Operational Accounting Business Partner

Croda International•Plainsboro, NJ

21h•Onsite

About The Position

The Operational Accounting Business Partner coordinates the financial requirements of Operations across Croda’s manufacturing locations. The role leads manufacturing and product costing, plant-performance reporting, inventory governance, capital-spend analysis, operational budgeting and forecasting, and manages and develops site accountants. It acts as a trusted finance partner to Site Directors and operational leadership teams, using accounting discipline, people leadership and scenario-based decision support to help Operations improve performance, evaluate investments and deliver sustainable value. The role has regional responsibility across manufacturing locations and is based at Croda’s corporate headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey. It reports to the Regional Head of Finance and works with Site Directors, operational leaders, Production, project engineers, FP&A, auditors and other Finance colleagues. The position is full-time, exempt, on-site, and involves associated travel.

Requirements

Extensive manufacturing and cost-accounting experience, including significant management and supervisory responsibility.
Strong technical knowledge of accounting and finance principles and accounting standards.
Experience managing product costing, bills of material, overhead rates and standard costs.
Experience with inventory governance, physical counts, disposal processes and year-end audit requirements.
Experience partnering with Site Directors or operational leaders on performance and investment decisions.
Experience supporting capital-project business cases and monitoring capital expenditure.
Strong budgeting, forecasting, scenario-analysis and problem-solving capability.
Experience working with internal and external auditors and preparing accounts and supporting information for audit.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and enterprise resource planning systems, including SAP.
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
Ability to build relationships, lead and hold a team accountable, challenge assumptions constructively, use data and scenario analysis to influence decisions, and balance recurring responsibilities with team leadership and complex projects.

Nice To Haves

MBA.
CPA qualification.
CMA qualification.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted finance partner to Site Directors and operational leadership teams, providing independent challenge, insight and decision support.
Lead plant-performance reviews that clarify risks, opportunities, root causes and required actions.
Translate technical accounting, cost and performance information into practical recommendations for site leaders.
Build financial understanding and accountability across Operations while maintaining control discipline.
Build and continually refine a comprehensive plant-performance scorecard.
Maintain accurate manufacturing and product costs, including bills of material, unit overhead rates and standard costs.
Partner with Production and site teams to keep costing assumptions and operational data current and reliable.
Analyze performance drivers and recommend actions to improve productivity, efficiency and financial performance.
Lead inventory governance, including physical inventories, disposal processes, reporting and year-end audit requirements.
Improve visibility of inventory performance, stock movements and working-capital drivers.
Maintain accounting standards, controls and documentation across operational finance processes.
Identify financial risks or control gaps and ensure corrective action is completed.
Support project engineers and site leaders in developing business cases for capital projects.
Monitor and analyze capital spending monthly, providing visibility of budget, timing and delivery risks.
Ensure projects incorporate corporate sustainability requirements while remaining within budget and agreed timelines.
Evaluate opportunity-cost and savings initiatives to support operational prioritization.
Own the annual operating budget and forecasting process with operational teams and FP&A.
Challenge assumptions and advise management on budgets, forecasts and financial commitments.
Develop real-time SAP reporting to improve the quality and speed of operational decisions.
Challenge existing Finance and Operations processes and lead approved improvements and complex projects.
Lead, coach and develop site accountants across manufacturing locations, setting clear expectations and driving performance.
Ensure the team meets financial and reporting deadlines and develops stronger business-partnering capability.
Strengthen relationships with Site Directors and operational leaders across the network.
Enhance performance scorecards, SAP reporting and management visibility of key operational metrics.
Build trusted relationships with Site Directors, operational leaders, Production, Engineering, FP&A and site accountants.
Communicate technical accounting and cost information clearly to finance and non-finance audiences.