Senior Financial Analyst
Regular Full Time
Shelby Township, MI, US
Summary
Specializing in operational finance to enhance cost efficiency and support day-to-day manufacturing operations in our fast-paced production environment. This role centers on creating, updating, and optimizing standard manufacturing costs while providing hands-on financial guidance to plant teams. Leverages own expertise in cost modeling and variance analysis to drive operational improvements, reduce production variances, and ensure accurate costing for informed decision-making across supply chain and production functions. Additionally, support monthly and quarterly financial processes, including the preparation of financial models and management/board presentation decks.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:
Operational Variance & Cost Analysis:
- Perform in-depth variance analysis on operational metrics, such as material variances, labor efficiency gaps, and overhead absorption discrepancies against standards.
- Identify root causes of cost overruns (e.g., scrap rates, downtime, rework) and partner with operations to implement corrective actions for real-time cost control.
- Support daily operational reviews by providing cost impact assessments for production scheduling, shift adjustments, and resource allocation.
Operational Finance Business Partnering:
- Serve as the primary finance liaison to manufacturing operations, offering proactive insights on cost drivers during production meetings and shift handovers.
- Analyze operational KPIs (e.g., cost per unit, throughput rates, OEE) and recommend strategies to optimize working capital, such as inventory reduction and cycle time improvements.
- Assist in make-or-buy decisions, outsourcing evaluations, and capacity planning with detailed cost simulations.
Standard Cost Creation & Updates:
- Develop and maintain standard manufacturing costs from scratch, including detailed breakdowns of direct materials, labor standards, machine utilization, and overhead rates based on engineering data and production routings.
- Conduct annual and ad-hoc cost updates in response to material price changes, process optimizations, inflation adjustments, or supplier negotiations; ensure ERP system (e.g., PLEX, SAP, Oracle) reflects accurate standard costs for all product lines.
- Collaborate with engineering and procurement to incorporate design changes, BOM revisions, and efficiency gains into cost models.
Inventory Management & Reconciliation:
- Oversee standard cost-based inventory valuation, including cycle counts, obsolescence reviews, and variance reconciliations to the general ledger.
- Drive initiatives to minimize excess inventory and improve turnover through accurate costing and forecasting.
Budgeting, Forecasting, & Capital Projects:
- Lead operational budgeting and forecasting at the plant level, integrating updated standard costs into monthly rolling forecasts.
- Evaluate CapEx investments (e.g., new machinery, process automation) using standard cost models to project ROI, payback periods, and operational savings.
- Track and report on post-project performance against budgeted costs.
Monthly & Quarterly Financial Support:
- Provide monthly and quarterly close support
- Prepare and update financial models for scenario planning, sensitivity analysis, and what-if simulations related to production volumes, cost changes, and market impacts.
- Develop management and board presentation decks, synthesizing operational data, financial trends, and key insights into clear, executive-level visuals (e.g., using PowerPoint).
Qualifications / Experience / Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
- 5+ years of experience in operational finance within manufacturing, with proven expertise in creating and updating standard manufacturing costs (e.g., building cost models from BOMs/routings and handling annual rollovers).
- Advanced skills in Excel for financial modeling (e.g., scenario analysis, sensitivity testing) and extensive hands-on experience with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, JDE, Plex or equivalent) focused on cost accounting modules.
- Strong analytical abilities to link operational performance to financial outcomes, with excellent communication for cross-functional collaboration.
- Previous high-volume manufacturing / automotive experience preferred
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