Finance Operations Manager

Conexus; Virginia Beach (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Conexus in Virginia Beach is seeking a Finance Operations Manager to lead FP&A, project controls, and operational finance for a defense contracting environment. This highly visible role partners with the Business Unit President/GM to drive budgeting, forecasting, project profitability, and cost controls, while developing dashboards and KPIs to improve financial visibility and decision-making.

Ideal candidates bring strong Excel, ERP, EVMS/EAC expertise and 5+ years in FP&A or project-based

Qualifications

• 5+ years in FP&A, project controls, or operational finance.
• Experience managing project budgets, forecasts, and cost controls.
• Strong P&L management, financial modeling, and variance analysis.
• Experience with EVMS, EAC, and project cost controls.
• Advanced Excel; ERP experience; Power BI preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead annual budgeting, operating plans, and quarterly forecasts.
• Partner with President/GM to provide financial insights for decisions.
• Monitor P&L, revenue, labor, materials, subcontractor costs, and overhead.
• Develop models and scenario analyses for bids, change orders, staffing.
• Prepare monthly reviews: budget-to-actual, risks, opportunities.
• Collaborate with Corporate Finance for reporting and month-end close.
• Oversee project budgets, job costing, and EACs.
• Track profitability, labor utilization, backlog, and cash conversion.
• Work with operations to monitor progress and cost overruns.
• Evaluate financial impact of contract changes and scope.
• Develop dashboards and KPIs for visibility.

Skills

FP&A

Project controls

Operational finance

Budgeting

Forecasting

EVMS

EAC

Excel

ERP

Power BI

Primavera P6

MS Project

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Engineering

Tools

Power BI

ERP systems

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

Job description

Employment Type: Full-Time

Level: Manager

About The Opportunity

We are partnering with an established organization in the marine services and government contracting industry to identify a Finance Operations Manager. This is a highly visible role that combines financial planning and analysis (FP&A), project controls, and operational finance.

The Finance Operations Manager will work directly with the Business Unit President/General Manager, serving as the primary finance partner for budgeting, forecasting, project profitability, and operational performance. This individual will play a critical role in improving financial visibility, strengthening project cost controls, and supporting strategic business decisions.

The ideal candidate brings a strong combination of financial analysis, project costing, and operational experience, preferably within a shipyard, defense contracting, or project-based manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the annual budgeting process, operating plans, and monthly and quarterly forecasts for the business unit.
• Partner directly with the President/GM to provide financial insights that support operational and strategic decisions.
• Monitor business unit P&L performance, including revenue, labor, materials, subcontractor costs, and overhead.
• Develop financial models and scenario analyses to evaluate new bids, change orders, staffing, and capital investments.
• Prepare monthly financial reviews, including budget-to-actual analysis, forecasting variances, risks, and opportunities.
• Partner with Corporate Finance to ensure accurate financial reporting, forecasting, and month-end close support.
• Oversee project budgets, job costing, and Estimates at Completion (EAC) to ensure projects remain on schedule and within budget.
• Track project profitability, labor utilization, cost performance, backlog, and cash conversion.
• Work closely with operations and production leadership to monitor project progress and identify potential cost overruns.
• Evaluate the financial impact of contract changes, change orders, and additional project scope.
• Develop dashboards and KPIs to improve visibility into project and business unit performance.

Operational Planning & Business Partnership

• Collaborate with production teams to develop and maintain project schedules, resource plans, and labor forecasts.
• Support weekly project status reviews, including cost tracking, progress reporting, and resource utilization.
• Analyze operational data to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, profitability, and project execution.
• Drive improvements in financial processes, reporting tools, and data accuracy.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in FP&A, project controls, operational finance, project planning, or related business operations.
• Experience managing project budgets, forecasts, job costing, and financial performance within a project-based environment.
• Strong understanding of business unit P&L management, financial modeling, and variance analysis.
• Experience with Earned Value Management (EVM/EVMS), Estimates at Completion (EAC), and project cost controls.
• Advanced Excel skills; experience with ERP systems and reporting tools such as Power BI preferred.
• Familiarity with project scheduling tools, including Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to partner effectively with senior leadership and operational teams.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.

Preferred Experience

• Shipyard operations, U.S. Navy repair or new construction, defense contracting, or government contracting.
• Understanding of government contract structures, change orders, and FAR/DCAA requirements.
• Knowledge of NAVSEA standards.
• PMP, CAPM, CMA, or similar professional certification.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Executive Exposure: Work directly with the Business Unit President/GM and partner with Corporate Finance.
• Business Impact: Play a key role in driving project profitability, cost management, and financial performance.
• Broad Responsibility: Gain exposure across FP&A, project controls, operations, and strategic planning.
• Process Improvement: Help develop the financial reporting tools and processes that support better operational decision-making.