Manufacturing Cost & Operations Finance Lead

Selby Jennings; Nebraska; On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual performance bonus

20 days PTO

Relocation assistance

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Selby Jennings is seeking a Division Accounting Manager to lead cost accounting and operational finance for a large multi-site manufacturing business. You will partner with plant and operations leadership to drive financial performance, budgeting, and strategic initiatives.

The role emphasizes standard costing, BOM integrity, variances analysis, and internal controls, with broad visibility across the organization and a focus on continuous improvement and cost reduction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Progressive accounting and finance experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong cost accounting and inventory accounting expertise.
• Experience with forecasting, budgeting, variance analysis, and financial planning.
• Knowledge of manufacturing operations, standard costing, and operational finance.
• Experience leading or mentoring accounting and finance professionals.
• Strong analytical, communication, and business partnering skills.
• ERP experience required.

Responsibilities

• Lead cost accounting for a complex manufacturing environment.
• Oversee standard costing, annual cost roll processes, burden allocations, and overhead rate calculations.
• Maintain BOM and routing integrity to ensure accurate product costing.
• Analyze variances, including labor efficiency, material usage, purchase price variances, and overhead absorption.
• Partner with operations leadership to identify drivers of financial performance and implement corrective actions.
• Manage inventory accounting processes including raw materials, WIP, and finished goods.
• Oversee physical inventory programs, cycle counts, inventory reconciliations, and reporting.
• Monitor inventory reserves, slow-moving inventory, and turnover metrics.
• Ensure strong internal controls surrounding inventory and manufacturing accounting activities.
• Support annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning activities.
• Provide operational and financial analysis to support strategic decision-making.
• Develop driver-based models and scenario analyses to support business initiatives.
• Partner with leadership on profitability analysis, productivity initiatives, and cost reduction efforts.
• Assist with capital investment evaluations and ROI analysis.
• Act as a key finance partner to plant and operations leadership teams.
• Translate operational activities into financial impact and actionable recommendations.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and operational efficiency projects.
• Participate in cross-functional initiatives with production, supply chain, engineering, procurement, and leadership teams.
• Utilize ERP and reporting systems to enhance visibility into financial and operational performance.
• Drive improvements in reporting accuracy, automation, and process efficiency.
• Support finance transformation initiatives and process standardization efforts.
• Promote data integrity and best practices across finance and operational reporting.
• Supervise and develop finance and accounting personnel.
• Establish performance expectations and provide coaching and mentoring.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Build strong relationships across finance, operations, and executive leadership teams.

Skills

Cost accounting

Inventory accounting

Variance analysis

Financial planning

ERP experience

Leadership/mentoring

Business partnering

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

Job description

Selby Jennings is seeking a Division Accounting Manager to lead cost accounting and operational finance for a large multi-site manufacturing business. You will partner with plant and operations leadership to drive financial performance, budgeting, and strategic initiatives.

The role emphasizes standard costing, BOM integrity, variances analysis, and internal controls, with broad visibility across the organization and a focus on continuous improvement and cost reduction.