Manufacturing Finance Lead: Costing & Inventory Strategy

Clover Sonoma; Petaluma (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Clover Sonoma, based in Petaluma, CA, seeks a Senior Manager, Operations Finance & Cost Accounting to serve as the primary financial partner for Manufacturing, Distribution, Warehouse, and Supply Chain. You will lead all aspects of cost accounting, inventory accounting support, and manufacturing finance to drive efficiency and profitability.

Reporting to the VP of Finance, you will ensure accurate product costing and inventory valuation within SAP, guide month-end close, and work with Operations

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
• 7+ years of experience in cost accounting in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with SAP S4/HANA preferred.
• Experience in the Food and Beverage industry preferred.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain product costing processes within SAP S/4HANA, including standard costs, cost rollups, and cost allocations.
• Lead monthly manufacturing cost accounting activities including variance analysis, production order settlements, inventory valuation reviews, and cost center allocations.
• Review and maintain bills of material, production routings, and costing assumptions.
• Ensure integrity of manufacturing, inventory, and operational transactions within SAP.
• Analyze and explain manufacturing, labor, material, overhead, yield, and freight variances.
• Partner with Accounting to support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities.
• Serve as the primary finance business partner to Plant Operations, Distribution, Warehouse, and Fleet leadership teams.
• Participate in operational reviews and leadership meetings to provide financial guidance and decision support.
• Develop financial analyses supporting operational initiatives, productivity improvements, and capital investments.
• Provide financial oversight of manufacturing costs, warehouse operations, transportation expenses, and supply chain performance.
• Evaluate operational decisions and quantify financial impacts to support informed decision-making.
• Lead inventory analysis, valuation support, reserve recommendations, and working capital initiatives.
• Monitor inventory turns, slow-moving inventory, shrinkage, and obsolescence trends.
• Support cycle count programs and physical inventory processes.
• Partner with Accounting and Operations to improve inventory accuracy and controls.
• Develop and maintain operational scorecards and KPI reporting for plant, warehouse, and transportation functions.
• Analyze operational trends and identify opportunities to improve profitability, efficiency, and service levels.
• Provide monthly operational financial reviews to executive leadership.
• Monitor key performance indicators including labor efficiency, yield, waste, freight costs, inventory turns, and cost per unit metrics.
• Lead annual budgeting and monthly forecasting processes for manufacturing, warehouse, and logistics operations.
• Partner with FP&A to develop financial plans, cost assumptions, and operational forecasts.
• Support long-range planning initiatives and scenario analysis.
• Identify and drive initiatives to improve manufacturing efficiency, reduce waste, optimize inventory, and lower operating costs.
• Maintain a pipeline of cost savings opportunities and track realized benefits.
• Support lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Support internal and external audits related to inventory, manufacturing, and cost accounting processes.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and accounting standards.
• Prepare and submit Milk Market Administrator reports and other required operational reporting.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Standard costing

Inventory accounting

Manufacturing accounting

SAP S4/HANA knowledge

Excel proficiency

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

Microsoft Office

Job description

Clover Sonoma, based in Petaluma, CA, seeks a Senior Manager, Operations Finance & Cost Accounting to serve as the primary financial partner for Manufacturing, Distribution, Warehouse, and Supply Chain. You will lead all aspects of cost accounting, inventory accounting support, and manufacturing finance to drive efficiency and profitability.

Reporting to the VP of Finance, you will ensure accurate product costing and inventory valuation within SAP, guide month-end close, and work with Operations