Act as a second line of defense over project financial integrity, independent from delivery pressures.
• Drive consistent control practices, project documentation standards, governance routines, and audit-ready support across the portfolio.
• Translate finance policies into practical guidance for project and producing teams, enabling smooth and compliant execution.
• Support internal and external audit requirements, geography compliance, and continuous improvement of project finance controls.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business or related field.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in finance, project finance, commercial finance, FP&A, project accounting, project controls, or business partnering in complex project-based, production, construction, agency, or service environments.
• 5+ years of leadership experience, including coaching, developing, and leading finance professionals in a matrixed or cross-functional environment.
• Deep understanding of project forecasting, cost-to-complete, project valuations, percent complete/earned value concepts, margin management, contract structures, change orders, financial risk, and governance.
• Experience partnering with senior operational and finance leaders and influencing decisions where commercial, delivery, client, and financial priorities must be balanced.
• Working knowledge of revenue recognition, cost treatment, capitalization, and agent vs. principal considerations.
• Demonstrated ability to design or improve financial review routines, controls, reporting, and forecast governance across a portfolio of projects.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with ERP/project costing systems and BI/data visualization tools.
• Ability to travel and engage with project sites, production environments, or regional teams as needed.

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