Assistant Financial Controller

Judge Direct Placement; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Judge Direct Placement is seeking an Assistant Controller for a food manufacturing client in the DC/VA area. This is a fully onsite, Monday–Friday role.

You will partner with Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Procurement to analyze cost drivers, manage COGS, and lead budgeting and financial planning. You will drive cost reduction initiatives and develop models linking operations to profitability.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years experience in operations finance or cost accounting.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance or related field required.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel; SAP HANA and Power BI a plus.
• Analytical, multi-tasking, detail-oriented and self-motivated.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally (15–20%).

Responsibilities

• Partner with Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Procurement to analyze cost drivers and identify profitability opportunities.
• Manage monthly COGS and manufacturing variance analysis (volume, yield, usage, mix, labor, conversion costs).
• Support cost reduction and margin improvement initiatives across manufacturing and co-packing.
• Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning for Operations and COGS; identify risks and opportunities.
• Develop financial models linking operational metrics and cost drivers to business performance.
• Participate in month-end close to ensure accurate reporting of manufacturing/operational results.
• Lead reviews of COGS and plant performance; drive corrective actions to hit cost targets.
• Evaluate financial impact of projects, process improvements, and investments.
• Support capital planning and post-project reviews to measure productivity gains and ROI.
• Collaborate on capacity planning, automation, outsourcing, and make-vs-buy decisions.
• Perform ad hoc analyses to support leadership decision-making.

Skills

Operations finance

Analytical

Multi-tasking

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Willing to travel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance

Tools

Microsoft Excel

SAP HANA

Power BI

Job description

Judge Direct Placement is seeking an Assistant Controller for a food manufacturing client in the DC/VA area!

** This is a fully onsite, Monday - Friday role **

Responsibilities:

• Partner with Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Procurement teams to analyze cost drivers and identify opportunities to improve profitability.
• Manage monthly COGS and manufacturing variance analysis, including volume, yield, usage, mix, labor, and conversion cost variances.
• Support cost reduction and margin improvement initiatives across manufacturing and co-packing operations.
• Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities for Operations and COGS, identifying risks, opportunities, and mitigation strategies.
• Develop and maintain financial models that connect operational metrics and cost drivers to business performance.
• Participate in month-end close activities to ensure accurate reporting and analysis of manufacturing and operational results.
• Lead regular reviews of COGS and plant performance, driving accountability and corrective actions to achieve cost targets.
• Evaluate the financial impact of operational projects, process improvements, and manufacturing investments.
• Support capital planning efforts and post-project reviews to measure productivity gains, cost savings, and return on investment.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to assess capacity planning, automation initiatives, outsourcing strategies, and make-versus-buy decisions.
• Perform ad hoc financial analyses to support Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, and business leadership decision-making.

Requirements:

• 5-7 years experience in operations finance, or cost accounting
• Bachelors degree in Finance or related field required
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel required - SAP HANA and Power BI a plus
• Analytical, ability to multi-task, attention to detail and self-motivated
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally (15-20%) to support plant visits, operational reviews and cross-functional collaboration.