Sr. Manufacturing Financial Analyst

Manufacturing Finance | Cost Accounting | Operations FinanceLocation: Little Rock, ARA leading heavy industrial manufacturer is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Financial Analyst to support plant operations, cost accounting, financial planning, and operational performance across a complex manufacturing environment.This role serves as a key business partner to executive leadership, operations, supply chain, and manufacturing teams, helping drive profitability, cost control, inventory accuracy, and strategic decision-making. The ideal candidate will have strong manufacturing finance experience with deep exposure to standard costing, inventory accounting, ERP systems, and plant operations.Key ResponsibilitiesManufacturing Finance & Cost AccountingManage and maintain standard costing systems, including BOM reviews, cost rollups, and overhead allocationsAnalyze manufacturing variances including labor efficiency, material usage, purchase price variance, and overhead absorptionSupport inventory valuation, WIP analysis, inventory controls, and COGS reconciliationPartner with operations leadership to identify cost reduction opportunities and improve plant profitabilityMonitor manufacturing KPIs and provide actionable recommendations to improve operational performanceFinancial Planning & AnalysisLead budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activitiesDevelop financial models supporting revenue, cost, margin, and cash flow analysisPerform monthly variance analysis and communicate results to leadershipSupport executive reporting and business performance reviewsOperations PartnershipServe as a finance business partner to manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, and plant leadership teamsSupport capital project analysis, ROI evaluations, and investment decisionsAssist with operational improvement initiatives and financial impact assessmentsSystems & ReportingUtilize ERP systems to analyze operational and financial performanceDevelop reporting tools, dashboards, and financial modelsSupport reporting automation, data integrity, and continuous improvement initiativesQualificationsBachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field5+ years of manufacturing finance, cost accounting, or operations finance experienceStrong standard costing and manufacturing cost accounting backgroundExperience supporting plant operations and manufacturing leadershipERP experience (SAP strongly preferred)Advanced Excel skills including financial modeling and data analysisAbility to translate financial information into actionable operational recommendationsPreferred BackgroundSteel, metals, pipe, tubular, oil & gas, forging, foundry, fabrication, industrial equipment, building products, chemical, paper, or other heavy manufacturing environmentsSAP FI/CO experiencePower BI, Tableau, or advanced reporting toolsMulti-site manufacturing supportCPA, CMA, or MBAThis is a highly visible role offering direct interaction with executive leadership and significant opportunity to influence operational performance, manufacturing efficiency, profitability, and strategic growth initiatives.