Director, Manufacturing Finance & Cost Accounting

THE COMPANY

Saildrone is a maritime defense company and the global leader in autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). With more ocean miles and real-world operational experience than any USV manufacturer or operator, Saildrone maintains active, combat-deployed systems supporting national security and force projection around the world, 24/7/365. 

Saildrone’s manufacturing and R&D headquarters are located in Alameda, CA, with business development and sales operations in Washington, DC, an established European entity supporting regional business development, sales, and operations, and a deployment hub in the Middle East. By combining proven autonomous operations, edge computing, advanced sensing, renewable power, and the most advanced and robust unmanned surface technology on the planet, Saildrone is shaping how the Navy of the future operates. Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the forefront of maritime security and autonomous innovation.

THE POSITION

Saildrone is seeking a Director, Manufacturing Finance & Cost Accounting to guide Capital Planning and Analysis, Cost accounting, Inventory accounting, and Manufacturing finance functions supporting our rapidly scaling defense manufacturing operations.

Reporting to the Vice President of Finance, you will partner closely with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Program Management, and Executive Leadership to improve cost visibility, strengthen financial controls, and enable data-driven decision making across the organization.

You will own standard costing, inventory valuation, manufacturing analytics, capital planning support, and operational finance processes while ensuring compliance with US GAAP and maintaining a scalable control environment. This role will play a critical part in supporting Saildrone's transition from prototype-driven development to high-volume production.

THE TEAM

The Finance team is responsible for safeguarding Saildrone’s financial integrity while enabling the company to scale manufacturing, operations, and global deployments. We partner closely with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and operations to deliver reliable financial insights that support mission-critical work in a national security and defense environment.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the Manufacturing Finance, Fixed Assets and Cost Accounting organization, including hiring, mentoring, and developing a high-performing team.
• Own standard costing methodologies, cost rollups, inventory valuation, variance analysis, and overhead allocation processes.
• Partner with Manufacturing and Supply Chain leadership to improve operational efficiency, capacity planning, utilization, and profitability.
• Analyze material, labor, overhead, yield, scrap, and absorption performance and drive corrective actions.
• Develop product costing models to support pricing, business cases, new product introductions, and strategic investment decisions.
• Establish periodic cost reviews to ensure standards accurately reflect operational realities.
• Oversee inventory accounting, cycle counts, physical inventories, reserves, excess and obsolete inventory analyses, and inventory health metrics.
• Support monthly close, forecasting, budgeting, long-range planning, and executive reporting activities.
• Develop manufacturing KPIs and dashboards covering yield, throughput, utilization, labor efficiency, inventory turns, and cost performance.
• Drive ERP, MES, PLM, and reporting automation initiatives to improve data quality and scalability.
• Ensure compliance with US GAAP, SOX-style internal controls, audit requirements, and corporate accounting policies.
• Partner with Engineering and Program Management to evaluate capital investments, manufacturing initiatives, and return-on-investment opportunities.

THE QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Engineering, or a related field.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing finance, cost accounting, or operations finance.
• Experience leading teams in complex manufacturing environments with multi-level BOMs and inventory-intensive operations.
• Deep expertise in standard costing, inventory accounting, variance analysis, and manufacturing financial controls.
• Strong understanding of US GAAP related to inventory, capitalization, and manufacturing accounting.
• Demonstrated success building scalable processes, systems, and teams in high-growth organizations.
• Advanced ERP experience and strong analytical capabilities.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA and/or CPA.
• Experience supporting aerospace, defense, robotics, maritime, energy, hardware, or other complex manufacturing industries.
• Experience implementing or optimizing ERP, MES, PLM, or manufacturing reporting systems.
• Background supporting rapid production scale-up environments.
• Experience building finance organizations in venture-backed or high-growth technology companies.

The base salary range for this position is shown below. Actual compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and qualifications. This range reflects the base salary for candidates in states requiring pay transparency disclosure.

Salary Range

$225,000 - $264,000 USD

To view Saildrone's candidate privacy policy, please visit: https://www.saildrone.com/privacy-policy.

BENEFITS

At Saildrone, we’re building operational capability that matters—and that requires people who can do their best work over the long term. We invest in our team’s well-being, financial security, and professional growth so you can focus on delivering real-world impact with confidence and stability. Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support you and your family while you contribute to a mission with lasting significance. 

• Generous Time Off: Competitive Paid Time Off (PTO) accrual plus a robust annual holiday schedule and paid sick leave ensure you can rest, reset, and sustain performance over time.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Premium, multi-tier Medical, Dental, and Vision plans with significant company contributions for employees and dependents—providing security and peace of mind.
• Shared Ownership in the Mission: Equity grants are a core part of our compensation, allowing you to participate in the long-term value you help create through meaningful, operational work.
• Retirement Savings: Access to a 401(k) retirement plan with flexible pre-tax and Roth payroll contribution options supports long-term financial planning.
• Investment in Your Growth: We support your continuous learning through an annual professional development reimbursement program, empowering you to sharpen your skills and stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving field.
• Relocation Support: For eligible roles, we offer relocation assistance to help bring the world’s best talent to our mission-critical locations.

Saildrone is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.