Finance Business Partner (Costing & Tax)

Your role

Job Purpose:
As a Finance Business partner embedded in our manufacturing plant, you will serve as the critical financial link between our production operations and corporate finance, ensuring alignment with both IFRS and German local accounting standards (HGB). Your focus will be on translating plant-specific activities—from production costs and inventory flows to project-based manufacturing initiatives—into accurate financial insights, supporting operational efficiency and compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Production Cost Management: Oversee end-to-end cost accounting for manufacturing processes, including direct/indirect cost allocation (raw materials, labor, machine hours), variance analysis (against production budgets and standards), and tracking of unit costs to support pricing and cost-reduction initiatives.

• Plant Inventory Control: Manage inventory accounting specific to production, including raw materials, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods. Coordinate with warehouse and production teams for cycle counts, reconcile inventory valuations (in line with HGB and IFRS), and optimize inventory turnover to minimize holding costs while ensuring production continuity.

• Tax Compliance for Plant Operations: Analyze tax implications of production activities (e.g., VAT on raw material purchases, energy tax, local business taxes) and ensure compliance with German tax regulations. Support preparation of tax-related documentation for the plant, aligning with both local requirements and group tax strategies.

• Plant Project Financials: Support manufacturing-specific projects (e.g., new production line setup, machinery upgrades, process optimization) by tracking project budgets, monitoring capital and operational expenses, and reporting on project profitability and ROI to plant management.

• Reporting & Compliance: Prepare plant-level financial reports (e.g., production cost statements, inventory status, project financials) in adherence to both IFRS (for group reporting) and HGB (for local statutory requirements). Ensure accurate recording of production-related transactions in the ERP system (e.g., SAP) and support month-end/year-end closing for the plant.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with production managers, procurement, and maintenance teams to understand operational needs, resolve cost or inventory discrepancies, and provide financial guidance on process improvements or resource allocation.

To succeed, you will need

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration; knowledge of German accounting standards (HGB) is strongly preferred.

• Proven experience in cost accounting within a manufacturing/plant environment, with a solid understanding of production processes and inventory management in a factory setting.

• Expertise in both IFRS and HGB, particularly as they apply to manufacturing (e.g., inventory valuation, cost capitalization, fixed asset accounting for plant machinery).

• Proficiency in ERP systems used in manufacturing and advanced Excel skills for cost modeling and variance analysis.

• Familiarity with German tax regulations relevant to production (e.g., Umsatzsteuer, Gewerbesteuer) and statutory reporting requirements for industrial plants.

• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret production data into financial insights, and excellent communication skills to collaborate with non-financial teams (e.g., production supervisors).

In return, we offer

• A motivating and inspiring environment at a leading technology and market leader as part of the globally active Atlas Copco Group, where you will feel at home with a culture of learning and feedback in a diverse international team
• Personal development with training and a focus on your individual growth and 40 hours of learning time per year
• Flextime and 30 days of holiday per year
• Fair pay in a compensation package with a bonus structure
• Attractive employee offers through our corporate partner shops with changing offers
• A modern corporate culture in a global network, characterised by respectful interaction with flat hierarchies and informal communication
• In-house canteen, as well as fruit and drinks

Job location

This role requires you to work on-site at our office in Darmstadt, Germany.

Contact information

Talent Acquisition Team: Stephanie Alter