Associate Director, Strategic Finance (San Diego ​/ Foster City

Associate Director, Strategic Finance

Location:

San Diego, CA (Hybrid) or Foster City, CA (Hybrid). Full‑time, Monday through Friday, with an expectation of 2–3 in‑office days per week and additional on‑site presence as needed. Must reside in the San Diego or Foster City area and be able to commute to the corporate offices. Relocation assistance is available and must be completed within a six (6) month period or a mutually agreed time.

The Associate Director, Strategic Finance is responsible for providing high‑complexity, transaction‑related finance support across Illumina’s most consequential corporate and business development activities, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, new business formations, structured equity and debt investments, and litigation‑related work streams. Independently coordinates financial analysis, modeling, and accounting support for complex deals that shape the company’s strategic trajectory.

• Partner with the Head of Strategic Finance and the CFO to conduct financial analysis and modeling for assessing, recommending, and structuring deals.
• Independently lead financial work streams on non‑standard transactions such as new business formations, joint ventures, structured equity/debt arrangements, multi‑party commercial partnerships, and unconsolidated funding structures.
• Architect and stress‑test deal structures across complex GAAP accounting regimes in collaboration with Technical Accounting, Tax, Treasury, and outside advisors.
• Manage strategic review initiatives related to capital‑intensive activities.
• Lead financial diligence on potential targets, collaborating with key functions to determine risks and integration issues.
• Serve as a financial partner on negotiations with sophisticated external counter parties, translating commercial intent into defensible economic and accounting terms.
• Coordinate, prioritize, and manage the active deal pipeline, orchestrating analysis along prescribed timelines and reporting to Finance and Executive Leadership.

This role influences enterprise‑level decisions by evaluating and recommending complex corporate transactions and capital‑intensive investments that can materially impact Illumina’s strategic direction and financial outcomes. The Associate Director operates with a high degree of autonomy, applying strong judgment to assess risk, trade‑offs, and strategic implications.

• Effectively plan and manage the scope and lifecycle of complex projects while balancing multiple constituencies and competing priorities.
• Align senior leaders and key stakeholders through strong interpersonal skills, high EQ, and the ability to influence outcomes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, translating complex financial and strategic concepts into clear, actionable insights.
• Strong judgment and decision‑making capability in ambiguous, high‑stakes situations.
• Ability to operate effectively in a highly matrixed, global environment and drive alignment across cross‑functional stakeholders without direct authority.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent work streams and deliver high‑quality outcomes within defined timelines.
• Deep understanding of financial, strategic, and operational drivers, connecting analysis to enterprise‑level decision‑making.

This role does not have direct reports. Significant leadership is demonstrated through influence, advising senior leaders, and leading financial work streams across complex, high‑impact initiatives.

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 15 years of applicable experience in finance, investment banking, management consulting, business development, or a related field, with 7+ years of management experience.
• Direct experience negotiating commercial and financial terms with external counter parties, including leading sophisticated outside counsel, banking, and corporate development teams.
• Demonstrated ability to complete quantitative and qualitative analysis and financial modeling; strong technical and corporate finance and valuation skills required.
• Experience…