Senior Manufacturing Accountant

Aston Carter•Sterling, VA

3d•$125,000 - $155,000•Onsite

About The Position

As the first Senior Manufacturing Accountant, you will serve as a financial co-pilot for the Operations and Production teams. You will establish costing, optimize inventory valuation, track complex Bills of Materials (BOMs), and provide financial insights that support the efficient scaling of drone manufacturing. The role supports production strategy and builds the financial infrastructure needed for hardware manufacturing and sustainment. This position is full-time and requires an on-site presence five days a week in Sterling, Virginia. It is a permanent position.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
At least 5 years of progressive finance or accounting experience, including a minimum of 3 years in cost or manufacturing accounting.
Experience in a high-growth hardware startup or complex manufacturing environment.
Understanding of Bills of Materials (BOMs), routing, labor variances, and hardware supply chain dynamics.
Hands-on experience implementing or managing accounting and project management modules within a major ERP system.
Advanced Excel skills and proficiency with data visualization tools.
Comfort with ambiguity and adaptability to a startup environment.
Excellent communication skills and ability to explain complex financial concepts to non-financial engineers and plant managers.

Nice To Haves

CMA and/or CPIM.
Experience with government contracting and DCAA audits.

Responsibilities

Establish and manage month-end close processes, including journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial reporting.
Oversee accounts payable and accounts receivable functions to ensure timely processing.
Ensure compliance with GAAP and internal financial policies.
Assist with external audits and tax filings.
Develop, document, and implement costing methodologies for drone models, components, and sub-assemblies.
Track and analyze manufacturing cost variances and work with production leaders on cost-reduction initiatives.
Work with Operations to establish and oversee inventory management processes.
Ensure accurate valuation of raw materials, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods.
Partner with the Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain to develop annual budgets, rolling forecasts, and operational KPIs.
Analyze and explain manufacturing variances and drive corrective actions with operations teams.
Evaluate capital expenditure requests for manufacturing equipment and provide ROI and payback analyses.
Model make-versus-buy scenarios for critical drone components to optimize the supply chain.
Support implementation and optimization of ERP accounting, manufacturing, inventory, and supply chain modules.
Establish internal controls around the production floor, inventory movement, and procurement.
Coordinate across Finance, Engineering, and Production to ensure BOM accuracy and track costs through the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase.
Educate operational teams on financial performance and the cost impact of engineering and production decisions.
Escalate findings within the management team to ensure timely resolution.