Finance Manager/Head of Finance (Jonesville, NC)

Finance Manager – Greenfield Manufacturing

Position Overview

The Finance Manager will play a critical leadership role in establishing and developing the financial infrastructure, accounting operations, and cost management framework for a new U.S. manufacturing facility. This is a hands-on, high-impact opportunity for an experienced manufacturing finance professional to build the plant’s finance function from the ground up, supporting initial site development, pre-production planning, facility launch, and long-term operational growth.

Reporting into senior finance leadership, this individual will establish financial policies, internal controls, accounting procedures, and reporting processes in accordance with U.S. GAAP and applicable regulatory requirements. Key responsibilities will include general ledger accounting, standard cost development, inventory controls, treasury and cash management, tax compliance, budgeting, and financial analysis.

The Plant Finance Manager will also serve as a strategic business partner to plant leadership, operations, supply chain, and cross-border corporate stakeholders, translating financial data into actionable insights to support operational efficiency, cost control, and informed decision-making. Fluency in Mandarin Chinese is required to facilitate communication and coordination with international leadership and other overseas stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Plant Financial Infrastructure & Greenfield Setup

• Lead the establishment of the plant’s finance and accounting infrastructure from inception through operational launch.
• Develop and implement the local chart of accounts, accounting policies, financial procedures, approval workflows, authorization matrices, and financial standard operating procedures.
• Establish banking relationships, payment processes, cash disbursement protocols, and financial reporting structures.
• Design and implement internal controls to safeguard company assets, ensure accurate financial reporting, and maintain compliance with corporate policies and U.S. regulatory requirements.
• Partner with corporate finance and cross-border leadership to align U.S. plant operations with global accounting standards, reporting requirements, and financial policies.
• Build scalable financial processes and systems to support the transition from facility construction and pre-operational spending to commercial manufacturing.

General Ledger Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Establish and oversee full-cycle general ledger accounting, including journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, fixed assets, and month-end and year-end close processes.
• Ensure the timely and accurate preparation of monthly financial statements, balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and supporting schedules in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
• Develop balance sheet reconciliation procedures and maintain appropriate documentation and account substantiation.
• Establish financial reporting packages, accounting calendars, and close procedures to support management reporting and corporate consolidation.
• Monitor accounting transactions for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with internal controls and applicable accounting standards.
• Coordinate with external auditors, tax advisors, banking partners, and other professional service providers as needed.

Plant Cost Accounting & Inventory Management

• Design and implement the plant’s cost accounting framework, including standard costing, cost center structures, and product cost models.
• Establish standards for direct materials, direct labor, manufacturing overhead, and other production-related costs.
• Review and validate Bills of Materials (BOMs), routings, labor standards, and overhead allocation methodologies to ensure accurate product costing.
• Develop inventory accounting and control procedures covering raw materials, work in process (WIP), finished goods, inventory movements, and physical inventory counts.
• Establish processes for monitoring purchase price variances, material usage variances, labor variances, production efficiency, scrap, and manufacturing overhead absorption.
• Partner with production, engineering, procurement, and supply chain teams to analyze manufacturing costs, identify cost-saving opportunities, and improve operational performance.
• Support production readiness by ensuring costing methodologies, inventory controls, and financial processes are established before commercial production begins.

Treasury, Banking & Cash Management

• Establish and manage day-to-day banking operations, cash management procedures, payment authorization controls, and liquidity monitoring.
• Develop cash flow forecasts to support facility setup, capital expenditures, operating expenses, and production ramp-up.
• Monitor cash balances, payment obligations, and working capital requirements to ensure adequate liquidity.
• Implement controls over vendor payments, employee reimbursements, capital disbursements, and other financial transactions.
• Coordinate with corporate treasury and international finance teams on funding requirements, intercompany transactions, and cross-border cash management, as applicable.

Tax, Regulatory & Statutory Compliance

• Coordinate the establishment of U.S. federal, state, and local tax registrations and applicable statutory reporting requirements.
• Oversee or coordinate compliance with corporate income tax, sales and use tax, property tax, and other applicable tax obligations.
• Support customs, import/export, and other trade-related compliance requirements in coordination with relevant internal teams and external advisors.
• Identify applicable state and local tax incentives, manufacturing credits, grants, and government subsidies that may benefit the facility.
• Maintain appropriate tax documentation and financial records and coordinate with external tax advisors to ensure accurate and timely filings.
• Support compliance with applicable financial regulations and corporate governance requirements.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Analysis

• Develop the plant’s initial operating budget, capital expenditure budget, and Annual Operating Plan (AOP).
• Establish budgetary controls and financial tracking processes for facility setup, equipment purchases, hiring, production readiness, and operational ramp-up.
• Prepare periodic forecasts and variance analyses comparing actual results against budgets, forecasts, and established cost standards.
• Analyze operating expenses, manufacturing costs, labor utilization, inventory levels, and capital spending to identify financial risks and improvement opportunities.
• Provide plant leadership with timely financial reporting, key performance indicators (KPIs), and actionable recommendations.
• Develop financial models and scenario analyses to support production planning, resource allocation, capital investments, and business decisions.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Recruit, develop, and lead the local plant finance and accounting team as the facility grows.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, performance expectations, and accountability across the finance function.
• Provide hands-on leadership during the initial setup phase while developing processes that can scale with increased production and headcount.
• Serve as a key financial business partner to plant management, operations, procurement, engineering, and supply chain teams.
• Communicate financial results, risks, and operational performance to senior leadership in a clear and actionable manner.
• Facilitate communication between U.S.-based plant personnel and Mandarin-speaking international leadership, ensuring alignment on financial reporting, policies, operational priorities, and business objectives.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 3+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including substantial experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. GAAP, general ledger accounting, financial statement preparation, and month-end close processes.
• Demonstrated experience with manufacturing cost accounting, standard costing, inventory valuation, BOMs, and production-related cost analysis.
• Experience establishing or improving internal controls, accounting procedures, financial reporting processes, and operating budgets.
• Working knowledge of U.S. tax compliance, treasury operations, cash flow forecasting, and capital expenditure controls.
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese and English is required, including the ability to communicate effectively with international stakeholders regarding financial and operational matters.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of financial operations, work independently, and operate effectively in a developing, fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate across finance, operations, and international leadership teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active CPA or CMA certification.
• Previous experience supporting a greenfield manufacturing facility, new plant launch, site expansion, or manufacturing start-up.
• Experience implementing accounting systems, ERP platforms, cost accounting modules, or financial reporting processes in a new or expanding operation.
• Experience building and leading a finance or accounting team in a manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with cross-border operations, international corporate reporting structures, and coordination between U.S. operations and overseas headquarters.
• Experience identifying manufacturing cost efficiencies, optimizing working capital, and implementing scalable financial controls.

Key Success Factors

• Ability to establish a complete, reliable finance and accounting function from the ground up.
• Strong technical expertise in U.S. GAAP, manufacturing cost accounting, and financial controls.
• Ability to balance hands-on accounting responsibilities with strategic financial planning and operational support.
• Effective communication and collaboration with both U.S.-based teams and Mandarin-speaking international leadership.
• Ability to build scalable processes that support a successful plant launch and sustained operational growth.