Corporate Accounting Process Manager

Our client, a publicly traded manufacturing company is seeking a Corporate Accounting Process Manager to join the team. The Corporate Accounting Process Manager is responsible for overseeing plant-level and corporate cost accounting activities, ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and efficiency of month-end and year-end close processes. The position partners closely with plant finance teams, corporate leadership, IT, and Internal Audit to maintain a strong control environment, improve accounting processes, and enhance financial reporting transparency.

The role leads cost accounting operations, drives continuous improvement initiatives, and supports senior leadership with meaningful financial analysis related to inventory, production costing, and operational performance.

• Lead and oversee plant month-end and year-end close activities, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with US GAAP and corporate policy.
• Review and approve non-standard journal entries, inventory reconciliations, and balance sheet accounts for completeness and accuracy.
• Oversee plant costing files and validate operating variance reports, ensuring meaningful commentary on significant variances.
• Manage monthly and quarterly inventory costing processes and related reporting.
• Prepare and present financial analysis to senior management highlighting trends in inventory, production costs, and operating performance.
• Lead and develop the cost accounting team.
• Ensure consistent costing methodologies and reporting practices across plants.
• Maintain high standards of analytical review and financial integrity.
• Support annual financial audits and plant closings, including coordination with external auditors.

• Identify and implement process improvements across plant accounting and corporate cost accounting functions.
• Serve as liaison with IT and other corporate departments on system enhancements (e.g., SAP, Avantis, payroll systems, bonus accrual processes).
• Document current processes and recommend improvements to increase efficiency, consistency, and scalability.
• Periodically visit plant locations to assess operational processes and implement best practices.

• Build and maintain a robust, standardized internal control framework across plant and corporate accounting teams.
• Evaluate existing control activities, design improvements, and lead implementation of enhancements.
• Coordinate with Internal Audit on audit planning, SOX compliance, and control testing.
• Develop and implement corrective actions for identified control deficiencies.
• Ensure policies affecting plant and cost accounting are properly communicated, followed, and updated as necessary.

• Partner with senior management and Internal Audit to coordinate plant and cost accounting audit plans.
• Support annual audits and financial reporting requirements.
• Ensure adherence to both internal policies and external regulatory requirements.

• Lead or support special projects as assigned.
• Perform other duties as required to support the accounting and finance organization.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field required.
• CPA and/or Master’s degree preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong background in cost accounting within a manufacturing or multi-plant environment.
• Experience with automated accounting systems (SAP or similar ERP preferred).
• Demonstrated expertise in internal controls, SOX compliance, and technical accounting standards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to lead teams and drive process improvement initiatives.