Accounting Manager – Manufacturing

Full Job Description

The Accounting Manager owns cost accounting for manufacturing operations — job costing, standard costs, and variance analysis — while directly supervising the Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions. This role serves as the CFO's strategic #2 within finance: a partner in financial decision-making and insight, not solely an executor of transactional work. The position has full ownership of month-end close, the Sales & Use Tax relationship, and a lead role in cost accounting setup as the company's financial systems platform evolves.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Own job costing, standard cost maintenance, and manufacturing variance analysis, including labor, overhead, and material.
• Manage monthly WIP reconciliation.
• Directly supervise Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable Clerks, including workflow oversight, performance management, and day-to-day escalations.
• Own the month-end close process end-to-end, not just provide support.
• Own the Sales & Use Tax relationship, including filings, transactional reporting, and audit support.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the CFO by identifying insights, trends, and recommendations from cost, AP, and AR data.
• Own administration of the company's financial platform, including cost accounting workflow design as systems evolve.
• Own the annual external audit and tax return process.
• Assist the CFO with financial planning and analysis (FP&A), including budgeting and forecasting support.
• Prepare board-level cost and financial reporting.
• Document and improve cost accounting, AP, and AR processes as financial systems evolve.
• Serve as a point of escalation and cross-functional liaison in the CFO's absence.
• Identify and recommend process improvements across the finance function.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervise the Accounts Payable Clerk.
• Provide Accounts Receivable Clerk oversight shortly after starting in the role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• 6–10+ years of accounting experience, including at least 1–2 years of direct supervisory experience.
• Manufacturing or job-costing environment experience strongly preferred.
• Expert-level Excel proficiency required.
• Experience with Power BI, AI-enabled finance tools, or similar data/reporting technology is a plus.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong working knowledge of GAAP and manufacturing cost accounting principles.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop direct reports.
• Ability to synthesize financial data into actionable insights and strategic recommendations for executive leadership.
• Comfortable operating in a hands-on, lean-support environment with limited backup coverage.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including communication with executive leadership.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

Primarily an office environment requiring extended periods of sitting and computer use. Occasional exposure to the manufacturing floor, which may include noise, dust, and moving equipment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Additional Information

This description reflects the general nature and level of work performed and is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications. Duties may change at any time with or without notice.

The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer.