Inventory Accountant

Company Overview

Ornua is a dairy co-operative that markets and sells dairy products on behalf of Ireland’s dairy processors and farmers. As Ireland’s largest exporter of dairy products, Ornua exports to over 110 countries and operates 16 production facilities globally. Headquartered in Dublin, Ornua has annualized sales of over $4.3 billion and a global team of 2,900 employees.

The Ornua family is structured across two divisions: Ornua Foods and Ornua Ingredients. Ornua Foods is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Kerrygold, Dubliner, Pilgrims Choice, Forto and BEO. Ornua Ingredients is responsible for the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products and for the sale of ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers around the world.

This role is part of Ornua Ingredients North America (OINA), the largest of Ornua’s global ingredient divisions. OINA operates five production facilities (four in Wisconsin, one in Minnesota) and is supported by a state-of-the-art Innovation Center.

At Ornua, our five core values guide everything we do: Seek and Embrace New Ideas, Make It Happen, Be Our True Selves, Show You Care, and Achieve Great Things Together.

Why This Role Matters

The Inventory Accountant plays a critical role in ensuring inventory accuracy across all product types, directly impacting product costing, pricing decisions, and operational KPIs. This position serves as a key liaison between Finance, Operations, and Warehousing, supporting strategic decision-making and driving continuous improvement in inventory management.

With oversight on over $100M in inventory across 35 locations, this role is essential to maintaining financial integrity, operational efficiency, and supporting Ornua’s growth strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Inventory Management & Reporting

• Perform daily work order closings and reconcile production variances as they relate to input costs such as materials, packaging, labor, and overhead.
• Investigate and report on inventory losses, overruns, rework, and waste metrics.
• Monitor inventory aging and present action plans for usage.

• Prepare and analyze weekly inventory reports and daily adjustments.
• Support physical and perpetual inventory counts across all sites.

• Prepare monthly 3PL reconciliation schedules and resolve variances.

Costing & Analytics

• Maintain and validate product costing standards and models.

• Provide insights into production variances and costing impacts.
• Reconcile inventory and production subledgers to the general ledger.
• Maintain and Develop KPI reporting on various topics including production performance, inventory accuracy, inventory aging, etc.

Systems & Data Integrity

• Maintain master data accuracy for inventory and production.
• Assist the organization with ERP system transactional issues and enhancements.
• Ensure adequate internal controls, SOP documentation, and full traceability on inventory.
• Aid in pulling data for various audit requests and reviews.

Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

• Act as a bridge between Finance, Operations, and Warehouse teams to ensure all operational activity is correctly captured in ERP system.
• Recommend process improvements to reduce inventory loss, improve inventory accuracy and production throughputs.
• Lead or support ad hoc projects and initiatives as needed.

Qualifications & Skills

Education & Experience

• Associate’s degree in accounting or related field required.
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration majoring in accounting highly preferred
• Certification as CMA or CPA highly preferred
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills required.
• Power BI experience is highly desired.
• Experience with ERP systems preferred (Microsoft Dynamics SL highly desired)
• 2+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment preferred.

Core Competencies

• Strong eye for detail and accuracy required.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Highly organized with effective time management and multitasking skills.
• Detail-oriented, dependable, and responsive to internal stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across multiple locations.

Ornua Ingredients North America is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will be provided with equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability status, or genetic information.