What are the responsibilities and job description for the Business Analyst position at Smith Sawmill Service?
About the Role
Comact is seeking a motivated Business Analyst to support our Cutting Solutions business unit. This role will partner with executive and operational leadership to provide financial clarity across multiple business segments.
This role goes beyond traditional reporting—you will help translate financial results into actionable insights, support decision-making, and work closely with leaders across manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, and commercial teams.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on finance professional who thrives in a manufacturing environment and is eager to grow into a strong business partner.
Key Responsibilities
Business Partnership
- Partner with business unit leadership, including the Vice President, to support financial visibility across multiple operations.
- Provide clear, relevant insights to help operational leaders understand performance and drive improvement.
- Support decision-making by analyzing financial and operational data.
Financial Performance & Reporting
- Analyze monthly financial results, identifying key drivers, risks, and opportunities.
- Translate financial data into clear, actionable insights for operational teams.
- Develop and maintain reporting that reflects the needs of different business segments.
Operational Finance
- Analyze cost drivers including materials, labor, scrap, yield, and overhead.
- Evaluate production KPIs (throughput, uptime, efficiency) and connect them to financial results.
- Work with plant teams to support cost control and operational performance.
Planning, Forecasting & Budget Ownership
- Own forecasting and budgeting processes across multiple business segments
- Develop and maintain accurate forecasts aligned with operational drivers.
- Lead annual budgeting and ongoing reforecasting cycles.
- Provide variance analysis (actual vs. forecast vs. budget)
- Support scenario modeling to inform decision-making.
Capital & Strategic Support
- Assist with capital investment analysis, including ROI for equipment and process improvements.
- Support pricing, margin analysis, and product mix decisions.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field
- 5 years of experience in manufacturing finance or a similar environment
- Experience working with or supporting operations in an industrial setting.
- Understanding of cost accounting, standard costing, and production workflows
- Strong Excel and financial modeling skills; ERP experience (SAP, Oracle, Epicor, or similar)
- Strong communication skills with the ability to work effectively across office and shop-floor environments.
- Analytical, detail-oriented, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment
Location & Travel
- Based in East Texas, ideally near Nacogdoches, supporting headquarter operations in Timpson, TX
- Up to 25% travel required to visit operational sites.
What Success Looks Like
- Clear and accurate financial visibility supporting business decisions.
- Ownership and reliability of forecasting and budgeting
- Strong working relationships between finance and operational teams
- Meaningful financial insights that support improved performance
- Continued growth into a trusted finance partner within the business
What We Offer
- Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package
- Opportunity to work directly with senior leadership.
- A high-impact role in a growing industrial manufacturing company
- Collaborative, performance-driven environment