Accounting Operations Manager

About AOI
Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical, semiconductor, and HFC networking products that support AI datacenters, cable broadband, telecom, FTTH, and fiber access networks around the world. Headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, AOI is a vertically integrated company that designs and manufactures products ranging from semiconductor laser chips and optical components to high-speed optical transceivers and HFC networking equipment. AOI's operations include semiconductor chip R&D in Sugar Land, dedicated cable and fiber product R&D in Atlanta, and manufacturing operations across Texas, Taiwan, and mainland China. Publicly traded on the Nasdaq (AAOI), AOI is actively expanding its U.S.-based manufacturing operations in Sugar Land to meet accelerating demand in the AI datacenter market.

Summary

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.

Job Responsibilities

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 workpapers 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.

Qualifications

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 accounting experience within a publicly traded company.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP systems preferred.
• Familiarity with SOX compliance, internal controls, and audit documentation.
• Experience standardizing accounting workflows, improving close or AP processes, and developing clear SOPs.
• Familiarity with payroll accounting, payroll-related GL reconciliations, and benefit/insurance expense recognition preferred.
• Professional fluency in English and Mandarin.

Location & Work Environment

This is a full-time onsite position based at AOI's Sugar Land, Texas campus, which includes office, warehouse, and manufacturing environments. The role is primarily office-based, with regular interaction across accounting, production, inventory, shipping, and related manufacturing functions.

Typical business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT, with flexibility required during close, audits, reporting deadlines, and other business-critical periods.

Why AOI?
In addition to competitive salary, AOI offers:

• Flexible and competitive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision plans designed to meet individual and family needs
• Employer matching on 401(k) deferrals
• Generous PTO policy, with unused PTO payout at end of the year
• Relocation packages available within the United States.

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is committed to providing equal opportunity in all of our employment practices, including hiring, placement, promotion, training, transfer and compensation, to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, sex, veteran status, age, disability, marital status, or any other category protected by State or Federal law. Moreover, we endeavor to treat our employees fairly.

We do not accept unsolicited proposals from third-party recruiters or agencies. Contacting hiring managers directly may result in disqualification of submissions.