ROLE PROFILE
Drive Financial Performance, Operational Insight and Accounting Excellence Across Croda's Manufacturing Network
Operational performance relies on accurate financial information, strong accounting controls, meaningful reporting and effective business partnership. As Croda continues to invest in manufacturing performance, leaders need Finance to connect technical operational activity with the insight required to manage costs, protect margins and improve decisions.
The Operational Accounting Business Partner coordinates the financial requirements of Operations across manufacturing locations. The role leads manufacturing and product costing, plant-performance reporting, inventory governance, capital-spend analysis, operational budgeting and forecasting, while managing and developing site accountants.
This elevated role also acts as a trusted finance partner to Site Directors and leadership teams. It combines accounting discipline, people leadership and scenario-based decision support to help Operations improve performance, evaluate investments and deliver sustainable value.
What Success Looks Like
Operational Performance & Business Partnership
• Serve as a trusted finance partner to Site Directors and operational leadership teams, providing independent challenge, insight and decision support.
• Lead plant-performance reviews that clarify risks, opportunities, root causes and required actions.
• Translate technical accounting, cost and performance information into practical recommendations for site leaders.
• Build stronger financial understanding and accountability across Operations while maintaining control discipline.
Manufacturing Performance, Costing & Profitability
• Build and continually refine a comprehensive scorecard for plant performance.
• Maintain accurate manufacturing and product costs, including bills of material, unit overhead rates and standard costs.
• Partner with Production and site teams to keep costing assumptions and operational data current and reliable.
• Analyze performance drivers and recommend actions that improve productivity, efficiency and financial performance.
Inventory, Controls & Compliance
• Lead inventory governance, including physical inventories, disposal processes, reporting and year-end audit requirements.
• Improve visibility of inventory performance, stock movements and working-capital drivers.
• Maintain strong accounting standards, controls and documentation across operational finance processes.
• Identify financial risks or control gaps and ensure corrective action is completed.
Capital Investment & Strategic Decision Support
• Support project engineers and site leaders in developing robust business cases for capital projects.
• Monitor and analyze capital spending monthly, providing visibility of budget, timing and delivery risks.
• Ensure projects incorporate corporate sustainability requirements while remaining within budget and agreed timelines.
• Evaluate opportunity-cost and savings initiatives to support operational prioritization.
Planning, Reporting & Continuous Improvement
• Own the annual operating budget and forecasting process with operational teams and FP&A.
• Challenge assumptions and advise management on budgets, forecasts and financial commitments.
• Develop real-time SAP reporting that improves the quality and speed of operational decisions.
• Challenge existing Finance and Operations processes and lead approved improvements and complex projects.
People Leadership & First-Year Build Agenda
• Lead, coach and develop site accountants across manufacturing locations, setting clear expectations and driving performance.
• Ensure the team meets financial and reporting deadlines and builds stronger business-partnering capability.
• Strengthen relationships with Site Directors and operational leaders across the network.
• Enhance performance scorecards, SAP reporting and management visibility of key operational metrics.
Operating Style
This is a practical, analytical management role combining technical accounting discipline, people leadership and influence across Operations. The successful candidate will be expected to:
• Build trusted relationships with Site Directors, operational leaders, Production, Engineering, FP&A and site accountants.
• Lead, coach and hold the site-accounting team accountable for quality, deadlines and performance.
• Challenge established processes and assumptions constructively while remaining solutions-focused.
• Use data, scenario analysis and financial expertise to influence decisions and add value.
• Communicate technical accounting and cost information clearly to finance and non-finance audiences.
• Balance recurring reporting and control responsibilities with team leadership and complex projects.
Core Capabilities
Strategic Perspective: Connect plant performance, product economics and investment choices with broader operational priorities.
Delivery: Create reliable reporting, meet deadlines and convert analysis into sustained operational improvement.
Working Together: Build strong partnerships across site leadership, Operations, Production, Engineering, FP&A and Finance.
Adaptability: Balance monthly requirements, annual planning, team leadership and complex projects across multiple sites.
Curiosity: Investigate cost, inventory and performance movements and continually challenge existing processes.
Authenticity: Provide clear, evidence-based challenge and build trust through technical credibility and follow-through.
Experience & Expertise
• Extensive manufacturing and cost-accounting experience, including significant management and supervisory responsibility.
• Strong technical knowledge of accounting and finance principles and accounting standards.
• Experience managing product costing, bills of material, overhead rates and standard costs.
• Experience with inventory governance, physical counts, disposal processes and year-end audit requirements.
• Experience partnering with Site Directors or operational leaders on performance and investment decisions.
• Experience supporting capital-project business cases and monitoring capital expenditure.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting, scenario-analysis and problem-solving capability.
• Experience working with internal and external auditors and preparing accounts and supporting information for audit.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and enterprise resource planning systems, including SAP.
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance; MBA, CPA or CMA qualification is preferred.
Role Scope
Regional responsibility for coordinating the financial requirements of Operations across manufacturing locations. Based in Princeton, New Jersey, the role reports to the Regional Head of Finance, directly manages and develops site accountants, and partners with Site Directors, operational leaders, Production, project engineers, FP&A, auditors and other Finance colleagues. The position is full-time and exempt.
Additional Information
This is an on-site position with associated travel based at our corporate headquarters in Princeton, NJ
Annual Base Salary Range: $130,000 - $160,000
This range reflects the base salary the company reasonably expects to pay for this position. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as geographic location, experience, education, and skill level. Additional compensation, such as annual bonuses or other incentives, may be offered based on eligibility and company policies.
