Accounting Operations Manager

Accounting Operations Manager

Applied Optoelectronics is seeking an Accounting Operations Manager to provide senior-level accounting oversight within the Controller's organization. This role reviews and supports accounting activity across accounts payable, accounts receivable, the general ledger, month-end close, and manufacturing cost accounting, and serves as a key escalation point for recurring accounting operations and general ledger matters.

Working in close partnership with the Accounting Supervisor, who manages the accounting operations team day-to-day, the Accounting Operations Manager provides senior technical review, guidance, and support for the Controller. Beyond ensuring accounting work is accurate, well-documented, and completed on schedule, this role helps strengthen close processes, reconciliation quality, and controls as AOI's U.S. operations scale.

Accounting Operations & Month-End Close

• Support month-end and quarter-end close across accounts payable, accounts receivable, accruals, cash, and intercompany activity, including intercompany AR/AP confirmations.
• Review journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules prepared by the accounting team.
• Serve as an escalation point for general ledger and accounting operations questions and issues.
• Prepare and support close-related reconciliations, schedules, and work papers for Controller review, and coordinate with the Controller on cash and close items as needed.
• Support manufacturing-related accounting, including inventory reconciliations, fixed assets, depreciation, accruals, cost center activity, and COGS-related close support.
• Review payroll-related accounting, including payroll entries from the payroll register, employee insurance/benefit expense recognition, and payroll cost-center allocations, and reconcile payroll-related GL accounts in coordination with HR.

Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable Oversight

• Provide oversight and review of accounts payable and accounts receivable operations, which are run day-to-day by the Accounting Supervisor and team.
• Review AP aging, vendor and payment discrepancies, AR aging, and collections issues, and support timely resolution.
• Assess and promote consistency, documentation discipline, and timely issue resolution across AP and AR processes.
• Coordinate with Procurement, Receiving, Operations, Sales Operations, and Customer Service to resolve invoice, PO, receipt, billing, and payment discrepancies.

Process Improvement & Documentation

• Lead accounts payable automation and related process-improvement initiatives, partnering with IT and Procurement to reduce manual processing and improve efficiency and controls.
• Develop and maintain accounting operations SOPs, close checklists, reconciliation templates, and documentation standards.
• Identify recurring accounting issues, manual workarounds, and process gaps, and recommend and implement practical improvements.
• Work to improve close timelines, reconciliation quality, and reporting consistency across accounting operations.

Audit, Controls & Team Support

• Support internal and external audit requests related to AP, AR, accruals, reconciliations, and close.
• Operate within existing SOX and internal control requirements, and support control and process-improvement efforts as needed.
• Provide review, coaching, and escalation support to accounting operations team members, when needed and as assigned.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the Controller / AVP of Finance.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Active CPA license required; candidates without an active CPA license will not be considered.
• 4+ years of progressively responsible accounting experience, with hands-on involvement in month-end close, reconciliations, and journal entry review.
• Experience supporting accounting in manufacturing, semiconductor, technology, or a similarly complex operating environment, gained through corporate accounting or relevant public accounting audit client work.
• Proven working knowledge of GAAP, general ledger accounting, account reconciliations, and financial statement support.
• Experience supporting audit requests, documentation, testing, and follow-up with internal and external auditors.
• ERP experience and familiarity with accounting workflows.
• Advanced Excel skills, including lookups, pivot tables, and multi-source reconciliations.
• Highly detail-oriented, organized, and able to maintain clear documentation while meeting deadlines.
• Capable of reviewing team output, resolving accounting discrepancies, and ensuring issues are documented and escalated appropriately.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across accounting, operations, vendors, auditors, and management.

Preferred

• Master's degree in Accounting, Accountancy, or a related field.
• In-house…