JOB SUMMARY
The Manager, Finance Process Excellence will lead initiatives to standardize, streamline, and scale finance processes across North America. This role partners with Finance, Operations, Shared Services, IT, and business leaders to drive continuous improvement, automation, and transformation across the finance function while supporting organizational growth and operational excellence.
The successful candidate will combine strong finance knowledge with process improvement expertise to drive sustainable change, improve operational performance, and support the organization's growth strategy. This position plays a key role in advancing finance transformation efforts through process standardization, automation, data analytics, and best practice implementation across manufacturing and corporate finance functions. This is a remote position but must be commutable to the Oakbrook, IL office and be available for frequent travel to Michigan.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Continuous Improvement & Transformation
- Lead and manage finance process improvement initiatives across North America.
- Identify opportunities to simplify, standardize, automate, and scale finance processes.
- Drive Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies to improve efficiency, accuracy, and customer service.
- Facilitate process mapping, root cause analysis, and redesign workshops with stakeholders.
- Develop business cases and implementation plans for improvement initiatives.
- Establish KPIs and performance metrics to measure process effectiveness and track improvement results.
Finance Process Optimization
- Evaluate and improve end-to-end finance processes, including:
- Procure-to-Pay (P2P)
- Order-to-Cash (O2C)
- Record-to-Report (R2R)
- Fixed Assets
- Inventory Accounting
- Cost Accounting
- Financial Planning & Analysis processes
- Support standardization of policies, procedures, controls, and reporting across multiple sites and business units.
- Ensure process improvements maintain compliance with internal controls, accounting policies, and regulatory requirements.
Systems, Automation & Analytics
- Partner with Finance and IT teams to identify system enhancement opportunities.
- Support implementation and optimization of ERP, reporting, and financial systems.
- Drive automation initiatives leveraging workflow tools, robotic process automation (RPA), Power Platform technologies, and other digital solutions.
- Utilize data analytics to identify trends, bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement.
- Promote data governance and consistency across finance processes.
Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management
- Build strong partnerships with finance leaders, plant controllers, shared services teams, and operational stakeholders.
- Lead cross-functional project teams through process transformation initiatives.
- Develop communication, training, and change management plans to ensure successful adoption of new processes.
- Serve as a trusted advisor on best practices in finance operations and continuous improvement.
Project Leadership
- Manage multiple improvement projects simultaneously while ensuring deliverables, timelines, and business objectives are achieved.
- Monitor project progress and communicate updates to finance leadership.
- Track benefits realization and report measurable savings, productivity gains, and process improvements.
QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ABILITIES
· Strong understanding of finance and accounting processes and controls.
· Expertise in continuous improvement methodologies, including Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or similar frameworks.
· Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
· Ability to influence stakeholders and drive change in a matrixed organization.
· Excellent communication and presentation skills.
· Advanced proficiency in Excel, Power BI, and financial reporting tools.
· Ability to translate complex process issues into practical business solutions.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or related field required.
- MBA, CPA, CMA, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt preferred.
- 7+ years of progressive experience in finance, accounting, finance transformation, process improvement, or operational excellence.
- Experience in a manufacturing environment strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated success leading enterprise-wide process improvement or finance transformation initiatives.
- Experience working with ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platforms.
- Experience supporting multi-site or regional finance organizations across North America.
Note*
Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position. However, this in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position.
This position is a safety-sensitive position. The position requires operating or working around heavy equipment, which if performed while under the influence of drugs (including marijuana) or alcohol could result in errors in judgment, inattentiveness or diminished coordination, dexterity or composure that could in turn result in mistakes that would endanger the health and safety of you and others.