Manufacturing Finance & Inventory Operations Manager
Accounting & Finance, Operations
El Segundo, CA, USA
We are seeking a Manufacturing Finance & Inventory Operations Manager to serve as the bridge between operations and finance.
This role will own the integrity of inventory transactions, operational financial controls, standard costing methodologies, and manufacturing variance analysis. You will work cross-functionally with operations, logistics, procurement, and leadership to ensure our ERP and inventory systems accurately reflect the economics of the business.
This is a highly hands-on role ideal for someone who has operated in manufacturing, food processing, protein, distribution, or industrial environments where inventory and operational accounting are deeply intertwined.
You will play a critical role in enabling scalable financial reporting, accurate gross margins, inventory visibility, and operational decision-making.
Responsibilities
Inventory & Operational Financial Controls
Own month-end inventory close processes across raw materials, WIP, and finished goods
Ensure timely and accurate closure of purchase orders, receipts, inventory transfers, and sales orders
Reconcile inventory movements, adjustments, yield loss, and scrap
Partner with operations teams to improve ERP transaction discipline and inventory accuracy
Maintain inventory subledger integrity and support reconciliation to the general ledger
Review inventory discrepancies, negative inventory balances, and operational exceptions
Support implementation and optimization of ERP workflows and inventory controls
Cost Accounting & Manufacturing Finance
Build and maintain standard costing methodologies for raw materials, packaging, labor, freight, processing, and cold storage
Develop and maintain product-level and batch-level COGS models
Create labor, freight, and materials standards and perform variance analysis against actuals
Analyze purchase price variances, manufacturing variances, and gross margin drivers
Support pricing decisions and operational improvement initiatives through financial analysis
Partner with operations to improve yields, throughput, and cost efficiency
Reporting & Cross-Functional Support
Build operational finance KPIs and reporting dashboards
Support forecasting, budgeting, and financial planning activities
Assist with audit readiness, inventory procedures, and investor reporting
Collaborate with leadership on scaling operational and financial infrastructure
Qualifications
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5+ years of experience in:
manufacturing finance
cost accounting
inventory accounting
supply chain finance
or operational finance roles
Experience working in manufacturing, food processing, protein, CPG, industrial, logistics, or distribution environments
Strong understanding of: inventory accounting, standard costing, variance analysis, operational financial controls
Experience with ERP systems such as Quickbooks, NetSuite, SAP or similar
Advanced Excel / financial modeling capabilities
Ability to work cross-functionally with operations and leadership teams
Comfortable operating in fast-paced startup or scaling operational environments
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in seafood, food manufacturing, protein processing, or cold-chain logistics
Experience implementing or scaling ERP and inventory systems
Experience with outsourced manufacturing or co-manufacturing environments
CPA, CMA, or relevant accounting/finance certifications