Finance Manager at Smurfit Westrock in MI Brownstown

Job description

• Smurfit Westrock is seeking a Finance Manager to serve as the financial leader and strategic business partner for one or more manufacturing facilities. Reporting to the Area Sr. Finance Manager and site General Manager, this role drives financial performance, supports operational excellence, and provides strategic insights that improve profitability and business results.
• The Finance Manager partners closely with plant leadership to translate financial data into actionable recommendations, ensuring informed business decisions and alignment with organizational objectives. This position plays a critical role in forecasting, strategic planning, capital investment analysis, financial reporting, profitability improvement, and maintaining strong financial controls. The successful candidate will possess a strong combination of analytical expertise, business acumen, and the ability to influence operational leaders within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Financial Planning & Business Performance
• Lead annual budgeting, quarterly forecasting, and monthly financial reporting processes for assigned facilities.
• Analyze financial and operational results, identify trends, and provide actionable recommendations to improve business performance.
• Partner with plant and commercial leaders to evaluate opportunities for revenue growth, margin expansion, and cost optimization.
• Monitor weekly and monthly performance metrics and communicate key insights to plant, area, and finance leadership.
• Develop and maintain financial models that support business decisions and long-term strategic planning.
• Strategic Partnership & Operational Support
• Serve as a trusted advisor to plant leadership by providing financial guidance and decision support.
• Collaborate with operations and commercial teams to improve profitability through pricing, productivity, operational efficiency, and customer analysis.
• Support workforce planning, productivity initiatives, and resource allocation decisions.
• Facilitate discussions and action plans that drive sustainable performance improvements across the business.
• Capital & Growth Planning
• Partner with site leadership to identify capital investment opportunities that support business growth and operational excellence.
• Prepare financial analyses and return-on-investment models for capital projects.
• Track investment performance and conduct post-implementation reviews to ensure expected business returns are achieved.
• Support long-range planning activities that position facilities for future success, striving to understand the market and competitive landscape.
• Financial Controls & Compliance
• Ensure compliance with company policies, internal controls, accounting standards, and financial reporting requirements.
• Oversee financial review processes, including inventory controls, balance sheet reviews, accruals, and fixed asset management.
• Partner with accounting teams to maintain accuracy and integrity of financial records.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen controls while maintaining operational efficiency and business value creation.
• Working Capital & Continuous Improvement
• Drive initiatives that improve cash flow, inventory performance, and working capital management.
• Support process improvements through technology, automation, and best practice sharing.
• Leverage data analytics and reporting tools to provide meaningful insights and enhance decision-making.
• Educate and support site leadership teams in understanding and utilizing financial information to drive results.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in finance, accounting, or business analysis roles.
• Strong financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, and accounting experience.
• Demonstrated ability to influence business decisions through financial analysis and strategic recommendations.
• Experience partnering with operational leaders and cross-functional teams to drive business outcomes.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex financial concepts to non-finance audiences.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and financial reporting systems.
• Ability to promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration, and safety.
• CPA and/or MBA preferred.
• Experience within the paper, packaging, manufacturing, or industrial sectors and previous experience supporting multi-site operations preferred.
• Experience with ERP and financial systems such as AS400, BPCS, Radius, Hyperion, or similar platforms.
• Demonstrated success leading process improvement and operational excellence initiatives.
• Experience managing, coaching, and developing finance or cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of customer profitability analysis, capital planning, inventory management, and manufacturing cost accounting.

Skills

Required

• Ability to influence business decisions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Microsoft Excel
• PowerPoint
• Financial reporting systems