Director Manufacturing Engineering Jobs in Austin, TX

Company Overview

Allen Control Systems (ACS) is a cutting-edge defense startup founded by two former Navy electrical engineers with a proven track record in robotics and software. We are developing an autonomous gun turret using advanced computer vision and control systems to precisely detect, track, and neutralize enemy drones.

With an engineering-first culture, ACS values technical excellence and innovation. Backed by our founders’ successful exits from two previous ventures acquired for a combined $180M in 2022, we are committed to ensuring that the groundbreaking technologies we develop will have a real-world impact.

About The Role

We are looking for a Director, Manufacturing Finance to be the primary finance business partner to our Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Program Execution functions at a company shipping autonomous counter-drone systems to SOCOM, the U.S. Army, and customers across multiple countries, on a clear trajectory to $1B in annual revenue. This is a hands-on individual contributor role for someone who thinks in cash, not just revenue. You will own the financial planning, CapEx modeling, working capital analysis, and reporting infrastructure that keeps production decisions grounded in financial reality. The right candidate has done this work before in a hardware manufacturing environment and is comfortable being the person operations leaders call when they need a fast, reliable answer. This role is on-site in Austin, TX.

What You’ll Do

• Act as the primary finance business partner to Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Program Execution leadership; provide financial support for capacity planning, inventory management, and continuous improvement initiatives; collaborate with operations leadership to surface efficiency opportunities and implement changes that improve productivity and reduce cost.

• Build and maintain the CapEx plan covering equipment needs, procurement timing given production lead times, cost phasing against cash balance and debt facility availability; develop business cases and analytics for make-versus-buy decisions on manufacturing equipment.

• Own the end-to-end financial planning cadence across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Program Execution, including annual budgeting, monthly forecasting, and long-range planning, translating operational plans into the numbers that drive company decisions.

• Model working capital dynamics as production scales, including component procurement timing, inventory build-up ahead of deliveries, WIP balances, and cash conversion cycle at various production rates; translate the production schedule into a cash demand curve showing when cash goes out for materials, when it comes back in from contract milestones, and where the gaps are.

What You’ll Need

• Deep fluency in manufacturing operations, standard costing, inventory accounting, and supply chain finance, with the ability to translate operational mechanics into financial strategy and executive decision-making.

• Strong financial modeling skills including scenario and sensitivity analysis and the ability to rebuild a model quickly when the production plan changes; experience at a scaled hardware company in defense, aerospace, robotics, or industrial manufacturing, with firsthand exposure to how rapid production scaling impacts working capital and liquidity.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills; comfortable using AI tools for financial modeling and analysis.

You’ll Stand Out

• Familiarity with how government contracts shape manufacturing operations, including production schedules, delivery milestones, and contract deliverables, along with exposure to government contract accounting.

• Familiarity with debt facility management including draw mechanics, covenant tracking, and borrowing base.

• Has modeled working capital for a business with significant inventory and long supplier lead times.

• Experience at a company that scaled through a major equity raise and had to manage liquidity through the transition.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary

• ACS Equity Package

• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance

• Paid Time Off

Allen Control Systems is an Equal Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Allen Control Systems prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.