Plant Controller

Our client is seeking a hands-on Plant Controller to lead the financial operations of a complex manufacturing facility and serve as a key business partner to plant leadership. This high-impact role is responsible for overseeing all plant accounting, cost accounting, inventory controls, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and operational analysis while driving financial visibility and accountability throughout the facility.

The ideal candidate will bring 8-10 years of progressive manufacturing finance and accounting experience, strong standard costing expertise, and advanced ERP systems knowledge. This individual will be highly engaged with plant operations, spending significant time on the manufacturing floor to understand production processes, identify opportunities for improvement, and support data-driven decision-making. Success in this role requires a leader who can bridge finance and operations while driving process improvements, strengthening controls, and supporting the facility\'s operational and financial objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Leadership & Business Partnership

• Serve as the primary financial leader and business partner for plant operations.
• Partner closely with Plant Management to drive profitability, productivity, and operational performance.
• Provide financial analysis and recommendations to support strategic and operational decision-making.
• Develop strong relationships across operations, supply chain, engineering, maintenance, quality, and procurement teams.

Cost Accounting & Manufacturing Finance

• Own and maintain the plant\'s standard costing processes, including annual cost rolls and periodic updates.
• Analyze manufacturing variances including labor, material, overhead, scrap, yield, and production efficiency.
• Lead monthly cost reviews with operational leadership and identify key drivers impacting plant performance.
• Monitor inventory transactions and ensure accurate product costing and financial reporting.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on cost reduction, operational efficiency, and margin enhancement.
• Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities for the manufacturing facility.
• Ensure accurate financial reporting in accordance with company policies and GAAP.
• Review journal entries, account reconciliations, inventory reserves, accruals, and manufacturing-related accounting activities.
• Prepare and present financial results, forecasts, and variance analysis to plant and corporate leadership.

Inventory & Internal Controls

• Maintain strong inventory controls and ensure inventory accuracy across raw materials, WIP, and finished goods.
• Oversee physical inventory counts, cycle count programs, and inventory reconciliation processes.
• Ensure compliance with internal controls, company policies, and audit requirements.
• Support internal and external audits related to inventory, manufacturing operations, and financial reporting.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Serve as the plant finance lead for ERP systems, reporting tools, and manufacturing data integrity.
• Drive improvements in financial processes, reporting capabilities, and system utilization.
• Partner with operations to improve transaction accuracy and strengthen data quality throughout the manufacturing process.
• Support ERP implementations, upgrades, and process optimization initiatives as needed.

Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting processes for the facility.
• Develop financial models and operational forecasts to support business planning.
• Monitor spending, capital projects, labor costs, and manufacturing performance against budget.
• Provide actionable recommendations to improve financial and operational results.

Qualifications

• Bachelor\'s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required.
• CPA, CMA, or MBA preferred.
• 8-10+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience with standard costing, inventory accounting, and manufacturing finance.
• Advanced ERP systems experience (SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar).
• Experience supporting plant operations and partnering directly with manufacturing leadership.
• Strong understanding of financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and internal controls.
• Proven ability to analyze complex data and translate findings into actionable business recommendations.
• Advanced Excel and financial systems proficiency.

What We\'re Looking For

The ideal candidate is a proactive, operationally focused finance leader who enjoys being visible within the facility and partnering directly with manufacturing teams. This individual is equally comfortable analyzing financial data, troubleshooting ERP transactions, leading cost reduction initiatives, and presenting financial results to senior leadership. They possess strong business acumen, exceptional systems skills, and the ability to influence decision-making across all levels of the organization.

Why This Opportunity?

This role offers the opportunity to become a key member of the plant leadership team and directly influence the financial and operational performance of a growing manufacturing operation. The successful candidate will have significant visibility with both plant and corporate leadership and will play a critical role in driving operational excellence, financial performance, and long-term business success.