Director of Finance

Director of Finance

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Craig Wire Products is a manufacturer of shaped copper and aluminum magnet wire used in electric motors, generators, and transformers. The Company has a long operating history, generates strong free cash flow with low capital intensity, and serves a diversified base across North America.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Director of Finance will own the full finance and accounting function of a lean, high-performing manufacturing operation, including the general ledger, AR/AP, month-end close, financial reporting, tax, insurance, banking relationships, annual audit, and internal controls. This is a hands-on operating role, not a reporting role. The team is small, and the Director of Finance will be expected to be in the details while serving as a key strategic partner to the CEO and PE ownership group.

The right candidate will be comfortable translating operational performance into financial insight, with a goal of supporting the team to drive EBITDA growth (including managing the Company’s established value-based pricing methodologies and developing new value-based pricing initiatives). Experience with working capital-intensive, U.S.-based manufacturing businesses is essential.

The Director of Finance reports directly to the CEO, with a dotted line to the PE ownership group, and will serve as a core member of the leadership team alongside the VP Sales, VP Operations, and Plant Manager. This is a rare opportunity to join a profitable, growing niche manufacturer at an inflection point and drive direct impact on financial and operating outcomes. This role also carries a clear growth path: for the right candidate, it is a platform to grow into a VP Finance / CFO-track role as the finance function and the Company scale.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Leadership, Management & Value-Based Pricing

• Serve as a core member of the senior leadership team, participating in decisions on strategy, operations, and value creation execution alongside the CEO, VP Sales, VP Operations, and Plant Manager
• Own all finance and accounting activities, including financial reporting, forecasting, strategic planning, investor relations, banking relationships, tax, HR, insurance, and regulatory compliance
• Deliver timely, accurate analysis of financial performance, variance to plan, and business trends to the CEO and PE ownership group
• Support the CEO and PE ownership in the Company’s relationships with financial partners, including lenders, ownership, external accountants, tax professionals, and insurance providers
• Directly supervise the Controller and accounting staff; oversee all external finance, tax, and audit relationships
• Oversee the Company’s long-established value-based pricing methodologies; work with the CEO, board, and management team to create and implement new value-enhancing programs
• Own the build-out of job- and product-level standard costing (BOM- and routing-based) across CWP’s full SKU base in partnership with plant leadership

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Own the annual budgeting process and monthly/quarterly forecasting cycle; develop and maintain the management reporting package used by the CEO and board
• Prepare and present board meeting financial materials;
• Provide ad hoc financial analysis supporting capital investment decisions, pricing analysis, and contract negotiations
• Track and report core operating KPIs

Working Capital & Treasury

• Manage day-to-day working capital and cash flow
• Oversee AR, AP, bank reconciliations, and revolver utilization; actively manage vendor payment timing against customer collections cadence
• Monitor and maintain compliance with all debt covenants; serve as the primary contact for capital providers; prioritize prudent debt repayment to strengthen the balance sheet

Controls & Compliance

• Develop, implement, and enforce accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls appropriate for a PE-backed manufacturing business
• Ensure GAAP compliance and timely filing of all federal, state, local, and sales tax returns; coordinate with external reviewers and tax preparers
• Own day-to-day administration of the current Sage 50 general ledger system and chart of accounts; support the Company’s separate IT/ERP modernization initiative

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance required; CPA a plus, not required
• 5–8 years of progressive finance/accounting experience, ideally including some direct financial-leadership responsibility, with meaningful time in working capital-intensive, U.S.-based manufacturing or industrial businesses
• Prior experience in a PE-backed company strongly preferred; demonstrated comfort with lender reporting, covenant compliance, and board-level financial communication

Skills & Competencies

• Strong Excel and financial modeling skills; experience with Sage or comparable SMB accounting platforms a plus
• Proven ability to manage a commodity-driven P&L and translate operational performance into financial insight, including hands-on experience with standard or job costing (BOM- and routing-based) in a multi-SKU, make-to-order manufacturing environment
• High integrity and strong work ethic; comfortable in a lean team where the Director of Finance is expected to be in the details and on-site daily
• Clear, direct communicator, equally effective with plant floor personnel and the PE ownership group
• Sound judgment under uncertainty; able to make and defend decisions based on incomplete information in a fast-moving environment
• Discretion in managing confidential information, particularly in connection with lender and investor interactions