Operational Accounting Business Partner

Location: Plainsboro

ROLE PROFILEDrive Financial Performance, Operational Insight and Accounting Excellence Across Croda’s Manufacturing Network Operational performance relies on accurate financial information, strong accounting controls, meaningful reporting and effective business partnership. As Croda continues to invest in manufacturing performance, leaders need Finance to connect technical operational activity with the insight required to manage costs, protect margins and improve decisions.

The Operational Accounting Business Partner coordinates the financial requirements of Operations across manufacturing locations. The role leads manufacturing and product costing, plant-performance reporting, inventory governance, capital-spend analysis, operational budgeting and forecasting, while managing and developing site accountants.

This elevated role also acts as a trusted finance partner to Site Directors and leadership teams. It combines accounting discipline, people leadership and scenario-based decision support to help Operations improve performance, evaluate investments and deliver sustainable value.

Why Join Croda Now?

Croda continues to strengthen operational performance, cost transparency and disciplined investment across its manufacturing network. Accurate costing, real-time reporting, inventory discipline and consistent financial controls are essential to better decisions and sustainable manufacturing performance.

This role offers the opportunity to shape the operational accounting framework across multiple sites, lead and develop the site-accounting team, and increase Finance’s contribution to performance, investment and productivity decisions.

What Success Looks Like Operational Performance & Business Partnership
· Serve as a trusted finance partner to Site Directors and operational leadership teams, providing independent challenge, insight and decision support.
· Lead plant-performance reviews that clarify risks, opportunities, root causes and required actions.
· Translate technical accounting, cost and performance information into practical recommendations for site leaders.
· Build stronger financial understanding and accountability across Operations while maintaining control discipline.

Manufacturing Performance, Costing & Profitability
· Build and continually refine a comprehensive scorecard for plant performance.
· Maintain accurate manufacturing and product costs, including bills of material, unit overhead rates and standard costs.
· Partner with Production and site teams to keep costing assumptions and operational data current and reliable.
· Analyze performance drivers and recommend actions that improve productivity, efficiency and financial performance.

Inventory, Controls & Compliance
· Lead inventory governance, including physical inventories, disposal processes, reporting and year-end audit requirements.
· Improve visibility of inventory performance, stock movements and working-capital drivers.
· Maintain strong accounting standards, controls and documentation across operational finance processes.
· Identify financial risks or control gaps and ensure corrective action is completed.

Capital Investment & Strategic Decision Support
· Support project engineers and site leaders in developing robust business cases for capital projects.
· Monitor and analyze capital spending monthly, providing visibility of budget, timing and delivery risks.
· Ensure projects incorporate corporate sustainability requirements while remaining within budget and agreed timelines.
· Evaluate opportunity-cost and savings initiatives to support operational prioritization.

Planning, Reporting & Continuous Improvement
· Own the annual operating budget and forecasting process with operational teams and FP&A.
· Challenge assumptions and…