ROLE OVERVIEW
Mana Nutritional Products Incorporated (Mana) is seeking an experienced Capital Projects Financial Analyst to serve as the project accounting and cost controls anchor for the design, construction, commissioning, and long-term operation of its new 145,000 GSF pharmaceutical-grade vitamin blending and tableting facility in the Savannah, Georgia area community of Pooler (Mana Vitamin). This is a permanent role that evolves across two distinct phases — Capital Projects Financial Analyst during project execution and Financial Analyst with opportunities for a Senior Financial Analyst position once the facility is operational.
The Capital Projects Financial Analyst will report to the Project Leader with strong dotted lines to the Mana CFO and the Director of Engineering during the project execution phase, and to the Mana Vitamin CFO once sustained operations begin. The Capital Projects Financial Analyst will work in close daily coordination with the Project Leader, the Director of Engineering, the Design-Build Contractor (CRB), Mana legal counsel, and other advisors to ensure that every technical, financial, and legal decision made during design and construction reflects long-term operational and quality requirements.
PROJECT EXECUTION (BOD THROUGH COMMISSIONING)
The Capital Projects Financial Analyst is expected to be on-site and fully engaged from the Basis of Design phase — which begins immediately — through facility commissioning, qualification, and validation. This phase is anticipated to span approximately 30 months.
Project Financial Planning and Oversight
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Project Budget. Work alongside the Project Leader and Mana CFO to develop and maintain a comprehensive project budget including the cost of our prime design and build contract as well as other internal and external costs to complete and fully commission the project.
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Project Spending. Track all purchase commitments and spending against the project. Review all Mana supplier proposal terms and conditions to ensure compliance with Mana’s policies. Immediately report all spending commitments in excess of the Project Budget to the Project Leader for their approval.
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Change Orders. Evaluate financial performance against the Project baseline budget and propose amendment in the form of change orders to the Project Leader and Mana CFO.
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Document Control. Maintain an electronic document control system ensuring that all proposals, contracts, purchase orders, and other legal and financial documents are retained and accessible. Work with the Director of Engineering to organize and maintain technical documents associated with the Project.
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KPI Dashboards. Maintain KPI dashboards for the Project team and the executive team (Mana leadership and the Foundation) covering cost variance, schedule variance, contingency burn, procurement status, and risk exposure.
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Reporting. Report monthly to the project team, Mana leadership, and the Foundation on the project financial performance and assessment of key risks.
Project Controls Support
A key and explicit responsibility during the project phase is to serve as the financial backstop for the Project team. The Capital Projects Financial Analyst will provide project controls discipline, cost tracking, and schedule management. The Director of Engineering brings the technical depth to validate what CRB is telling the project team. Together they provide independent, credible challenge to the Design-Build Contractor.
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Design and Build Participation. Actively participate in all CRB sessions in support of the Project Lead and Director of Engineering as they work to ensure accurate costing.
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Equipment Benchmarking. Using benchmarking tools, complete benchmarking of CRB cost plus budgets. Bridge the gap between engineering specifications and cost validation so the Project Leader and Director of Engineering can challenge CRB estimates with credibility.
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Schedule Monitoring. Working alongside the Director of Engineering, track project progress against the integrated master schedule — monitoring milestone achievement, identifying variances, and maintaining the schedule component of the KPI dashboard. Flag schedule slippage to the Project Leader and Mana CFO before it affects cost or production timelines.
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Cost Estimate Validation. Review CRB’s cost estimates at each design stage from a financial standpoint — identifying scope gaps, specification changes that affect cost, and equipment or system assumptions that may not reflect actual procurement market conditions.
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Spending Control. Work with the Director of Engineering to evaluate design and construction draws percent complete against observable states of completion.
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Change Order Review. Working with the Director of Engineering, assess every CRB change order from a financial and technical perspective before making a recommendation to the Project Leader and Mana CFO. Determine whether the change is genuinely owner-driven, a design development, or a scope gap that CRB should own.
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Procurement Support. Participate in the evaluation of major equipment and subcontractor bids, providing financial scoring alongside the Director of Engineering’s technical evaluation.
Financial and Administrative Systems
The Capital Projects Financial Analyst will also play a role in the selection and implementation of the financial and administrative systems subproject of the Project.
