Manufacturing Systems & Cost Analyst at Lewis Bakeries in Fort Wayne, IN - Fort Wayne, IN 46825

Job description

• Position Type
• Full Time
• Job Shift
• 1st
• Education Level
• 4 Year Degree
• Travel Percentage
• Up to 10%
• Category
• Finance
• Manufacturing Systems & Cost Analyst – Fort Wayne, IN
• Full-Time | Exempt | On-Site
• Lewis Bakeries is seeking a highly analytical and operationally driven Manufacturing Systems & Cost Analyst to support bakery operations through accurate inventory management, ERP process execution, operational financial analysis, and multi-site manufacturing systems support. This role serves as a key connection point between production, inventory, finance, scheduling, and manufacturing systems within the bakery.
• The Manufacturing Systems & Cost Analyst will take ownership of daily work order and inventory reconciliation, operational variance analysis, support budgeting and forecasting processes, and serve as the bakery’s primary systems resource across PRIMS, Sage, Redzone, and related manufacturing platforms.
• This is not a traditional back-office accounting role. The successful candidate will work closely with production, warehouse, and leadership teams on the plant floor to ensure operational accuracy, process compliance, and system integrity while helping establish scalable standards across the organization as Lewis Bakeries continues to grow and evolve its ERP environment.
• This position reports directly to the Director of Cost Accounting.

Responsibilities

• Manufacturing Systems & Inventory Management
• Own daily reconciliation of work orders against actual production activity to ensure inventory accuracy across finished goods, ingredients, packaging, and waste reporting.
• Review, investigate, and close work orders once all transactions and variances have been validated and corrected.
• Identify inventory discrepancies and partner directly with operations, warehouse, and production teams to resolve root causes.
• Execute correcting inventory and work order transactions within manufacturing systems as needed.
• Coordinate weekly and monthly cycle count processes, including variance analysis, adjustment posting, and compliance tracking.
• Monitor transaction flow integrity across PRIMS, Sage, Redzone, PC Data, and related operational systems.
• Serve as the bakery’s operational systems resource for manufacturing transaction troubleshooting and issue resolution.
• Financial & Operational Analysis
• Support bakery financial processes including spend management, operational reporting, forecasting, budgeting support, and project savings analysis.
• Analyze manufacturing variances and operational trends to identify opportunities for process improvement, inventory accuracy, and cost control.
• Assist leadership with operational KPI reporting and inventory performance analysis.
• Support standard cost maintenance and operational standard change processes.
• ERP Implementation & Multi-Site Operational Support
• Serve as an operational resource during ERP implementation and stabilization activities across multiple bakery locations, including process development, system testing, user training, and compliance monitoring.
• Travel regularly to bakery facilities during ERP go-live phases to support implementation execution, user adoption, troubleshooting, and compliance monitoring.
• Help design scalable work order, inventory, scheduling, and transaction processes that support operational consistency across all bakery locations.
• Train bakery teams on ERP workflows, inventory controls, transaction standards, and operational process expectations.
• Develop SOPs, work instructions, training documentation, and process checklists to support long-term operational consistency.
• Partner with operations, finance, scheduling, and IT teams to identify process gaps and implement sustainable solutions.
• Promote accountability and process discipline throughout bakery operations.
• Operational Support
• Support new product launches by validating work order structures and inventory setup accuracy prior to production startup.
• Cross-train on production scheduling processes to provide operational backup support as needed.
• Partner with plant leadership to ensure operational controls and reporting expectations are consistently executed.
• Support SOX documentation, compliance activities, and audit preparation as the organization continues to expand its control environment.

Requirements

• Qualifications
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret operational, inventory, and financial data.
• Experience working with ERP systems, manufacturing transactions, inventory systems, or production reporting platforms.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate effectively across all levels of the organization, including plant floor employees and leadership teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and general business software systems.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing workflows, inventory movement, and operational controls.
• Ability to identify operational process gaps and implement scalable solutions.
• Comfortable working in both office and production floor environments.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
• Strong systems aptitude with the ability to troubleshoot transaction and process issues across multiple platforms.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently while collaborating cross-functionally across operations, finance, and IT teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Operations, Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Supply Chain, Information Systems, or a related field preferred.
• Prior experience supporting ERP implementations or manufacturing system transitions.
• Experience with work order management, cycle count programs, inventory controls, production scheduling, or manufacturing costing.
• Experience creating SOPs, work instructions, or operational training documentation.
• Exposure to food manufacturing or high-volume production environments preferred.

Skills

Required

• Microsoft Excel
• General business software systems
• Production reporting platforms

Benefits

• In addition to a competitive salary, employees enjoy a benefits package that provides significant financial value, including:
• Medical coverage with weekly premiums as low as $10 and a low-deductible plan design
• Comprehensive dental coverage, including orthodontic benefits for dependent children
• Company-funded pension plan and a 401(k) with company matching contributions
• Company-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Paid vacation time and paid holidays
• Relocation assistance available for qualified candidates
• Professional development opportunities and long-term career growth
• Family-owned company with over 100 years of baking excellence
• Stable and growing organization with a long history of success
• Collaborative culture that values employee engagement, safety, and continuous improvement
• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact as a key member of the bakery leadership team
• Opportunities for growth, development, and career advancement