Finance Business Partner

Senior Manufacturing Finance Business Partner

Heppenheim, Germany | On-site

Build something. Don't inherit it.

Most manufacturing finance roles ask you to maintain established processes.

This isn't one of them.

We're partnering with a private equity-backed industrial technology business that's building a new operating model across its European manufacturing network.

As part of that transformation, they're creating a senior manufacturing finance position that will become the commercial finance lead for their flagship German manufacturing site.

This isn't simply about month-end reporting.

It's about understanding where the business creates value, where profit is being lost, and helping leadership make better commercial decisions through data, insight and robust manufacturing costing.

If you enjoy challenging assumptions rather than simply reporting numbers, this is the type of opportunity that rarely reaches the market.

The Opportunity

Reporting directly to the Head of Finance Europe, you'll become the finance partner to the Plant Manager and wider leadership team, taking ownership of manufacturing finance, costing methodology and commercial analysis across an engineer-to-order production environment.

You'll help establish the finance processes that will become the benchmark across multiple international manufacturing sites.

This is a highly visible role with direct exposure to European leadership and the wider private equity ownership group.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and improve manufacturing costing methodologies.
• Own quotation costing, live project costing and post-project profitability analysis.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering and Plant Leadership to improve commercial performance.
• Deliver meaningful analysis around product, customer and market profitability.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and financial planning activities.
• Support month-end close, statutory reporting and financial controls.
• Challenge operational decisions using financial insight and data.
• Drive process standardisation and continuous improvement across manufacturing finance.

What We're Looking For

You'll likely come from an industrial manufacturing environment where you've supported operational leadership rather than simply producing financial reports.

You’ll bring:

• Manufacturing finance or plant controlling experience.
• Strong understanding of product and project costing.
• Experience with absorption costing and manufacturing overhead allocation.
• FP&A, budgeting and forecasting experience.
• Strong commercial business partnering skills.
• Confidence working directly with Plant Managers and senior operational leaders.
• Experience within engineered, industrial or capital equipment manufacturing environments.

Knowledge of US GAAP is beneficial but not essential.

Fluent German and English are required.

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to influence how manufacturing finance operates across a growing international organisation rather than stepping into an already mature function.

You’ll have the freedom to improve processes, challenge existing thinking and build reporting that genuinely supports commercial decision-making.

For the right individual, this role also offers significant long-term progression as the wider international manufacturing finance structure continues to evolve.

If you're looking for a role where your work directly influences operational performance—not just financial reporting-we'd welcome a confidential conversation.