Company Overview
Why Choose Us?
Novolex is a leading manufacturer of food, beverage, and specialty packaging that supports multiple industries including foodservice, restaurant delivery and carryout, food processing, grocery and retail, and industrial sectors. Novolex manufacturing and sourcing expertise spans a diverse range of substrates including resin, paper, molded fiber, aluminum and more. We provide customers a broad array of stock and customized solutions with 120 product categories, 250 brands and over 39,000 SKUs.
Our Sustainability Commitment
The Novolex sustainability vision is built upon three pillars: our products, our operations and our people. Each is critically important to our growth and future as a business. These pillars form the foundation of our company-wide commitment to sustainability, helping us achieve our ambitious goals through our wide-ranging initiatives.
Job Description
Job Overview: We are seeking an Inventory Accounting Manager to lead key inventory accounting activities and serve as the primary accounting resource for inventory-related matters across the plant and warehouse network. This role will be responsible for Q4 physical inventory counts, inventory audit support, slow-moving and obsolete inventory analysis, and the development of consistent inventory accounting processes and controls. The Inventory Accounting Manager will also play a critical change management role by helping the plant and warehouse network transition from site-specific practices to standardized, sustainable best practices that improve inventory accuracy, audit readiness, and financial reporting discipline.
Position Responsibilities
Serve as the lead accounting contact for Q4 physical inventory counts, including planning, site coordination, count instructions, variance review, reconciliation, and post-count reporting.
Coordinate inventory-related audit requests and communications with internal and external auditors, ensuring timely delivery of schedules, supporting documentation, explanations, and follow-up items.
Own the slow-moving and obsolete inventory process, including data analysis, reserve calculations, policy application, management review materials, and related journal entries.
Review inventory balances, transactions, adjustments, and reconciliations to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance with company accounting policies.
Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and plant and warehouse teams to understand inventory movements, investigate variances, resolve discrepancies, and improve inventory accuracy.
Develop, document, and maintain inventory accounting processes, procedures, controls, and reporting standards.
Lead change management efforts to standardize inventory accounting processes across the plant and warehouse network, including aligning site practices, documenting current-state gaps, and building practical roadmaps for adoption.
Identify, promote, and implement inventory best practices across locations, helping the plant and warehouse network move toward more consistent count procedures, reserve inputs, reconciliation standards, and reporting routines.
Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities related to inventory, cost adjustments, reserves, and account reconciliations.
Identify process improvement opportunities and help implement sustainable solutions that strengthen controls, reduce manual effort, and improve visibility into inventory risk.
Prepare clear reporting and analysis for finance leadership on inventory trends, valuation risks, count results, SLOB exposure, process adoption, and required actions.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
Minimum of 5 years of relevant accounting experience, including inventory accounting, cost accounting, manufacturing accounting, or supply chain finance exposure.
Strong understanding of inventory valuation, reserves, reconciliations, internal controls, and financial close processes.
Experience supporting physical inventory counts, cycle counts, or inventory audit procedures.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with auditors, cross-functional business partners, plant and warehouse leadership, and finance leadership.
Advanced Excel and data analysis skills; experience with ERP systems and inventory sub-ledgers preferred.
Demonstrated ability to influence change across decentralized teams, standardize processes, and drive adoption of new procedures in a multi-site environment.
Strong attention to detail, ownership mindset, and ability to manage multiple priorities during quarter-end and year-end cycles.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in a multi-site operating environment.
Experience with SLOB reserve methodologies, inventory policy development, and control remediation.
Familiarity with SOX controls and audit documentation standards.
Key Attributes for Success
Ownership and accountability: Takes end-to-end responsibility for inventory accounting deliverables and follow-through.
Analytical rigor: Uses data to identify trends, quantify risks, and support well-reasoned conclusions.
Cross-functional communication: Translates accounting requirements into clear guidance for Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and plant and warehouse teams.
Process discipline: Builds repeatable, well-documented processes that improve consistency and control.
Change leadership: Builds alignment across the plant and warehouse network, supports adoption of new processes, and helps teams transition from site-specific practices to consistent enterprise standards.
Audit readiness: Anticipates auditor needs and maintains support that is complete, organized, and defensible.
What Success Looks Like
Q4 physical inventory counts are completed on time, with clear instructions, effective coordination, and timely variance resolution.
Auditor requests are addressed accurately and promptly, with minimal rework or follow-up.
SLOB analysis and reserve recommendations are completed consistently, transparently, and in accordance with policy.
Inventory reconciliations, journal entries, and close deliverables are accurate and completed within established deadlines.
The plant and warehouse network demonstrates measurable progress toward standardized inventory procedures, including consistent count preparation, variance review, SLOB inputs, reconciliation support, and audit documentation.
Inventory accounting processes are documented, controlled, and continuously improved.
The successful candidate will be a hands-on accounting leader who can balance technical accuracy with practical execution, build credibility with plant and warehouse teams, and help establish consistent inventory practices across a decentralized operating environment.
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Company Benefits
What You'll Get From Us
Benefits
With safety as our top priority and a commitment to employee well-being an important focus, we offer comprehensive and competitive benefits that include medical, dental and vision insurance as well as a variety of other well-being resources focused on mental, physical and financial health. Specific benefits and well-being programs may vary depending on where you work.
Community Engagement
At Novolex, giving back to the local communities that support us is important. Our Focused Giving Program prioritizes support for organizations whose missions promote sustainability initiatives or address food and hunger needs. We also encourage facility level support of activities in the communities where our employees live and work.
Training and Development
We offer constant opportunities for advancement. From skills development to advanced education programs, training and development programs and courses are available through MyLearning. Programs include company and industry training curricula, support for formal education through the Tuition Reimbursement Program (Non-Union), and a Learning Management System that supports and enhances employee skills at all levels of the organization.
Novolex is committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices, including but not limited to selection, hiring, promotion, transfer, and compensation to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, handicap or disability, genetics, citizenship status, service member or veteran status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law. Any individual who, because of his or her disability, needs an accommodation in connection with an aspect of the Company's application process should contact myHRservices@novolex.com .
Formerly Pactiv Evergreen
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Job Locations US-IL-Lake Forest
ID 2026-34857
Category Accounting/Finance
Position Type Full Time
Pay Type Salaried
