Finance Business Partner - Technical Functions

Smart Wires is currently looking for a Finance Business Partner to bolster financial insight, and to identify and drive opportunities to improve the company's financial position through partnership and collaboration with our Manufacturing, Engineering, and Technology teams.

The Position

The Finance Business Partner – Technical functions will act as a key partner to organization leadership from both a tactical and strategic perspective; promoting high performance, driving accountability, and designing processes and metrics that create visibility into business performance and enable the organization to meet its objectives.

This role will report to the VP, Finance and lead the budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes for the manufacturing operations, engineering, and technology functions with alignment to corporate FP&A timelines and targets.

This role is for someone who can problem solve in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment, can effectively communicate complex ideas to non-technical colleagues, and who is motivated by building and developing processes. A structured, process-oriented style and proactive approach to establishing metrics, forecasting performance, and providing overall business analysis are key components of this role.

Primary Responsibilities

• Partner with manufacturing, engineering, and technology organizations in preparing and determining goals, strategies, and tactical action plans aligned to enterprise performance objectives, including collection of input/output data and critical assumptions
• Manage planning processes including monthly forecast, monthly KPI reviews, annual budget, mid-year forecast and strategic plan
• Lead value-added business analysis as well as defining and reporting meaningful financial and operational metrics that support business decision-making; analysis may include new product cost modeling, network cost optimization, value-improvement project returns, analysis of constraints, impact of manufacturing method changes, make vs. buy analysis, inventory optimization, etc.
• Establish and maintain forward cost curve targets and publish quarterly updates to cost book
• Develops and monitors action plans, including variances to plan and future forecasts, drive understanding, analysis, and resolution of root causes of performance gaps
• Oversee period closing including monthly management reports related to inventory, fixed assets, cost of goods sold, manufacturing variances and distribution
• Support all financial aspects of new product development via the product life cycle management toll-gate process
• Develop strong working relationship with third party manufacturing and serve as key liaison on financial provisions in the contract
• Find opportunities to drive process improvements while representing Finance on cross-functional project teams

Requirements

• 8+ years of financial planning and analysis experience; prior experience supporting manufacturing is required
• BA or BS degree. MBA a plus.
• Results oriented, “can do” attitude, intellectual curiosity, excellent communication, and strong relationship building skills. Ability to work well both independently and as part of a team
• Excellent analytical and modeling skills, solid knowledge of GAAP, cost accounting and inventory accounting principles
• System savvy and expert knowledge of Excel, PowerPoint, and reporting applications
• Highly motivated, and committed to driving change and improving processes
• Comfortable working in an organization operating in a state of change / transformation
• Ability to thrive and succeed in an entrepreneurial environment and not be hindered by ambiguity or multiple competing priorities

Location

• Our company headquarters is located in Durham, North Carolina. This opportunity may require travel up to 20%.

Benefits

At Smart Wires, we strive to foster an inclusive and supportive environment that focuses on our employee’s total wellbeing, and our benefit offerings reflect that commitment to our people.

We offer:

• Unlimited annual leave (Yes, we encourage employees to make full use of this benefit)
• Paid volunteer time off to give back to your community
• Paid parental leave to support you and your family

**Benefits/perks may vary depending on the nature of your employment and the country where you work.

The Company

Smart Wires is a global power technology company advancing the delivery of affordable, clean electricity worldwide. With our innovative technology and advanced analytics, we maximize the grid’s capacity. This means more renewables, at a lower cost and with les