Director of Finance And Accounting

Director of Accounting and Finance

Rochester, NY

JK Executive Strategies, LLC is proud to partner with a privately held client in the optics industry to identify a financial leader ready to make an impact. This position will lead the accounting and finance function, partnering closely with company leadership to shape financial strategy, strengthen operations, and help drive the company's next chapter of success.

Our client is a family-owned manufacturing company in the greater Rochester, NY area. The business serves industrial customers and operates across multiple divisions and affiliated entities. This opportunity offers a finance leader the ability to work closely with ownership and strengthen financial operations in a hands-on manufacturing environment.

Reporting to the President, the Director of Accounting and Finance will lead financial reporting, accounting operations, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and manufacturing cost analysis. This hands-on leader will manage a small accounting team and provide ownership with practical financial insights and recommendations to improve profitability and support business decisions across multiple entities.

Responsibilities

• Lead finance and accounting operations, including the general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, account reconciliations, and month-end and year-end close.
• Prepare accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in accordance with GAAP; improve close timeliness and reduce post-close adjustments.
• Oversee multi-entity financial consolidation and reporting and improve the current manual Excel consolidation process.
• Strengthen manufacturing cost accounting, including job costing, inventory valuation, and production cost analysis; evaluate profitability by product line, customer, and project.
• Develop annual operating budgets and financial forecasts with department leaders; analyze variances and recommend actions to improve profitability.
• Establish and maintain a 13-week rolling cash flow forecast; monitor liquidity, collections, vendor payments, banking relationships, and financing arrangements.
• Provide financial analysis for capital equipment and facility investments, including return on investment, and assess the effects of seasonality, demand fluctuations, and macroeconomic conditions.
• Maintain internal controls and accounting policies; coordinate tax preparation, audits, and applicable financial compliance activities with external accounting partners.
• Prepare quarterly bank reporting and consolidated financial information for ownership and other stakeholders.
• Lead, mentor, and motivate accounting staff; establish clear accountability, document procedures, and support training and cross-training.
• Evaluate accounting systems and processes, identify automation and reporting improvements, and work with operations, sales, and purchasing to support business objectives.
• Present financial results, trends, risks, and actionable recommendations to the President and ownership; serve as a proactive financial advisor.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 7+ years of related experience and/or training.
• Manufacturing experience required; experience in the optics industry is not required.
• Experience with manufacturing cost accounting, job costing, and capital equipment.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge, including GAAP, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and internal controls.
• Strong leadership and problem-solving capabilities, with the ability to develop staff, motivate a team, and build trust with ownership and colleagues.
• Ability to analyze the effects of macroeconomic factors, seasonality, and uneven demand and translate financial analysis into practical recommendations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, strong organizational skills, and attention to detail; ability to manage priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to work effectively with customers, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• A steady, self-directed approach, creative problem-solving skills, and an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Government contracting experience preferred.
• Systems implementation experience preferred; Power BI experience would be useful for improving reporting and consolidation.
• Experience overseeing human resources and payroll preferred.

Salary Range

• $145,000–$165,000 annually, plus variable compensation.

JK Executive Strategies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of JK Executive Strategies to provide equal opportunity in employment and conditions of employment to all individuals regardless of age, race, color, religious beliefs, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, veteran or military status, disability, pregnancy-related condition, predisposing genetic characteristics, genetic information, marital status, familial status, prior arrest, domestic violence victim status, non-job related convictions, participation in lawful activities outside of our workplace, or any other status protected by law.