We are seeking a Finance Manager, R1 Program to own and evolve the end-to-end financial performance of the R1 platform—linking vehicle economics, volume, Capex, and unit cost to Rivian’s broader financial objectives. This role is accountable for the full P&L view of R1, from top-line revenue and mix through contribution margin, Opex, and investment returns.
This role sits at the intersection of Product Development Finance, Vehicle Line leadership, Operations, and Corporate Finance, with a mandate to drive rigorous forecasting, sharp performance insights, and disciplined investment stewardship for the R1 business. You will act as a critical connector between Finance, Product Development, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and other partner teams, helping shape how our tools and processes (e.g., Oracle, SmartView, SAP, and self-serve BI environments) work together to support a scalable, data-driven operating model for R1.
Why This Role Matters
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Own the economics of a flagship platform: You will be the financial owner for the R1 platform, ensuring that revenue, COGS, Opex, and Capex plans are tightly aligned to Rivian’s strategic and financial goals.
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Turn complexity into clear decisions: By translating large, complex data sets into intuitive narratives, you will enable leaders to make informed trade-offs on content, timing, footprint, and investment for the R1 business.
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Connect product, operations, and finance: You will anchor cross-functional decision-making by quantifying the financial impact of design, sourcing, and manufacturing choices across Product Development, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Vehicle Line leadership.
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Steward capital and cost structure: Through robust Capex planning, cost-down initiatives, and scenario modeling, you will help Rivian deploy capital wisely, improve unit economics, and sustain profitable growth on the R1 platform.
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Build the tools and reporting to scale: You will design and continuously improve the forecasting, reporting, and analytics infrastructure that underpins R1 performance reviews, enabling faster, higher-quality decisions as the business grows.
Platform Financial Ownership & Performance Management
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Own the R1 financial forecast and budget across revenue, COGS, Opex, and Capex, ensuring clear linkage between vehicle economics and Rivian’s broader financial targets.
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Lead the monthly and quarterly performance review process for R1, including actuals vs. forecast/budget analysis, variance explanations, and risk & opportunity tracking.
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Develop clear, executive-ready storylines that explain what is driving performance, what is changing, and what actions are needed to stay on track.
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Maintain a robust understanding of R1 unit economics, including volume, price, mix, incentives, and cost structure, and use it to frame strategic and operational decisions.
Forecasting, Planning & Scenario Modeling
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Lead end-to-end forecasting and budgeting cycles for the R1 platform, partnering with Product Development, Vehicle Line, Operations, and Corporate Finance to deliver aligned, credible plans.
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Build and refine driver-based models that connect volume, content, cost, and investment decisions to R1 P&L and cash impacts.
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Own scenario modeling and business cases for R1 product and program decisions (e.g., content changes, engineering actions, volume scenarios, footprint decisions, portfolio trade-offs).
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Challenge assumptions and pressure-test plans with data, framing trade-offs and sensitivities so leaders can choose between options with confidence.
Investment Stewardship, Capex & Cost Management
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Oversee Capex planning and tracking for R1 (e.g., tooling, engineering, launch investments), ensuring alignment between ProjectEx/PCCR approvals, Oracle/SmartView inputs, and program financial targets.
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Partner with Product Development, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to quantify the financial impact of design and sourcing decisions, including tooling, piece cost, investment phasing, and timing risk.
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Support and help prioritize cost-down initiatives, connecting engineering actions, sourcing strategies, and manufacturing improvements to margin and payback outcomes.
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Monitor investment performance against business cases, highlighting variances, learnings, and implications for future R1 and platform decisions.
Cross-Functional Partnership & Decision Support
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Serve as the primary finance partner to R1 Vehicle Line leadership, Product Development, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing for platform-level decisions.
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Represent R1 Finance in cross-functional forums (e.g., program reviews, sourcing councils, product reviews), ensuring financial implications are clearly articulated, documented, and understood.
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Translate business requirements into finance and data needs, working with Finance, Operations, and IT/data partners to ensure systems and reporting support how work actually happens.
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Build trusted relationships grounded in candor, rigor, and solution orientation, helping teams move from reporting to action.
Reporting, Analytics & Tooling
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Build and maintain management reporting for R1 (e.g., waterfalls, bridges, dashboards) that clearly highlight drivers of change and connect operational metrics to financial outcomes.
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Ensure data integrity across Oracle, SmartView, SAP, and BI tools, partnering with relevant teams to resolve issues and improve usability for Finance and business stakeholders.
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Identify and execute on automation and standardization opportunities that increase forecast quality, speed, and transparency (e.g., templates, standard decks, self-serve reporting).
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Continuously refine KPIs and performance indicators for the R1 platform, ensuring they evolve with the business and remain decision-relevant.
Leadership, Coaching & Ways of Working
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Coach and mentor analysts and senior analysts supporting R1, elevating analytical quality, business acumen, and ownership mindset.
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Set clear standards and operating rhythms for R1 Finance (cadence, deliverables, quality expectations), balancing speed with accuracy.
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Foster a culture of continuous improvement, challenging existing processes and tools and testing new approaches where they can materially improve outcomes.
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Model Rivian’s values in how you work—building an inclusive, high-trust environment that encourages diverse perspectives and constructive debate.
Required Qualifications
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Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Engineering, or a related field.
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7+ years of progressive experience in corporate finance, FP&A, product/program finance, or similarly analytical roles in complex organizations.
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Strong financial modeling and analytical skills, including experience working with large data sets and building driver-based forecasting models.
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Demonstrated experience owning forecasts and budgets across revenue, COGS, Opex, and Capex, ideally at a product, platform, or program level.
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Proven track record partnering with non-finance teams (e.g., engineering, operations, product, manufacturing) to drive business outcomes—not just report results.
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Experience leading scenario modeling and business case development to support product, volume, and investment decisions.
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High attention to detail with the ability to zoom in and out—from transaction-level validation to executive-level storytelling and recommendation.
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Comfort working with ERP and planning tools (e.g., Oracle, SmartView, SAP) and navigating self-serve data/BI environments.
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Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to synthesize complex financial topics into clear, concise narratives and materials for senior leaders.
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Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional partners, challenge assumptions constructively, and guide decisions through data and insight.
Preferred Qualifications
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Experience in automotive, manufacturing, hardware, or other complex product businesses with significant Capex and multi-year investments.
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Prior product or program finance ownership (e.g., platform, vehicle line, or major program).
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Familiarity with cost accounting, manufacturing finance, and unit economics for physical products.
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Experience managing or mentoring junior team members and shaping team ways of working.
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Passion for EVs, sustainability, and building from first principles in a fast-paced, high-growth, and often ambiguous environment.
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MBA or similar graduate degree in finance, business, or a related field.
