Our client is a major FMCG manufacturer operating high-volume production sites across Australia and New Zealand. You will join a collaborative finance team supporting operational decision-making, continuous improvement, and commercial performance across the manufacturing sites.
The Role - Ballarat or Melbourne-based (with travel to Ballarat site 1/2 times a week)
Reporting to the Manufacturing Finance Manager, you will be the key finance partner for a large production site. You will provide insights on manufacturing performance, challenge operational decisions, and support cost management across labour, materials, and overheads. This hands-on role requires strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate financial concepts clearly to operational teams.
Flexibility exists for Melbourne-based candidates willing to travel regularly to the site.
Responsibilities
- Act as the primary finance partner for the plant leadership team
- Deliver monthly management reporting and performance analysis
- Lead budgeting, forecasting, and reforecasting processes
- Analyse manufacturing variances, including labour, materials, usage, and overheads
- Maintain product and standard costing accuracy
- Identify cost gaps and work with operations to implement solutions
- Support inventory management, cycle counts, and stocktakes
- Provide financial support for NPD launches and capex requests
- Track and report cost-saving and continuous improvement initiatives
- Contribute to cross-site knowledge sharing and finance best practices
- Support ad-hoc regional and ANZ-wide finance projects
- Strong commercial and analytical mindset with manufacturing or FMCG experience
- Confident communicator able to challenge constructively and explain finance to non-finance stakeholders
- Solutions-focused, detail-oriented, and accountable
- Comfortable managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Degree in Accounting or Finance
- CA / CPA qualified or near completion preferred
- 5+ years’ management accounting experience in manufacturing or FMCG
- Strong experience in product costing, BOMs, and variance analysis
- Inventory and stock management experience essential
