Director of Accounting Operations

The Director of Accounting Operations leads the accounting, cost accounting, inventory accounting, and operational financial reporting functions for Ocean Mist Farms and its related business units. This role is responsible for maintaining financial integrity, strengthening internal controls, and ensuring consistent application of accounting policies and standards across the organization.

The position provides leadership over monthly and annual close activities, business unit financial analysis, inventory valuation, product costing, standard cost development, Bills of Material (BOM) governance, cost allocation methodologies, manufacturing accounting, and operational variance analysis. The Director partners closely with Farming, Harvesting, Foods, Supply Chain, Operations, and executive leadership to deliver accurate, timely, and actionable financial information.

This role is expected to translate financial results into meaningful operational insights by analyzing budget-to-actual performance, prior-year trends, gross margin drivers, manufacturing variances, labor and material usage, yield, overhead absorption, and other key performance indicators. The Director also supports budgeting, forecasting, audit coordination, ERP and process improvements, risk management activities, and strategic financial planning while developing a high-performing accounting team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Accounting Operations and Financial Close

Lead and oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual accounting close processes for Grower Accounting, Farming, Foods, Harvesting, and other assigned business units

Ensure financial results are complete, accurate, timely, and prepared in accordance with company policies, GAAP, and applicable accounting standards

Review balance sheet reconciliations, journal entries, accruals, allocations, and supporting schedules for accuracy, completeness, and appropriate documentation

Coordinate business unit close activities, resolve accounting issues, and ensure cross-functional alignment of operational and financial data

Support the year-end audit by coordinating audit schedules, responding to auditor requests, and ensuring client-prepared schedules are completed accurately and on time

Cost Accounting, Product Standards, and BOM Governance

Lead the development, maintenance, and governance of cost accounting processes, product standards, and standard costing methodologies

Oversee the establishment, review, and periodic update of standard costs, including raw materials, packaging, labor, overhead, freight, outside services, and other applicable cost components

Ensure Bills of Material (BOMs), item masters, routings, production standards, yield assumptions, and cost drivers are accurate and aligned with current operational practices

Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Production, and IT to improve the accuracy, timeliness, and control environment surrounding product costing and manufacturing accounting data

Develop and maintain cost allocation methodologies for shared services, farming operations, harvesting, cooling, processing, manufacturing, and other operational activities

Inventory Accounting and Controls

Oversee inventory accounting, inventory valuation, and related internal controls for raw materials, packaging, work-in-process, finished goods, agricultural inventories, and other inventory categories

Monitor inventory reserves, shrink, obsolescence, yield loss, spoilage, and inventory turnover trends, and recommend accounting or operational actions as appropriate

Establish and maintain procedures for cycle counts, physical inventories, perpetual inventory reconciliations, and inventory adjustments

Ensure proper accounting treatment for crop investments, crops-in-ground, realized crop costs, production costs, and related inventory balances

Partner with operational leaders to analyze crop profitability, commodity performance, product profitability, and seasonal cost trends

Manufacturing Variance and Operational Performance Analysis

Lead monthly analysis of manufacturing and operational variances, including material usage, purchase price, labor efficiency, yield, overhead absorption, production volume, throughput, scrap, waste, and rework

Investigate significant variances and partner with business unit leaders to identify root causes, corrective actions, and opportunities for cost improvement

Develop dashboards, reports, and management summaries that communicate operational performance, variance drivers, risks, and opportunities

Track and report financial impact of operational initiatives, productivity improvements, automation projects, and cost savings programs

Support continuous improvement efforts by providing financial analysis tied to production efficiency, capacity utilization, labor productivity, and margin performance

Business Unit Financial Analysis and Management Reporting

Lead monthly and year-to-date financial analysis for each business unit, including actual-to-budget, actual-to-forecast, prior-year, gross margin, and key operating metric comparisons

Prepare and present business unit financial reporting packages with meaningful commentary on financial results, operational drivers, risks, and opportunities

Partner with Farming, Harvesting, Foods, Supply Chain, Grower Accounting, and corporate leaders to explain financial results and support informed business decisions

Analyze departmental operating statements to ensure revenues, expenses, allocations, and cost classifications are properly recorded and distributed

Develop profitability analyses by commodity, product line, customer, field operation, facility, production process, and other relevant dimensions

Budgeting, Forecasting, and Strategic Support

Establish guidelines and timelines for annual operating budgets, forecasts, capital expenditure planning, and business unit financial reviews

Prepare, coordinate, and oversee annual operating budgets for assigned business units, including departmental budgets, capital expenditures, labor plans, and cost assumptions

Assist with financial modeling, ROI analysis, lease-versus-buy analysis, automation investment analysis, new product analysis, and other strategic initiatives

Provide financial insight to support pricing, margin improvement, cost reduction, working capital management, and long-term operational planning

Partner with the CFO and executive leadership on ad hoc financial analysis, risk management compliance, insurance renewals, and strategic planning activities

Systems, Internal Controls, and Process Improvement

Lead process improvement initiatives related to accounting operations, inventory accounting, cost accounting, manufacturing accounting, and business unit reporting

Ensure the integrity of financial and operational data in ERP, inventory, manufacturing, reporting, and related business systems

Develop and maintain effective internal controls over accounting close, inventory, standard costing, BOM maintenance, manufacturing transactions, and financial reporting

Partner with IT and operational teams on ERP enhancements, reporting automation, system implementations, data governance, and cross-functional process improvements

Promote standardization of accounting processes, reporting formats, reconciliations, and analytical procedures across business units

Leadership and Team Development

Oversee, supervise, develop, and mentor accounting team members supporting Grower Accounting, Farming, Foods, Harvesting, and related operations

Set clear expectations, provide regular feedback, and promote accountability, accuracy, timeliness, professionalism, and continuous improvement within the accounting function

Build strong working relationships with employees, peers, management, growers, customers, auditors, vendors, and other stakeholders

General

Overnight travel as needed to fulfill responsibilities

Other duties as assigned

Job Requirements and Qualifications

• BA or BS in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field required
• CPA, CMA, MBA, or Master’s in accounting or Finance preferred
• Continuing education in accounting standards, cost accounting, financial systems, inventory controls, and related technical areas expected.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in accounting/finance, in various agricultural environments
• Strong analytical skills
• Demonstrated experience with monthly close, business unit financial analysis, standard costing, product costing, BOMs, inventory valuation, manufacturing variance analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and audit support
• Strong understanding of GAAP, internal controls, cost accounting, inventory accounting, standard costing, product costing, and manufacturing accounting concepts
• Ability to analyze financial results, operational KPIs, variances, cost drivers, margins, and profitability trends and communicate findings clearly to financial and non-financial stakeholders
• Strong ERP, Microsoft Excel, financial reporting, and data analysis skills; experience with ERP implementations, system enhancements, or reporting automation preferred
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with staff, management and peers
• Strong interpersonal skills. Ability to maintain effective working relationships with employees, peers and the public
• Ability to manage a project from its initiation to completion with minimal supervision
• Must exercise a high degree of initiative, judgment, discretion and decision-making