Director, Finance Expense Management

 LivePerson (NASDAQ: LPSN) is a global leader in trustworthy and equal AI for business. Hundreds of the world’s leading brands — including HSBC, Chipotle, and Virgin Media — use our Conversational Cloud platform to engage with millions of consumers safely and responsibly. We power a billion conversational interactions every month, providing a uniquely rich data set and safety tools to unlock the power of Generative AI and Large Language Models for better business outcomes.

At LivePerson, we foster an inclusive workplace culture that encourages meaningful connection, collaboration, and innovation. Every mind is invited to ask questions and actively seek new ways to achieve success and reach their full potential. We operate as one with a growth mindset. This means spotting opportunities, solving ambiguities and seeking effective solutions to challenges that make things better.

Overview:

As a Director of Finance focused on managing expenses, profit and growth, and investment, your role extends beyond cost control. You actively contribute to the organization's financial strategy, engage with stakeholders, evaluate investment opportunities, and drive profitability and growth initiatives. Your role is to oversee and control the financial resources of an organization. Your primary responsibility is to ensure that expenses are managed effectively and efficiently, aligning with the organization's financial goals and objectives.

You will: 

1. Budgeting and Forecasting: Develop and manage the organization's budget, working closely with other departments to gather inputs and ensure accurate forecasting of expenses. Monitor actual expenses against the budget and provide regular reports and analysis.

2. Expense Management: Establish and enforce expense policies and procedures to control costs and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Review and approve expenditures, including purchase orders, invoices, and expense reports. Implement cost-saving measures and identify areas of improvement to optimize expenses.

3. Financial Analysis: Conduct a financial analysis to evaluate the financial performance of the organization and identify trends, patterns, and potential areas for improvement. Analyze expense data and metrics to provide insights and recommendations for cost reduction and efficiency enhancement.

4. Vendor Management: Negotiate contracts and pricing with vendors to obtain favorable terms and conditions. Regularly review vendor contracts and performance to ensure value for money and compliance with service-level agreements. Identify opportunities to consolidate vendors or negotiate better deals to reduce expenses.

5. Risk Management: Assess and mitigate financial risks associated with expenses, such as fraud, waste, and overspending. Implement internal controls and monitoring mechanisms to prevent and detect financial irregularities. Collaborate with internal audit and compliance teams to ensure adherence to financial regulations and policies.

6. Reporting and Communication: Prepare and present financial reports, including expense analysis, to senior management and other stakeholders. Communicate financial performance, variances, and recommendations effectively to support decision-making processes. Provide financial guidance and advice to other departments on expense management matters.

7. Team Leadership: Lead and manage a team responsible for expense management, including budget analysts, accountants, and other finance professionals. Set performance goals, provide coaching and mentoring, and promote a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration within the team.

8.  Financial Strategy: Collaborate with senior management and key stakeholders to develop and execute financial strategies that support profit generation and growth. Align financial goals with overall business objectives and contribute to the development of long-term financial plans.

9. Profitability Analysis: Conduct an in-depth analysis of the organization's revenue streams, cost structure, and profitability drivers. Identify opportunities to optimize profitability by analyzing pricing strategies, product/service profitability, and cost reduction initiatives.

10. Investment Analysis: Evaluate investment opportunities and assess their financial viability and potential returns. Conduct thorough financial analysis, including ROI calculations, payback periods, and risk assessments, to support investment decision-making. Collaborate with stakeholders to prioritize investment projects and ensure alignment with strategic objectives.

11. Financial Forecasting: Develop and maintain financial models to forecast revenue, expenses, and cash flow. Incorporate different scenarios and sensitivities to assess the potential impact on profitability and growth. Provide insights and recommendations based on the forecasts to support decision-making processes.

12. Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with internal and external stakeholders, such as executives, department heads, investors, and lenders. Collaborate with these stakeholders to understand their financial needs, provide financial insights, and build strong relationships. Communicate financial performance, investment plans, and growth strategies effectively to gain support and alignment.

You have:

1. Education: A bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics, or a related field is generally required. Some organizations may prefer candidates with a master's degree in business administration (MBA), finance, or a similar discipline.

2. Financial Management Experience: You should have significant experience in financial management roles, including experience in managing expenses, budgeting, financial analysis, and investment evaluation. Prior experience as a finance manager, financial controller, or a similar position is beneficial.

3. Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with the specific industry or sector in which the organization operates is advantageous. Understanding industry-specific regulations, financial trends, and challenges can help you make informed financial decisions and develop tailored strategies.

4. Leadership and Management Skills: As a Director, you will be responsible for leading a team and collaborating with stakeholders. Strong leadership skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to manage and motivate a team are important for success in this role.

5. Financial Analysis and Forecasting: Proficiency in financial analysis, forecasting, and financial modeling is crucial. You should be able to interpret financial data, perform comprehensive analysis, and generate accurate forecasts to support decision-making processes.

6. Communication and Presentation Skills: Effective communication and presentation skills are vital for conveying financial information to various stakeholders, including executives, board members, investors, and team members. The ability to present complex financial concepts in a clear and concise manner is essential.

7. Analytical and Problem-Solving Abilities: Strong analytical skills and the ability to think critically and solve complex financial problems are essential. You should be able to identify patterns, trends, and potential risks, and develop innovative solutions to drive financial performance.

8. Knowledge of Financial Systems and Tools: Proficiency in financial software, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and other financial tools is important. Familiarity with financial reporting systems, data analysis tools, and budgeting software can help streamline financial processes.

9. Ethics and Integrity: As a director responsible for managing expenses and financial decisions, high ethical standards and integrity are crucial. Upholding ethical practices and complying with financial regulations and policies are key responsibilities in this role.

Benefits: 

The salary range for this role will be between $172,000 to $210,000. Final compensation will be determined by a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, your location, skills, experience, education, and/or certifications. During the phone screening, the recruiter will provide the location-specific salary range for this role. Regardless of your personal situation or where you are in the world, LivePerson offers comprehensive and great benefits programs to meet your needs:

• Health: medical, dental, vision and wellbeing.

• Time away: Public holidays and discretionary PTO package for flexible days offwith manager approval.

• Financial: 401K, ESPP, Basic life and AD&D insurance, long-term and short-term disability

• Family: parental leave, maternity support, fertility services.

• Development: tuition reimbursement, native AI learning.

• Additional: 24/7 access to professional counselors, voluntary insurance coverage, exclusive perks and discounts.

Why you’ll love working here: 

LivePerson is a hub for the ever-curious and proactive, offering a flexible work-life balance tailored to individual needs. With offices and WeWork locations worldwide, our flexible work policy provides our teams the freedom to work from their preferred environment. We're very proud to have earned recognition from Fast Company, Newsweek, and BuiltIn for being a top innovative, beloved, and remote-friendly workplace. 

Belonging at LivePerson

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law.

We are committed to the accessibility needs of applicants and employees. We provide reasonable accommodations to job applicants with physical or mental disabilities. Applicants with a disability who require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should inform their recruiting contact upon initial connection.