Head of Financial Planning & Analysis

Cognex is the world’s leading provider of vision systems, software, sensors, and industrial barcode readers used in manufacturing automation.  Cognex vision helps companies improve product quality, eliminate production errors, lower manufacturing costs, and exceed consumer expectations for high quality products at an affordable price.   Typical applications for machine vision include detecting defects, monitoring production lines, guiding assembly robots, and tracking, sorting and identifying parts.

Cognex serves an international customer base from offices located throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia, and through a global network of integration and distribution partners. The company is headquartered close to Boston in Natick, Massachusetts, USA.

Role:

As a key person in the finance leadership team, the mission of this role is to support the organization as a collaborative business partner and act as a critical thought partner to the CFO on both strategic and tactical financial decision-making. If you are an energetic finance leader who is ready to jump to a fast-paced technology company, this is the role you are looking for.  This role will be reporting to the CFO.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop a high-performing FP&A team that meets increasing needs and requirements across the business that helps drive the overall organization forward.

• Provide financial transparency and recommendations to strategically enhance financial performance and provide the executive leadership team with advice on business decisions. 

• Lead annual budgeting and long-range strategic planning process and models, oversee and be the owner of corporate financial forecasting.

• Champion cost optimization for products and indirect expenses and establish a highly efficient R&D controlling.

• Support investment decisions such as M&A by building financial business cases and supporting financial due diligence.

• Collaborate with the Corporate Controller, Tax, Investor Relations and the Treasury function on all accounting, tax, and treasury aspects and with the Sales FP&A team on all commercial finance topics.

Requirements:

• Proven business acumen and strategic insight into enterprise value creation. High level of energy and demonstrated success in maturing FP&A organizations. 

• Strong executive presence and track record of being a trusted advisor to the executive team. Must work well, both leading and contributing, in a team environment. 

• The ideal candidate should have a minimum of 15 years of relevant experience, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership position. This experience should encompass near-term and long-range financial planning and reporting at either the corporate or business unit level in an international business.

• Bachelor’s Degree required, preferably in accounting or finance, MBA is a benefit.