Director of Finance – Operations and Supply Chain
SkyWater Search Partners is thrilled to be partnering with one of our longest-standing Minnesota-based clients on this exciting newly created leadership opportunity. Our client is a global, publicly traded manufacturer with a strong financial foundation, a history of consistent growth, and an outstanding reputation for operational excellence and innovation. As the business continues to expand, they are making meaningful investments in their finance organization to better support future growth.
This is not a traditional finance leadership role. It is an opportunity to build a capability that does not exist today. The Director of Operations & Supply Chain Finance will play a critical role in transforming how the organization forecasts demand, manages inventory, allocates working capital, and partners with operations to drive smarter, faster business decisions. The mission is to move the business from reacting to issues after they occur to anticipating them through predictive analytics, strategic planning, and proactive financial leadership.
Leading a team of approximately 12 to 15 finance professionals, this individual will serve as the trusted finance partner to Operations leadership, providing insight, challenging assumptions, and influencing key business decisions. Responsibilities span forecasting, long-range planning, scenario modeling, inventory optimization, KPI development, productivity initiatives, and working capital management, all with the goal of improving operational performance and creating long-term enterprise value.
This role offers exceptional visibility across the organization and the rare opportunity to build a best-in-class Operations & Supply Chain Finance function from the ground up. While the vision for the role is ambitious, the path to success is still being defined, making it an ideal opportunity for a strategic, hands-on finance leader who thrives in ambiguity, enjoys building new capabilities, and wants to leave a lasting impact on a growing global organization.
Responsibilities
- Strategic Planning & Decision Support
- Serve as the finance partner to Operations & Supply Chain leadership, providing forward-looking guidance aligned to business priorities
- Lead annual planning, quarterly forecasting and long-range planning
- Translate operational strategies into financial plans, scenarios, and investment priorities to support decision-making and resource allocation
- Provide decision support to guide capital allocation, productivity initiatives, and operational trade-offs
- Identify risks and opportunities early and align on actions across the leadership team
- Act as a key finance voice in enterprise-wide strategic initiatives and investment/ROI decisions Performance Management & Business Insight
- Own the financial narrative for Operations & Supply Chain, linking performance drivers to outcomes and clearly communicating risks and opportunities
- Establish and evolve metrics that connect operational activity to financial performance and inform actions
- Deliver actionable insights to improve productivity, cost management, and working capital performance
- Monitor performance against plan and drive actions to address gaps and accelerate results, in partnership with operational leadership Inventory, Working Capital & Capital Efficiency
- Provide financial insight into inventory strategy, working capital, and cash flow performance
- Guide decision-making on inventory levels, turns, and supply-demand alignment
- Drive financial evaluation of capital investment, automation, and footprint decisions
- Partner to ensure alignment between operational execution and financial outcomes Cross-Functional Business Partnership
- Partners with Operations and Supply Chain leadership to deliver insights that drive performance and decision-making across the business
- Align with Operations & Supply Chain leader on priorities, performance, and resource allocation
- Partner with cost accounting and site-level finance to connect financial results, operational drivers and forward-looking plans to enable better decisions
- Lead finance support for cross-functional initiatives that improve cost, service and efficiency Team Leadership and Financial Management
- Lead, mentor, manage, and staff a team of finance employees, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and promoting a culture of leadership excellence
- Develop and implement strategies for talent acquisition and management, succession planning, and leadership development to build a pipeline of future leaders
- Drive team performance by setting clear goals, providing ongoing feedback, and facilitating professional growth opportunities.
- Establish, manage, and be accountable for the annual Finance Operations & Supply Chain budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and alignment with organizational strategic objectives
Desired Skills and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field (MBA or Master's degree preferred)
- 10+ years of progressive FP&A experience with a strong background supporting Operations and Supply Chain
- Proven expertise in financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, and decision support
- Strong business acumen with the ability to connect financial performance to operational drivers
- Advanced analytical, financial modeling, and scenario planning skills
- Experience supporting inventory management, working capital optimization, and capital investment decisions
- Ability to influence senior leaders and drive cross-functional decision making
- Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate financial insights into actionable business recommendations
- 5+ years of people leadership experience, with a track record of building and developing high-performing teams
- Demonstrated ability to improve operational performance through financial analysis and strategic partnership
- Collaborative, hands-on leadership style with strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and execution skills
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ABOUT SKYWATER SEARCH
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Led by a group of seasoned search industry professionals, SkyWater Search Partners brings new focus to a novel concept, “Short List Search.” Our purpose is to leave a lasting impression on the clients we serve by providing individuals who will make a measurable difference in their business. We strive to consistently deliver great results to our clients in a very timely manner.
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• Supply Chain
• Consumer Package Goods (CPG)
Founded on long-standing relationships and hundreds of successful placements throughout the Twin Cities business community, SkyWater Search Partners is a proven resource for clients and candidates looking to quickly and confidently explore their “short list” of best choices. Count on us to find the best people – and the best fit.
