Role Description

We are seeking a Head of Financial Planning and Analysis to serve as the primary strategic finance partner to the President in a manufacturing and distribution organization. This role will act as the analytical and financial operating leader of the business, translating financial and operational data into insights that drive decision-making, profitability improvement, and long-term strategy.

The VP of Accounting owns accounting operations including financial close, balance sheet integrity, and cash flow management. This role complements that function by focusing on forward-looking financial planning, operational performance analysis, and strategic financial leadership.

This individual will help build the financial infrastructure needed to support growth, improve operational discipline, and prepare the company for a future ERP implementation and financial transformation.

The ideal candidate combines strong financial and accounting fundamentals with deep cost accounting knowledge, operational curiosity, manufacturing experience, and the ability to extract meaningful insights from imperfect systems.

This position reports directly to the President and plays a central role in the leadership team’s decision-making process.

Key Responsibilities

• Data Extraction and Systems Expertise
  • Extract, reconcile, and validate data from legacy systems including AS400, Lansa, and other fragmented reporting environments.
  • Use advanced Excel, SQL, and business intelligence tools to clean and analyze large datasets.
  • Build scalable reporting tools that improve financial visibility and reduce manual processes.
• Strategic Finance Leadership
  • Serve as the primary financial thought partner to the President and executive leadership team.
  • Provide forward-looking financial insight to support operational decisions, capital allocation, and long-term strategy.
  • Translate financial results into operational drivers and clearly communicate implications to leadership and plant management.
• Financial Performance Management
  • Own the company’s financial performance framework including monthly P&L analysis, operational performance review, and profitability analysis.
  • Lead the monthly business performance review process, identifying key drivers across price, volume, mix, labor efficiency, material cost, freight, plant utilization, and overhead.
  • Provide actionable insights that support margin expansion and operational improvement.
• Cost Accounting and Manufacturing Analysis
  • Apply strong cost accounting knowledge to analyze material margins, production variances, labor efficiency, overhead absorption, and plant performance.
  • Partner with operations leadership to understand manufacturing processes and identify opportunities for cost improvement and margin expansion.
  • Support the development of more accurate costing structures, operational reporting, and manufacturing performance metrics.
• Budgeting, Forecasting, and Financial Modeling
  • Lead and create the company’s annual budget and rolling forecast processes.
  • Develop robust financial models used for planning, scenario analysis, and strategic initiatives.
  • Partner with operations, sales, and supply chain leadership to validate assumptions and improve forecast accuracy.
  • Identify emerging risks, opportunities, and operational trends.
• Customer, Product, and Plant Profitability
  • Develop detailed profitability reporting across customers, products, plants, and channels.
  • Identify margin improvement opportunities and areas of cost leakage.
  • Support pricing strategy, product mix decisions, and commercial initiatives with financial analysis.
• Dashboards, KPIs, and Financial Presentations
  • Design and implement executive dashboards and key performance indicators that provide visibility into the company’s operational and financial performance.
  • Develop standardized reporting frameworks across plants and functions.
  • Prepare executive-level financial presentations that clearly communicate business performance, risks, and opportunities.
  • Translate complex financial data into actionable insights for operational leaders.
• ERP Implementation and Financial Transformation
  • Serve as a key finance leader supporting the company’s ERP implementation planned for 2027/2028.
  • Assist with data mapping, testing, and financial validation during system implementation.
  • Help modernize financial reporting, analytics, and performance management capabilities.
• Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Partner closely with accounting, operations, sales, and supply chain teams to ensure financial insight supports operational decision-making.
  • Act as a bridge between financial reporting and operational execution.
  • Support ad hoc strategic analysis and special projects in a dynamic business environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting required
• Experience with AS400, Lansa, or similar legacy systems.
• Seven or more years of progressive experience in FP&A, financial analysis, cost accounting, or operational finance within manufacturing or distribution environments.
• Strong cost accounting knowledge and understanding of manufacturing cost structures.
• Strong understanding of financial statements, operational finance, and business performance drivers.
• Experience working with legacy or fragmented systems and imperfect data environments.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills.
• Working knowledge of SQL or business intelligence tools such as PowerBI.
• Proven ability to independently structure, validate, and analyze complex datasets.
• Advanced modeling, data analytics, and executive presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in turnaround, distressed, or high-change environments.
• CPA, CMA, or MBA preferred but not required.
• Prior experience in a consulting or advisory firm environment (e.g., Crowe, McKinsey, Deloitte, Bain, EY, or similar) supporting operational improvement, financial transformation, or performance improvement engagements.

Key Competencies

• Ability to operate effectively in environments with ambiguity and imperfect data.
• Highly analytical with strong attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence operational leaders.
• High ownership mentality and ability to operate independently.
• Strong business judgment and financial discipline.

Reporting Relationship

• Reports directly to the President.
• Works closely with the VP of Accounting who owns financial close, balance sheet, and cash flow management.

Work Environment

• Remote position with regular collaboration across finance, operations, and commercial teams.

Why This Role

This role is central to improving financial visibility, strengthening operational discipline, and building the financial infrastructure needed to support the company’s growth and transformation. The successful candidate will become a trusted advisor to leadership and play a critical role in shaping the company’s financial and operational strategy.