Factory Planning & Cost Analyst

Daikin Middle East & Africa FZE is a subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd. and the leading provider of heating, cooling, ventilation, air purification, and refrigeration technology. The company designs, manufactures and brings to market a broad portfolio of equipment, as well as tailor-made solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). To date, Daikin EMEA has over 12 000 employees across more than 59 consolidated subsidiaries. It has 12 major manufacturing facilities based in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Austria, and the UK. Our aim is to drive sustainable and effective solutions, sparking a good climate for the generations to come. And all this can only be achieved because of our People.

About the Role

The Factory Planning & Cost Analyst role is based at Daikin Saudi Arabia’s manufacturing facility in the Sudair Industrial Area, Riyadh, and plays a critical role in supporting the financial and operational performance of the factory. This position is suited for a hands-on manufacturing finance or cost control professional who understands shop-floor cost drivers and is ready to grow within a structured, world-class industrial organization.

The role focuses on factory cost transparency, planning, and performance analysis. You will work closely with Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Corporate Planning teams to monitor costs, analyze variances, support budgeting and forecasting, and enable fact-based operational and financial decision-making.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Monitor and analyze factory production costs, including materials, labor, overhead, and conversion costs.
• Support factory budgeting, forecasting, and cost planning in line with regional and corporate targets.
• Perform detailed variance analysis between standard, actual, and budgeted costs; identify root causes and recommend corrective actions.
• Track and analyze key manufacturing KPIs such as cost per unit, productivity, efficiency, scrap, yield, and capacity utilization.
• Support month-end factory cost closing activities, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance with reporting standards.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Quality teams to improve cost efficiency and operational performance.
• Support standard cost setting, updates, and periodic reviews in coordination with relevant stakeholders.
• Analyze BOM structures, routings, and production processes to identify cost optimization opportunities.
• Support inventory cost analysis, including stock valuation accuracy, slow-moving and obsolete inventory reviews.
• Prepare factory performance reports, dashboards, and management presentations.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, including cost reduction programs, process optimization, and data quality improvements.
• Support factory investment and CAPEX evaluations, including basic financial analysis and ROI assessments.
• Ensure compliance with Daikin Group factory reporting standards, templates, and governance requirements.

What You Need to Succeed

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in factory cost control, manufacturing finance, plant controlling, or production planning within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing cost structures, including materials, labor, overheads, standard costing, and variance analysis.
• Hands-on experience supporting factory budgeting, forecasting, month-end cost closing, and performance reporting.
• Ability to analyze production data, BOMs, routings, and manufacturing processes to identify cost drivers and optimization opportunities.
• Proficiency in Excel for cost modeling, data analysis, and reporting (pivot tables, formulas, dashboards).
• Practical experience using ERP systems in a factory environment; SAP experience (CO, MM, PP) is strongly preferred.
• Exposure to inventory valuation, stock aging, working capital management, and inventory cost controls.
• Experience preparing factory dashboards, productivity analyses, and management presentations.
• Background in HVAC, industrial manufacturing, automotive, or engineering-based production environments.
• Participation in cost reduction, lean manufacturing, or continuous improvement initiatives is an advantage.
• Experience working in a multinational or regional manufacturing organization.
• Strong attention to detail, data accuracy mindset, and ability to work closely with cross-functional factory teams.
• Clear communication skills, with the ability to explain cost drivers and variances to non-finance stakeholders.

Good climate starts with people 
Our employees are the beating heart of our company. At Daikin, you get to work in a positive environment backed by trust, creativity and continuous improvement. Together, we create our top-quality solutions by empowering talented teams. You will get plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. We are deeply committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace culture that reflects the communities we serve. Good climate starts with people.