Accounting Operations Manager at Applied… · Sugar Land

Summary We are seeking an Accounting Operations Manager to strengthen financial oversight, operational reporting, and accounting processes across its U.S. operations. Reporting to the Controller, this position combines senior-level accounting oversight with broader responsibilities in operating expense (OPEX) analysis across three sites, accounts payable management, and financial due diligence for government subsidy and incentive programs. Working closely with the Accounting Supervisor, who manages day-to-day accounting activities, the Accounting Operations Manager provides financial analysis, technical guidance, and oversight of key accounting functions, including the general ledger, month-end close, reconciliations, accounts receivable, and manufacturing-related accounting. The role also partners with Finance and operational stakeholders to identify cost trends, resolve accounting issues, improve financial controls, and drive process improvements. As AOI expands its U.S. manufacturing operations, this position will play an important role in improving financial visibility, supporting strategic initiatives, and ensuring accounting processes remain accurate, efficient, and scalable. Job Responsibilities Accounting Operations & Month-End Close Support month-end and quarter-end close across accounts payable, accounts receivable, accruals, cash, and intercompany activity, including intercompany AR/AP confirmations. Review journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules prepared by the accounting team. Serve as an escalation point for general ledger and accounting operations questions and issues. Prepare and support close-related reconciliations, schedules, and workpapers for Controller review, and coordinate with the Controller on cash and close items as needed. Support manufacturing-related accounting, including inventory reconciliations, fixed assets, depreciation, accruals, cost center activity, and COGS-related close support. Review payroll-related accounting, including payroll entries from the payroll register, employee insurance/benefit expense recognition, and payroll cost-center allocations, and reconcile payroll-related GL accounts in coordination with HR. Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable Oversight Provide oversight and review of accounts payable and accounts receivable operations, which are run day-to-day by the Accounting Supervisor and team. Review AP aging, vendor and payment discrepancies, AR aging, and collections issues, and support timely resolution. Assess and promote consistency, documentation discipline, and timely issue resolution across AP and AR processes. Coordinate with Procurement, Receiving, Operations, Sales Operations, and Customer Service to resolve invoice, PO, receipt, billing, and payment discrepancies. Operating Expense (OPEX) Analysis Lead operating expense (OPEX) analysis across three sites, including expense trends, cost-center performance, material variances, and opportunities for cost optimization. Investigate spending fluctuations, identify cost drivers, and prepare financial analyses and recommendations to support management decision-making and operational efficiency. Process Improvement & Documentation Lead accounts payable automation and related process-improvement initiatives, partnering with IT and Procurement to reduce manual processing and improve efficiency and controls. Develop and maintain accounting operations SOPs, close checklists, reconciliation templates, and documentation standards. Identify recurring accounting issues, manual workarounds, and process gaps, and recommend and implement practical improvements. Work to improve close timelines, reconciliation quality, and reporting consistency across accounting operations. Audit, Controls & Team Support Support internal and external audit requests related to AP, AR, accruals, reconciliations, and close. Operate within existing SOX and internal control requirements, and support control and process-improvement efforts as needed. Provide review, coaching, and escalation support to accounting operations team members, when needed and as assigned. Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the Controller / AVP of Finance. Qualifications Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Required Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. Active CPA license required; candidates without an active CPA license will not be considered. 8+ years of accounting experience, with hands-on involvement in month-end close, reconciliations, and journal entry review. Demonstrated experience analyzing operating expenses, investigating financial variances, and providing actionable financial insights and recommendations to management. Experience overseeing or reviewing accounts payable operations, including payment controls, account reconciliations, and resolution of complex discrepancies. Proven ability to lead accounting process improvements, optimize financial workflows, and strengthen internal controls. Ability to independently lead cross-functional accounting initiatives, exercise sound financial judgment, and provide technical guidance without direct supervisory authority. Experience supporting accounting in manufacturing, semiconductor, technology, or a similarly complex operating environment, gained through corporate accounting or relevant public accounting audit client work. Proven working knowledge of GAAP, general ledger accounting, account reconciliations, and financial statement support. Experience supporting audit requests, documentation, testing, and follow-up with internal and external auditors. ERP experience and familiarity with accounting workflows. Advanced Excel skills, including lookups, pivot tables, and multi-source reconciliations. Highly detail-oriented, organized, and able to maintain clear documentation while meeting deadlines. Capable of reviewing team output, resolving accounting discrepancies, and ensuring issues are documented and escalated appropriately. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across accounting, operations, vendors, auditors, and management. Preferred Master’s degree in Accounting, Accountancy, or a related field. In-house accounting experience within a publicly traded company. Experience with SAP or similar ERP systems preferred. Familiarity with SOX compliance, internal controls, and audit documentation. Experience standardizing accounting workflows, improving close or AP processes, and developing clear SOPs. Familiarity with payroll accounting, payroll-related GL reconciliations, and benefit/insurance expense recognition preferred. Experience supporting government subsidy, grant, or incentive programs, including financial due diligence, documentation review, or compliance requirements. Experience conducting financial analysis across multiple manufacturing sites, departments, or business units. Prior experience supervising, mentoring, or providing functional leadership to accounting professionals. Professional fluency in English and Mandarin. Location & Work Environment This is a full-time onsite position based at AOI’s Sugar Land, Texas campus, which includes office, warehouse, and manufacturing environments. The role is primarily office-based, with regular interaction across accounting, production, inventory, shipping, and related manufacturing functions. Typical business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT, with flexibility required during close, audits, reporting deadlines, and other business-critical periods. Why AOI? In addition to competitive salary, AOI offers: Flexible and competitive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision plans designed to meet individual and family needs Employer matching on 401(k) deferrals Generous PTO policy, with unused PTO payout at end of the year Relocation packages available within the United States. Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is committed to providing equal opportunity in all of our employment practices, including hiring, placement, promotion, training, transfer and compensation, to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, sex, veteran status, age, disability, marital status, or any other category protected by State or Federal law. Moreover, we endeavor to treat our employees fairly. We do not accept unsolicited proposals from third-party recruiters or agencies. Contacting hiring managers directly may result in disqualification of submissions.