Director of Finance And Accounting

Alliance Resource Group; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Alliance Resource Group seeks a Director of Finance / Controller for a fast-growing food & beverage manufacturing company in Irvine, CA. The role combines strategic financial leadership with hands-on accounting and manufacturing cost control.

The ideal candidate will drive cost visibility, profitability, and scalable processes while partnering with Operations to improve margins and financial performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (required).
• Minimum 5 years progressive accounting/finance experience with manufacturing exposure.
• Strong expertise in manufacturing cost accounting, COGS, standard costing, inventory management, and financial reporting.
• Solid understanding of GAAP, financial controls, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Experience with ERP/accounting systems and cross-functional partnership with operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead month-end close, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and internal controls.
• Oversee financial statement prep, reconciliations, and general accounting activities per GAAP.
• Develop financial reports, dashboards, and KPIs for business decisions.
• Partner with executive leadership and Operations to improve profitability and financial performance.
• Establish financial policies, procedures, and controls for a growing organization.
• Oversee manufacturing cost accounting, including COGS, standard costing, inventory valuation, and production variances.
• Analyze costs to identify opportunities for efficiency and margin improvement.
• Maintain product costing, BOMs, and manufacturing cost standards.
• Improve inventory controls, reporting accuracy, and manufacturing profitability.

Skills

Manufacturing cost accounting

COGS

Inventory management

GAAP

ERP systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Industry: Food & Beverage Manufacturing / Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)

Employment Type: Full-Time | On-Site

The Opportunity

We are conducting a confidential search for a Director of Finance / Controller to join a growing organization in the food and beverage manufacturing industry.

This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership opportunity for a finance professional who thrives at the intersection of accounting, manufacturing operations, and business strategy.

The ideal candidate will bring strong manufacturing cost accounting expertise, a deep understanding of inventory and product costing, and the ability to build scalable financial processes that support business growth.

Reporting directly to executive leadership, this individual will play a critical role in strengthening financial operations, improving cost visibility, and driving profitability through meaningful financial insights.

We are looking for someone who can operate strategically while remaining closely involved in the day-to-day accounting and financial operations of the business.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Leadership & Accounting Operations

• Lead accounting operations, including month-end close, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and internal controls.
• Oversee financial statement preparation, reconciliations, and general accounting activities in accordance with GAAP.
• Develop meaningful financial reports, dashboards, and KPIs to support business decisions.
• Partner closely with executive leadership and Operations to identify opportunities to improve profitability and financial performance.
• Establish financial policies, procedures, and controls to support a growing organization.
• Oversee manufacturing cost accounting, including COGS, standard costing, inventory valuation, and production variances.
• Analyze material, labor, and overhead costs to identify opportunities for improved operational efficiency and margins.
• Maintain accurate product costing, Bills of Materials (BOMs), and manufacturing cost standards.
• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to improve inventory controls, reporting accuracy, and manufacturing profitability.
• Evaluate inventory discrepancies, write-offs, and operational variances while implementing corrective processes.

Process Improvement & Business Partnership

• Identify and implement improvements to financial systems, reporting processes, and accounting workflows.
• Develop and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) to improve accuracy, accountability, and efficiency.
• Leverage ERP and financial systems to improve reporting capabilities and operational visibility.
• Collaborate across departments to support financial planning, cost optimization, and business initiatives.
• Translate complex financial and operational data into actionable recommendations for leadership.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including significant manufacturing accounting exposure.
• Strong expertise in manufacturing cost accounting, COGS, standard costing, inventory management, and financial reporting.
• Solid understanding of GAAP, financial controls, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Experience working with ERP and accounting systems.
• Proven ability to partner with manufacturing and operations leadership to improve financial performance.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Comfortable working in a hands‑on capacity within a dynamic, growing organization.

Preferred:

• Experience within food and beverage manufacturing or consumer-packaged goods (CPG).
• Previous experience as a Controller, Plant Controller, Finance Manager, or Director of Finance.
• Understanding of grocery, retail, or distributor-based business models.
• Experience with trade promotions, rebates, product-level profitability, and manufacturing margin analysis.
• Experience establishing accounting processes, improving internal controls, and optimizing ERP systems.

What Makes This Opportunity Compelling?

• High-Impact Leadership Role: Work directly with executive leadership and influence financial and operational decision-making.
• Opportunity to Build: Help strengthen financial infrastructure, improve processes, and establish scalable accounting practices.
• Operational Influence: Play a meaningful role in improving manufacturing performance, product costing, and profitability.
• Growth Environment: Join an organization where your expertise can directly support continued business development and operational improvement.
• Broad Scope: Combine strategic financial leadership with hands‑on accounting and operational responsibilities.