Job Description

Director of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Reports To: Chief Financial Officer

Position Overview

The Director of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) is responsible for leading enterprise-wide financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and strategic analysis for a manufacturing organization. This role serves as a strategic partner to executive leadership, providing actionable financial insights that drive profitability, operational efficiency, capital allocation, and long-term growth.

The ideal candidate brings strong manufacturing finance expertise, including standard costing, inventory analysis, variance reporting, capital expenditure modeling, and KPI-driven performance management.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Lead annual budgeting, quarterly forecasting, and long-range financial planning processes.
• Develop integrated financial models to support strategic initiatives, pricing decisions, product line profitability, and capacity planning.
• Partner with executive leadership to translate operational strategy into financial targets.
• Support M&A activity, including financial due diligence, modeling, and integration analysis.

Manufacturing & Operational Finance

• Oversee standard cost development and maintenance in collaboration with Operations.
• Analyze production variances (material, labor, overhead) and drive corrective action.
• Monitor inventory levels, turns, obsolescence risk, and working capital performance.
• Support plant leadership with cost optimization, margin improvement, and productivity initiatives.
• Provide financial analysis on make-versus-buy decisions, capital investments, and automation initiatives.

Reporting & Performance Management

• Develop and maintain KPI dashboards (e.g., gross margin, throughput, OEE, scrap, absorption, EBITDA).
• Present monthly financial performance packages to executive leadership and Board of Directors.
• Provide variance analysis comparing actuals to budget and forecast, with clear root-cause analysis.
• Enhance data visualization and reporting tools to improve decision support.

Capital & Cash Flow Management

• Lead capital expenditure planning and ROI analysis.
• Model cash flow projections and liquidity scenarios.
• Evaluate financing structures and capital allocation strategies.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Optimize financial planning systems and reporting tools (ERP, BI platforms).
• Drive automation and process efficiencies within FP&A.
• Improve cross-functional data integrity between Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain.

Leadership & Team Development

• Build and lead a high-performing FP&A team.
• Establish performance standards and development plans.
• Foster a culture of analytical rigor, accountability, and business partnership.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required
• MBA, CPA, CMA, or CFA strongly preferred

Experience

• 8–12+ years of progressive finance experience, with significant exposure to manufacturing environments
• Demonstrated expertise in cost accounting and operational finance
• Experience leading budgeting and forecasting processes in a multi-site organization preferred
• Prior leadership or management experience required

Technical Skills

• Advanced financial modeling and Excel proficiency
• ERP system experience (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or similar)
• Business intelligence tools (Power BI, Tableau, etc.)
• Strong understanding of GAAP and cost accounting principles

Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen
• Ability to translate complex financial data into actionable insights
• Executive-level communication and presentation skills
• Results-driven with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Collaborative leadership style with cross-functional influence

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Forecast accuracy
• Gross margin improvement
• Working capital optimization
• EBITDA growth
• Budget adherence
• ROI on capital expenditures

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive base salary + performance-based bonus
• Comprehensive benefits package
• 401(k) with company match
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off

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