Senior Accountant / Junior Controller

About the Role

CFO Worx, an AI-driven fractional finance firm, is supporting a Leipzig-based manufacturer of analytical instruments recently acquired by a parent company. This business currently lacks a monthly financial close process, and the parent company requires an experienced, hands-on finance professional on-site to establish this process swiftly.

This position involves creating a monthly close process from scratch, preparing precise financial reports, and providing key insights into inventory and unit costs. The role requires collaboration with an internal bookkeeper and reporting directly to the parent company's finance team.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and manage a monthly close procedure, focusing on major components such as depreciation entries and inventory adjustments.
• Establish accurate Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) by separating material and labor costs properly, replacing current direct purchase booking to P&L.
• Generate dependable valuation methods for inventory and work-in-progress (WIP), as no existing inventory module is in place; use the current component listings and unit cost data.
• Implement cost allocation and cost-center accounting systems, as these are currently absent.
• Create weekly and monthly financial reporting packages for the parent organization.
• Analyze unit costs of the analyzers to aid business decisions like relocating parts production to the US.
• Conduct vendor and customer/distributor analyses including revenue segmentation by customer.
• Assist in budgeting and planning activities with the parent company's finance team.
• Deliver clear and professional presentations of financial results to parent company finance leadership.

Tools and Environment

• Work regularly with a German-language manufacturing accounting system.
• Utilize Microsoft Excel extensively for data analysis and report generation.
• Coordinate through Microsoft Teams with the parent company.

Candidate Profile

• Fluency in German and strong command of English are mandatory, with German used for system access and team collaboration and English for parent company reporting.
• Strong foundation in accounting, especially within manufacturing or industrial sectors, knowledgeable in COGS, inventory/WIP valuation and depreciation.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and a strong aptitude for numerical analysis.
• Experience and comfort with German-language accounting software.
• Proactive and self-motivated individual capable of establishing processes and confidently engaging with team members to thoroughly understand operations.
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities to effectively convey information to finance leadership.
• Technologically adept and works effectively in a collaborative, tools-based environment.
• Based on-site in Leipzig with legal authorization to work in Germany.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

Possession of the "Geprüfte:r Bilanzbuchhalter:in (IHK)" certification or a comparable controlling/finance qualification is advantageous but not mandatory.

Employment Details

• Position type: Full-time, on-site.
• Location: 04347 Leipzig, Saxony, Germany.
• Languages required: German and English.