About This Role
The Director of Finance is the company's senior finance leader, performing both controllership and strategic advisory functions for a manufacturing business with approximately $20 million in annual revenue. This hands-on role involves direct ownership of the general ledger, month-end close, cost accounting, and financial reporting, supported by a small accounting staff. The Director also partners with the President/CEO to translate financial results into key business decisions.
Responsibilities
- Own the company's accounting and financial reporting directly, delivering accurate, timely monthly results
- Serve as a strategic advisor to the President/CEO and leadership team on profitability, pricing, investment, and growth
- Partner with operations and sales to connect cost, margin, and cash performance to shop floor and customer activities
- Lead, develop, and hold accounting staff accountable to all policies, procedures, and expectations
- Drive continuous improvement in financial processes, systems, and internal controls
- Run the month-end close on a defined calendar (target: 10 business days or less), including journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, and fixed asset and depreciation schedules
- Prepare monthly financial statements and a management reporting package with commentary on results, variances, and trends
- Maintain the cost accounting system, including standard or job costing, labor and overhead rates, inventory valuation, physical inventory and cycle count reconciliation, and scrap and variance analysis
- Oversee accounts receivable, credit and collections, accounts payable, and payroll processing (with Human Resources)
- Design and maintain internal controls appropriate to a small team, including segregation of duties and approval authorities
- Manage tax compliance (sales and use, property, and other filings) and coordinate income tax planning and returns with the outside CPA firm
- Coordinate the annual financial statement audit or review, and prepare bank covenant compliance and borrowing base reporting
- Lead the annual budget and a rolling forecast, and maintain a 13-week cash flow forecast
- Establish meaningful operational and financial reports and KPIs (e.g., gross margin by customer and part, labor efficiency, inventory turns, DSO/DPO) for controlling costs and managing the business
- Analyze customer and part profitability, and supply accurate cost data to support quoting, pricing, and annual price reviews
- Evaluate capital expenditure requests and equipment purchases using ROI, payback, and cash flow analysis
- Partner with the President/CEO on the strategic plan, growth initiatives, and evaluation of new customers, markets, and products
- Support customer long-term agreements and pricing terms, including raw material (steel and aluminum) index adjustments, productivity commitments, and payment terms
- Manage banking relationships, credit facility renewals, and equipment financing; support due diligence on acquisitions or other transactions as needed
- Lead information systems planning, budgeting, and strategy, including ERP improvements and automation of reporting
- Manage the risk management and insurance program, including annual renewals
- Oversee the profit sharing and pension/401(k) plans, including fiduciary compliance and coordination with plan administrators and auditors
- Support employee benefit plan design and renewals in partnership with Human Resources
- Review and negotiate contracts (customer, vendor, lease, and service agreements), and act as liaison on legal, financial, information systems, and administrative matters
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance
- CPA strongly preferred (CMA a plus)
- 10 or more years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including at least 5 years in a controller or higher role, preferably in a manufacturing environment
- Hands-on command of GAAP, month-end close, and cost and inventory accounting
- Willing and able to do the detailed accounting work personally, not only direct it
- Experience supporting pricing, quoting, and customer contracts with OEM or Tier 1 customers preferred
- Strong ERP and advanced Excel skills
- Experience implementing or improving financial systems
- Effective strategic thinker with the ability to align the organization with corporate strategy and lead it to achieve the company's plans and goals
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain financial results clearly to non-financial managers, owners, and lenders
- Uncompromisingly high standards of personal and business ethics
Important Details
- Reports to: President/CEO
- Direct reports: Accounting staff (Staff Accountant, AP/AR, Payroll)
About the Company
The company is a manufacturing business with approximately $20 million in annual revenue.