Director of Financial Planning

Director of Financial Planning

Reports To: CFO

Company Overview:

Netlist, Inc. (OTCQB: NLST) is a leading provider of high-performance modular memory subsystems and next-generation storage-class memory solutions. We specialize in cutting-edge technologies that enable innovation in AI, cloud computing, and enterprise infrastructure. Our product portfolio includes DDR4/DDR5 DIMMs, NAND-based SSDs, and advanced interconnect technologies such as CXL and PCIe .

Join our world-class engineering team and be part of shaping the future of memory and storage architecture.

Position Summary:

The Director of Financial Planning will lead the Company’s financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning activities. Reporting to the CFO, this position will serve as a strategic financial partner to executive leadership and functional leaders, providing financial insights and recommendations to support business decisions and the Company’s short- and long-term objectives.

The Director will be responsible for strengthening the Company’s financial planning processes, evaluating business performance, identifying key financial drivers, risks and opportunities, and translating complex financial information into actionable recommendations for senior management.

Key Responsibilities:

- Lead the Company’s annual budgeting, quarterly forecasting, and long-range financial planning processes.
- Develop and maintain comprehensive financial models, forecasts, and scenario planning to support strategic and operational decision-making.
- Working knowledge of corporate tax principles, tax planning, and the financial implications of federal, state, and international tax matters.
- Partner closely with the CFO and executive leadership to evaluate financial performance, business opportunities, investments, and resource allocation.
- Monitor revenue, gross margin, operating expenses, profitability, cash flow, and other key financial and operational metrics.
- Lead monthly and quarterly reviews of actual results compared with budget, forecast, and prior periods and identify significant variances and business drivers.
- Prepare executive-level financial reports, forecasts, dashboards, and presentations.
- Support preparation of financial materials for executive management and the Board of Directors.
- Establish and monitor key financial and operational performance indicators and identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities.
- Partner with department leaders to develop operating budgets, forecasts, workforce plans, and expenditure assumptions.
- Partner with Human Resources on headcount planning, compensation forecasting, and workforce-related financial projections.
- Provide financial modeling and decision support for strategic initiatives, investments, capital allocation, and other significant business decisions.
- Develop sensitivity and scenario models to evaluate changing market and business conditions.
- Drive continuous improvement of the Company’s budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, and management reporting processes.
- Partner with Accounting to ensure alignment between financial forecasts, management reporting, and actual financial results.
- Support appropriate controls and SOX compliance related to financial planning and management reporting.
- Develop scalable financial reporting tools, dashboards, and KPI reporting.
- Provide leadership and development to financial planning team members and establish consistent standards for financial modeling, forecasting, and reporting.
- Perform special projects and ad hoc financial evaluations for the CFO and senior management.

Required Qualifications:

- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field.
- 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in financial planning, corporate finance, budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling, including demonstrated leadership responsibility.
- Strong understanding of financial statements, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and financial performance measurement.
- Advanced financial modeling and analytical skills.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience with ERP and financial planning systems.
- Demonstrated ability to develop financial recommendations supporting executive-level business decisions.
- Strong business and financial acumen with the ability to connect financial results to operational and strategic business drivers.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to senior executives and non-financial business leaders.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications:

- MBA, CPA, CFA, or other relevant advanced degree or professional certification.
- Experience in the semiconductor, technology, or manufacturing industry.
- Public-company financial planning experience.
- Experience supporting a CFO and executive leadership team.
- Experience developing financial materials for Board-level presentations.
- Knowledge of SOX controls and public-company requirements.
- Experience with financial planning platforms and business intelligence tools such as Power BI or Tableau.

Key Attributes

- Strategic and forward-thinking
- Strong financial and business acumen
- Executive-level communication skills
- Highly analytical and detail-oriented
- Collaborative business partner
- Hands-on leadership style
- Strong judgment and problem-solving skills
- High degree of integrity and accountability

Salary Range: $190K - $230K/yr