Financial Analyst – Manufacturing Cost

Job Overview

Financial Analyst – Manufacturing

• Responsible for annual cost rolls and overhead calculations.
• Prepare, analyze, and maintain standard costs for material, labor, and overhead.
• Monitor and explain manufacturing variances including PPV, labor, overhead, and work order variances.
• Perform cost‑of‑goods‑sold (COGS) analysis and support monthly close activities.
• Responsible for excess and obsolescence reserve, full absorption reserve, freight accruals, intercompany profit elimination calculation, warranty reserve, and other ME close JEs.
• Review and reconcile inventory accounts and participate in cycle counts and year‑end physical inventory.
• Partner with supply chain management to drive working capital and inventory turn improvement.
• Conduct margin analysis and evaluate cost performance by product line and product category.
• Support fixed assets accounting processes.

• Support the annual budget and monthly forecast processes related to manufacturing, inventory, and cost of sales.
• Prepare monthly financial reports and dashboards for operations and leadership teams.
• Provide insights into cost trends, operational KPIs, and financial risks or opportunities.
• Develop and maintain financial models to support strategic decision‑making.
• Support SOX compliance, and internal and external audits in manufacturing cost‑related processes.

• Partner with operations, supply chain, and purchasing teams to drive OPEX productivity and BOM savings opportunities.
• Support capital expenditure analysis and ROI evaluations / business cases.

A strong communicator, able to clearly and confidently interact with all levels of the organization. Good presentation skills. Must be able to lay out clear, well‑organized analyses and concisely and clearly communicate key objectives and conclusions. Excellent PC skills: advanced Excel applications, PowerPoint, and Word proficiency required. Knowledge of JD Edwards system software a plus. Proactive and creative problem solver.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in finance or accounting, preferably in a manufacturing or cost‑accounting environment.
• MBA, CPA, CMA, or progress toward certification preferred.

• Strong understanding of cost accounting principles, inventory valuation methods, and variance analysis.
• Advanced Excel skills required; experience with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, etc.) highly preferred.
• Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail and problem‑solving abilities.
• Ability to communicate financial concepts effectively to both financial and non‑financial audiences and interact with all levels of the organization.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Ability to work well with ambiguity.

Ability to move within office and manufacturing complex, write by hand and keyboard, and perform general office functions. Ability to communicate by speech and hearing via phone and in person. Visual acuity needed for close detail work and computer use. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and rarely lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus. Hale is a manufacturing company. Employees may be exposed to various workplace hazards, including chemicals, machinery, and noise. Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential when in the production area.