Lead, Financial Planning&Analysis, Aurora

Reporting directly to the CFO, you’ll lead the FP&A function for a fast-paced manufacturing environment, partnering closely with Operations, Supply Chain, and Sales Leadership to drive financial visibility and strategic decision-making across the business.

You’ll own budgeting, forecasting, manufacturing cost analysis, KPI reporting, and operational financial planning across plant and corporate functions. This role will play a key part in supporting profitability initiatives, improving reporting capabilities, and helping leadership make data‑driven operational and investment decisions.

This is a highly visible role with direct exposure to executive leadership and the opportunity to influence both operational and financial performance across the organization.

What the Role Involves

Lead the annual operating budget process across plant and corporate functions

Develop rolling forecasts incorporating production volumes, labor costs, material pricing, and overhead absorption

Build detailed financial models to support automation initiatives, capital investments, and capacity expansion projects

Conduct scenario analysis related to pricing strategies, supply chain disruptions, and demand fluctuations

Support long‑range strategic planning and capital allocation initiatives

Support EBITDA forecasting by evaluating the impact of pricing, product mix, and volume changes

Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Analyze standard costing models and monitor material, labor, and overhead variances

Partner with Operations leadership to evaluate production efficiency and cost drivers

Support inventory valuation analysis, including slow‑moving and obsolete inventory reviews

Evaluate plant performance metrics including scrap rates, labor efficiency, and capacity utilization

Assess contribution margins by product line, customer, and distribution channel

Monitor key manufacturing KPIs including:

Gross margin by SKU/product family

Cost per unit and absorption rates

Inventory turns and days inventory outstanding

Capacity utilization and labor efficiency

EBITDA by plant/department

Operational&Business Partnership

Partner with Managers and Operations leadership to improve financial visibility and accountability

Provide actionable recommendations to improve margins, reduce waste, and optimize working capital

Support pricing analysis and profitability improvement initiatives

Assist with make‑vs‑buy analysis and supplier cost evaluations

Translate operational KPIs into meaningful financial impact analysis

Sales Forecasting&Demand Planning

Develop SKU‑level sales forecasts in collaboration with Sales teams to support demand planning and financial forecasting

Translate sales volume forecasts into revenue projections using pricing, mix, and promotional assumptions

Analyze historical sales trends, seasonality, and customer demand patterns to improve forecast accuracy

Partner cross‑functionally with Sales, Operations, and Supply Chain to align production planning and inventory requirements

Convert demand forecasts into procurement and raw material planning requirements

Monitor forecast vs. actual performance and identify key business drivers impacting demand

Reporting&Performance Management

Prepare monthly management reporting packages and plant‑level dashboards

Conduct variance analysis (Actual vs. Budget vs. Forecast) with detailed operational commentary

Develop and maintain KPIs tied to financial, operational, and production performance

Perform ROI and NPV analysis for capital expenditures, automation initiatives, and plant expansions

Support post‑implementation financial reviews and investment payback analysis

Evaluate financing options and payback periods for large‑scale investments

Enhance ERP reporting capabilities and improve costing/reporting automation

Support ERP implementations or upgrades related to inventory and manufacturing modules

Develop BI dashboards to improve operational visibility and reporting efficiency

What You Bring

7–10+ years of progressive FP&A experience

Minimum 3–5 years within a manufacturing environment

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or Business Administration

Strong understanding of standard costing, variance analysis, and inventory accounting

Experience supporting multi‑plant or multi‑entity operations preferred

Exposure to multi‑currency environments considered an asset

Strong ERP experience (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platforms)

Advanced Excel and financial modeling capabilities

Experience with Power BI or similar reporting/analytics tools preferred

Strong financial modeling and scenario planning skills

Deep understanding of manufacturing cost structures and operational workflows

Ability to analyze operational datasets and connect plant performance to enterprise financial outcomes

Strong understanding of supply chain and production processes

Excellent communication skills with the ability to present financial insights to non‑financial stakeholders

Collaborative and cross‑functional business partner

Continuous improvement and Lean mindset

Clarity Recruitment is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible recruitment process and workplace. If you require accommodation, please let us know in advance and we will work with you to meet your needs.

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