Sr. Operational Controller Finance

Applied Materials•Austin, TX

4d•$144,000 - $198,000•Onsite

About The Position

The NPI / NPC Operations Controller serves as the primary finance business partner for New Product Introduction (NPI) and New Product Commercialization (NPC) operations. This role partners closely with Business Unit Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and NPI Program Management teams to drive successful commercialization of new products, ensure manufacturing readiness, and achieve cost, productivity, and financial objectives. The Operations Controller provides financial leadership across the product commercialization lifecycle, from concept through pilot manufacturing and transition to High Volume Manufacturing (HVM). The role is responsible for business case development, investment governance, cost modeling, operational performance management, and decision support for strategic NPI initiatives.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting.
Strong financial modeling, planning, and analytical skills.
Experience supporting manufacturing operations and cross-functional business teams.
Demonstrated ability to influence decisions across multiple organizations.
Strong communication and executive presentation skills.

Nice To Haves

6+ years of experience in FP&A, manufacturing finance, operations finance, or supply chain finance
Semiconductor, high-tech manufacturing, or capital equipment industry experience.
Experience supporting NPI, commercialization, engineering, supply chain, or manufacturing organizations.
Knowledge of product development and commercialization processes.
Experience with investment analysis, cost accounting, inventory management, and operational performance metrics.
Experience working with senior leaders in complex global organizations.

Responsibilities

Partner with NPI Operations and Business Unit leadership to support commercialization strategies and execution.
Provide financial oversight for NPI, pilot manufacturing, and product transition activities.
Develop business cases, ROI analyses, and investment recommendations for commercialization programs and capital requests.
Support portfolio prioritization and resource allocation decisions across NPI programs.
Drive financial rigor throughout the PDP lifecycle and readiness review process.
Lead product cost analysis and early cost modeling to ensure programs achieve target MCOS and gross margin objectives.
Partner with Engineering and Supply Chain teams to identify and implement cost reduction opportunities through DfX, sourcing strategies, and operational improvements.
Evaluate manufacturing strategies, outsourcing alternatives, and make-versus-buy decisions.
Monitor variances and key cost drivers impacting commercialization programs and volume readiness.
Support manufacturing readiness reviews and transition-to-HVM processes.
Establish KPIs and reporting frameworks for commercialization performance, productivity, and operational readiness.
Monitor cycle time, labor efficiency, inventory, quality, and cost metrics to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
Drive corrective actions and risk mitigation plans to support successful product launches.
Lead annual planning, forecast, and long-range planning activities for NPI and pilot manufacturing organizations.
Support planning and governance of strategic initiatives, automation investments, capacity expansion, and productivity programs.
Develop executive-level financial presentations and recommendations for senior leadership reviews.
Serve as a trusted advisor to Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Program Management leaders.
Facilitate data-driven decision making through financial analysis and scenario modeling.
Drive cross-functional alignment on priorities, tradeoffs, risks, and financial commitments.
Support continuous improvement initiatives that improve commercialization speed, manufacturing readiness, and productivity.