Senior Financial Analyst - Operations

Title: Senior Financial Analyst - Operations

Location: Charter Steel - Saukville, WI

Job Description:

Charter Manufacturing is a fourth-generation family-owned business where our will to grow drives us to do it better.  Join the team and become part of our family!

📊 Senior Financial Analyst - Operations

Location: Hybrid 3 days onsite in Saukville, WI

🌟 Position Purpose / Mission

Step into a role where your financial expertise directly shapes operational performance. As an Operations Senior Financial Analyst, you’ll partner closely with Operations leadership to deliver meaningful financial insights, drive cost improvements, and influence strategic decision‑making.

You’ll be the bridge between Finance and the shop floor — analyzing performance, identifying opportunities, and helping leaders understand the financial impact of their decisions. This is a hands‑on, high‑visibility role where your recommendations will drive efficiency, strengthen internal controls, and support long‑term business success.

🎯 What You’ll Do

• Partner with Operations management to deliver accurate, timely financial reporting and analysis

• Provide insights into operational and financial performance, highlighting trends and opportunities

• Lead cost analyses, ROI evaluations, forecasting, and budgeting processes

• Identify and solve operational financial issues, recommending and implementing cost‑saving initiatives

• Analyze variances between actual and standard costs to uncover root causes and improvement opportunities

• Support capital expenditure analysis, continuous improvement projects, and other strategic initiatives

• Lead month‑end close activities, including journal entries, reconciliations, and financial statement review

• Develop KPIs and dashboards that help Operations leaders monitor performance and make data‑driven decisions

• Review and strengthen accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls

• Serve as a key resource for ERP enhancements and financial systems improvements

• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams and, when applicable, provide leadership and development to team members

✅ Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance

• 3+ years of accounting or finance experience, ideally in manufacturing

• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and organizational skills

• Ability to interpret data from multiple sources and translate it into actionable insights

• Understanding of manufacturing cost drivers and operational processes

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain financial concepts to non‑finance audiences

• Experience leading or contributing to process improvement initiatives

• Working knowledge of ERP and financial systems

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint

⭐ Preferred Qualifications

• MBA, CPA, or progress toward certification

• 5+ years of finance/accounting experience in a manufacturing environment

• Experience with QAD, Oracle, Hyperion, or similar systems

• Familiarity with financial modeling techniques (ROI, IRR, NPV, payback, economic profit)

• Lean or Six Sigma experience, including process mapping

• Ability to adapt priorities based on changing business needs

• Willingness to travel as required

📌 Major Accountabilities

• Own the budgeting process from initial inputs through final review

• Lead periodic forecasting cycles

• Build financial models to support operational and accounting initiatives

• Provide clear, actionable variance explanations and recommendations

• Conduct cost center reviews and help leaders understand spending drivers

• Support month‑end close, including margin, inventory, and variance analysis

• Develop and maintain operational KPIs (OEE, production vs. targets, pieces per hour, S&OP)

• Strengthen internal controls and streamline accounting processes

• Support ERP implementations and system enhancements

• Contribute to strategic business initiatives and cross‑functional projects

• Follow Environmental, Quality, and Safety Management System procedures

🌱 Why This Role Matters

This role is more than numbers — it’s about helping the business run smarter. You’ll influence decisions, improve processes, and help leaders understand the financial story behind their operations. If you’re energized by solving problems, partnering with operations, and driving meaningful change, this is a place where your work will truly make an impact.

We offer comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits, along with a 401(k) plan that includes employer matching and profit sharing. Additionally, we offer company-paid life insurance, disability coverage, and paid time off (PTO).