Senior Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis

The Senior Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis is a leadership position and succession candidate for the Controller role. This position leads the organization's financial planning, forecasting, cost accounting, and financial analysis functions, and is expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy in directing resources across the finance organization. The role partners directly with the General Manager, Operations, Supply Chain, Program Management, and Engineering leadership to shape strategic financial decisions, protect business risk, and drive forecast accountability. This is a strategic partner and business risk owner, not a transactional finance role — the successful candidate will be expected to represent finance in leadership's absence and have ability to grow into broader P&L and organizational leadership responsibility over time.

Location: Aston, PA (on-site)

Salary: $155,000 - $165,000

Please note that the salary range information provided is a general guideline only, reflecting a position based in PA. Criteria such as the candidate’s qualifications and relevant experience, the scope of the specific position, as well as market and business considerations will be evaluated when extending an offer.

We Take Care of Our People

Paid Time Off I 401K with Employer Match and Profit Sharing I Health and Wellness Benefits I Learning and Development Opportunities I Referral Program I Competitive Pay I Recognition I Employee Stock Purchase Plan I Inclusive & Supportive Culture

Your Challenge

Strategic Financial Leadership & Business Partnership

• Serve as a senior financial advisor to the General Manager, Controller, and executive leadership, including representing finance in bid and program risk reviews, with authority to critique and challenge assumptions.

• Ensure adequate risk-mitigation tasking is assigned and tracked across the organization technical, programmatic, and support the protection of the business's financial position.

• Own the monthly forecasting process end-to-end: drive forecast development to include submission in the financial consolidation system, identify and drive gaps to closure, and hold the organization accountable to maintaining forecast commitments to corporation. 

• Lead the annual operating plan, budget, and long-range strategic financial planning process.

• Support strategic initiatives, M&A evaluation, and major pursuits through financial modeling and scenario analysis.

• Identify business risks and opportunities proactively and bring recommendations directly to leadership, rather than waiting to be asked.

Cost Accounting Oversight

• Oversee cost accounting activities for manufacturing operations, including standard cost systems, annual cost roll-ups, and variance analysis (material, labor, overhead, PPV).

• Ensure accurate inventory valuation in accordance with GAAP; oversee inventory reserves, excess & obsolete inventory, and inventory turns analysis.

• Partner with Operations to identify cost reduction opportunities and manufacturing efficiency gains.

Financial Reporting & Controls

• Prepare and present executive financial reports, dashboards, and forecast packages for senior leadership.

• Explain key performance drivers behind manufacturing and program financial results, not just report them.

• Ensure compliance with internal controls, accounting policies, and corporate procedures; support internal/external audits.

Organizational Leadership

• Build, lead, and develop a team capable of scaling with the business — this role is expected to have ability to hire and develop talent at a higher level than has historically been the norm in this function.

• Establish departmental goals, performance expectations, and succession depth within the FP&A/cost accounting function.

• Drive process improvement and automation to reduce transactional burden and free capacity for analytical, forward-looking work.

• Foster cross-functional collaboration and serve as a trusted, autonomous decision-maker across the organization.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration required; MBA strongly preferred.

• CPA, CMA, or CCA (Certified Cost Accountant) a plus.

• Ten-plus years of progressive FP&A and/or cost accounting experience, with FP&A leadership experience prioritized.

• Five-plus years of leadership experience, including demonstrated ability to build and scale a team.

• Manufacturing and cost accounting experience required; government contracting or aerospace/defense experience strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated track record of operating autonomously at a senior level and directing cross-functional resources without close oversight.

• Executive-level communication and presentation skills; comfortable representing finance to leadership and in high-stakes reviews (bid reviews, program risk reviews).

• Advanced financial modeling, forecasting, and scenario-analysis skills.

• Strong grasp of GAAP and cost accounting principles.

• Proven ability to drive accountability and close gaps in a forecasting or planning cadence.

• Proficiency in Excel (advanced), ERP systems (Syteline), and BI tools (Power BI preferred).

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment.

• Must be a US Citizen.

Who We Are

Our Values

Environmental, Social and Governance

Curtiss-Wright Arresting Systems / ESCO, a business unit of Curtiss-Wright's EMS Division, is a world leader in emergency arresting systems for military aircraft. With two facilities, located in Aston, PA (USA), and Gente, France, Curtiss-Wright Arresting Gear / ESCO specializes in land-based arresting systems.

For more information, please visit us at Curtiss-Wright EMS - Arresting Systems / ESCO (cw-ems.com)

#LI-MB

No unsolicited agency submittals please.  Agency partners must be invited to participate in a search by our Talent Acquisition Team and have signed terms in place prior to any submittal.  Resumes submitted directly to any Curtiss-Wright employee or affiliate will not qualify for fee payment, and therefore become the property of Curtiss-Wright.  

Compliance Statement

This position may require exposure to export-controlled information and subject to additional security screening.  In the event information provided during the security screening reveals ineligibility to access export-controlled information, any offer of employment may be reconsidered or withdrawn. 

Curtiss-Wright is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, age, ancestry, legally protected medical condition, family care status, marital status, religion, veteran status, national origin, or any other legally protected status. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Talent Acquisition.

For US Applicants: EEO is The Law – click here for more information.

If you require accommodation due to a disability at any time during the recruitment and/or assessment process, please contact Talent Acquisition and we will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate your request.