Judge Direct Placement is seeking a Finance Manager in Chicago, IL area! This role leverages the NetSuite ERP system to deliver accurate financial insights, including oversight of cash flow analysis, budgeting, treasury management, and risk mitigation strategies. The ideal candidate will play a critical role in supporting informed decision-making and ensuring financial stability and growth across the organization.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the month-end close process, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting within NetSuite.
• Oversee consolidation of multi-entity financials, integrating Canadian and U.S. subsidiary results across 15+ locations.
• Manage allocation and bill-down of centralized corporate expenses across business segments.
• Ensure full compliance with GAAP and manufacturing accounting standards, including cost absorption and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly internal financial reports and board presentation materials.
• Deliver lender reporting packages, including compliance with financial covenants.
• Serve as the primary liaison for external audits, coordinating all audit-related activities.
• Lead the annual budgeting process, partnering with plant operations and corporate functions to develop comprehensive financial plans.
• Develop and maintain rolling forecasts using dynamic financial models to project revenue, COGS, margins, fixed costs, SG&A, and EBITDA.
• Analyze financial performance against budget and forecast, identifying key variances, cost drivers, and operational KPIs.
• Optimize working capital by monitoring liquidity and managing cash conversion cycles, including inventory, receivables, payables, and labor costs.
• Prepare detailed cash flow forecasts to anticipate funding needs and support operational planning.
• Manage banking relationships, including oversight of credit facilities, equipment financing, and NetSuite-integrated cash management tools.
• Support capital allocation decisions by evaluating investments in equipment, production capabilities, and fixed assets.
• Identify and mitigate financial risks, including exposure to raw material pricing, supply chain disruptions, and foreign exchange fluctuations.
• Design and maintain strong internal controls, including system permissions, automated processes, and approval workflows within NetSuite.
• Oversee corporate insurance programs, ensuring adequate coverage for manufacturing operations, facilities, and product liability.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field required
• 5+ years of experience in contract manufacturing or other high-volume manufacturing environments.
• 5–7 years of progressive experience in financial management roles
• Demonstrated hands-on experience using and optimizing NetSuite ERP.
• Strong quantitative abilities, including analyzing and clearly explaining budget-to-actual results.
• Ability to translate financial data into clear insights on revenue, cost, and performance trends.