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ERP Selection. Participate with the Project Leader and Mana CFO in developing a requirements document and RFP, and in evaluating and selecting alternative solutions.
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Financial Systems Implementation. Work with a larger team of permanent operations and finance employees (hired during the Project phase) to implement the selected ERP system and other administrative systems.
FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP (POST-COMMISSIONING)
Upon successful facility commissioning and handoff to operations, the Capital Projects Financial Analyst transitions fully into their permanent financial role. The Senior Financial Analyst is expected to help build the long-term financial and administrative capability of the organization as the facility scales. Responsibilities of the Senior Financial Analyst will include some, but not necessarily all, of the following:
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Budgeting and Forecasting. Lead or participate in annual financial budgets and interim forecasting.
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Cost Accounting. Working with operations, develop and maintain purchase and receiving, bill of materials, production tracking, inventory management, and maintenance management systems. Track and report on costs of production and variances to standards, both in productivity and cost rates.
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Vendor Management and Accounts Payable. With the purchasing and other operational functions, establish and maintain vendor relationships, and lead accounts payable and cash disbursements systems.
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Analysis and Reporting. Complete regular recurring operational and financial analyses and reporting as assigned. Perform ad-hoc analyses as may be requested by Mana Vitamin leadership from time to time. Work with the Mana Vitamin Controller in maintaining financial systems.
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Customers, Credit and Accounts Receivable. Evaluate customer applications for credit, maintain customer records, process customer orders, and manage accounts receivable collections.
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Capital Planning, Project Accounting and Fixed Assets. Work with the Director of Engineering and other operations managers on capital planning for equipment replacement and upgrades, process improvements, and capacity expansion. Track and report on capital projects. Maintain fixed assets records, track and record depreciation, and account for asset dispositions.
Essential Experience and Qualifications
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Minimum 5 years of experience in project controls, financial analysis, and/or accounting in a similar regulated production environment.
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Direct experience in pharma or similar facility design, construction, and commissioning.
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Demonstrated experience with analytical tools such as Excel and Power BI.
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Demonstrated experience maintaining and reporting from a comprehensive ERP system.
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Proven track record of supporting project and operational management teams from startup through sustained operations.
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Demonstrated experience in understanding and maintaining compliance with supplier contracts.
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Bachelor’s degree or demonstrated work experience in lieu of an advanced degree in finance, accounting, or project management.
Highly Desirable Experience
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Experience in the U.S. Southeast construction and manufacturing market.
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Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, or operational excellence certification.
Skills and Competencies
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Ability to translate complex requirements into cost and schedule implications that a project team can act on.
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Excellent communication skills — able to present technical and financial findings clearly to operational and executive audiences.
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Highly organized with disciplined approach to documentation, as-built records, and engineering change control.
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Collaborative and constructive — the role requires technical challenge without becoming adversarial with CRB or other project partners.
- Mana is a 501(c)(3) organization with operations in Pooler, Georgia and in Fitzgerald, Georgia producing ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for global humanitarian distribution.
- Mana Vitamin will produce approximately 15 million pounds of vitamin and mineral premix used in the production of RUTF and 4 billion tablets per year, built to pharmaceutical-grade (21 CFR Part 211) standards.
- The Project is funded primarily through grants from The CH Foundation, a UK-based foundation (the Foundation).
- The Project is led by Ian Blount.
- CRB Builders LLC (CRB) has been engaged as the Design-Build Contractor. The conceptual design has been completed, and the facility is currently entering the Basis of Design (BOD) phase.
REPORTING LINES, LOCATION & COMPENSATION
- Reporting. Report to the Project Leader with strong dotted lines to the Mana CFO and the Director of Engineering during the project execution phase, and to the Mana Vitamin CFO once sustained operations begin.
- Key Working Relationships. CRB, project advisors engaged on an as-needed basis, and Mana operational leadership.
- Location. Primary work location is Pooler, Georgia with full-time on-site presence expected throughout project execution and once sustained operations begin. Occasional travel to CRB offices, vendors, and other Mana offices.
- Engagement Type. Permanent Mana employee. This role is intended as a career-defining position that grows with the facility and the organization.
- Compensation. Competitive and commensurate with experience. Performance incentive, relocation, and retention provisions are available and will be discussed during the offer process.
- Start Date. As soon as reasonably practicable.
