Plant Accountant

Kerry Malaysia; Butterworth; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Kerry Malaysia is seeking a Plant Accountant to support the leadership team with financial analyses, forecasting, cost accounting, and insights on reporting packages for the Plant leadership teams. You will play a key change-agent role while aligning with Kerry’s commercial growth agenda and manufacturing excellence.

You will work autonomously with strong stakeholder engagement. Reporting to Finance Lead Malaysia, you will manage plant financials, lead planning and budgeting, and ensure

Qualifications

• Degree or professional certificate in Accountancy / Finance.
• 5 - 8 years of experience in accounting and/or financial analysis
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel is required; familiarity with data query/data management tools extremely helpful (Microsoft Word, Power Point, Access, SQL, Business Objects).
• Knowledge of ERP, ideally SAP and related data analysis tools are an added advantage.
• Exposure to manufacturing environment.
• Strong project management skills essential with broad understanding of functional workings of each department within a standalone business
• Self-starter who can manage fluctuating workloads and projects using a high degree of initiative
• Strong team player with a clear focus on stakeholder engagement and solution delivery
• Analytical and problem-solving in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to synthesize large quantities of complex data into actionable information
• Ability to work and effectively communicate with senior-level business partners
• Good communication and written of English.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Good time management skills and the ability to prioritise
• Negotiation skills and the ability to influence others
• Proven ability to multi-task, work under pressure, and meet tight deadlines
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Responsibilities

• Manage plant financials including production volume, conversion costs, material usage variance, and standard costs.
• Provide accurate, timely financial reporting, variance analysis, and commentary for IO performance.
• Lead the forecast and budget process with plant IO stakeholders.
• Partner with Plant Manager & Engineering Team on CAPEX approvals and business plans.
• Evaluate projects for capital expenditure, monitor spend, and ensure alignment with budgets.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in financial performance and processes.
• Contribute to Plant Performance Programs, scenario planning and KPI validation.
• Gatekeeper for inventory at site and 3PLs, align with Inventory Policy.
• Collaborate with functional leads to ensure reliable EPM data and metrics.
• Ensure site governance and compliance with KCSA and group policies.
• Coordinate Material Ledger timelines with GBS for accurate closing.
• Ensure accurate product costing including materials and direct overheads.
• Act as strategic business partner to Site Leadership Team.

Skills

Financial analysis

Advanced Excel

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Problem solving

Multi-tasking

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accountancy/Finance

Tools

SAP ERP

SQL

Business Objects

Data query tools

Job description

The Plant Accountant will assume key responsibility for supporting the leadership team through financial analyses, forecasting, cost accounting and insights on reporting packages for the Plant leadership teams. As Kerry's ways of working, processes and systems are implemented across Kerry’s manufacturing facilities, the Accountant is expected to be a strong Agent of Change and Kerry champion while balancing a strong commercial growth agenda. This position is a flexing role most suited to a commercially astute and ambitious person who is naturally comfortable working autonomously and acting with a high degree of stakeholder engagement and buy-in. The successful candidate will be a strong team player, capable of demonstrating key leadership competencies and working in a fast paced and dynamic environment.

Reporting to: Finance Lead Malaysia

Key responsibilities

Managing Financials– Responsible for the accuracy of all plant financials including production volume, conversion costs, material usage variance, and standard costs. A clear understanding of inventory and the controls process are key

Reporting & Analysis– Provides accurate, actionable and timely financial reporting, variance analysis, and commentary that leads to an understanding of the IO performance, enabling improved decision making and identification of opportunities

Planning– Lead the forecast and budget process with plant IO stakeholders. Support the forecast process driven by S&OP update on monthly or needed basis, to support the decision-making process.

Capital Management– Site Capital Gatekeeper partnering with the Plant Manager & Engineering Team. Partner with and coach the Plant Leadership Team in ensuring compliance to CAPEX Approval requirements, including data gathering to develop business plans, insights to influence decision making, ensuring forward looking plans to mitigate against Food Safety and Machine Breakdowns.

Capital control – evaluate proposals, monitor spend, associated phasing and review with the Plant Team to ensure projects are delivered within the approved budgets and agreed timeline.

Accelerate & Other Projects – Identifies areas of opportunity in the business associated with continuous improvement in areas of financial performance, business acumen, processes, standard work, systems and other areas. Financial Insights on the project plans and actual performance v targets.

Continuous Improvement Programme - Participate in the assessment and validation of Plant Performance Programs & Scenario Planning and financial assumptions. Specify plant strategic investment requirements, to deliver accelerate projects, work with SME’s to validate projects, payback and quantitative and qualitative KPI

Inventory control - Gatekeeper for inventory at site and at 3PL’s – including stocktake and inventory valuation is aligned to Kerry’s and Inventory Policy. Consult, partner with Supply Chain to ensure Inventory IDOS adherence and SAR is minimised with aligned cross functional push strategies to minimize Kerry’s write off exposure. Engage closely with Supply Chain on inventory holding strategy to achieve the Inventory Holding & IDOS target and minimise inventory at risk.

EPM - Collaborate with the Functional Leads to ensure EPM data is reliable and support Plant Leadership team in understanding EPM Metrics. Leverage KPI’s in EPM to influence Plant Performance and lead with data insights to align across functions

Financial compliance risk - Deployment of a site Governance model to ensure compliance with site KCSA, internal and Group policies ensure compliance. Ensure site compliance in line with KCSA governance

Product Costing & Valuation (Material Ledger) - Ensure connectivity and timelines with the GBS to ensure Material Ledger is closed in accordance with regional timelines and is accurate and complete

Product/Process costing – ensuring that yields, labour and direct overhead standards reflect the true cost of manufacture. Working with the Plant, Business and Process Teams to resolve any differences

Strategic business partner for the Site Leadership Team.

Qualifications and skills

Degree or professional certificate in Accountancy / Finance.

5 - 8 years of experience in accounting and/or financial analysis

Proficiency with Microsoft Excel is required; familiarity with data query/data management tools extremely helpful (Microsoft Word, Power Point, Access, SQL, Business Objects).

Knowledge of ERP, ideally SAP and related data analysis tools are an added advantage.

Exposure to manufacturing environment.

Strong project management skills essential with broad understanding of functional workings of each department within a standalone business

Self-starter who can manage fluctuating workloads and projects using a high degree of initiative

Strong team player with a clear focus on stakeholder engagement and solution delivery

Analytical and problem-solving in a fast-paced environment

Ability to synthesize large quantities of complex data into actionable information

Ability to work and effectively communicate with senior-level business partners

Good communication and written of English.

Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

Good time management skills and the ability to prioritise

Negotiation skills and the ability to influence others

Proven ability to multi-task, work under pressure, and meet tight deadlines

Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Unlock job insights

Hirer responsiveness Salary match Number of applicants

Kerry is a world leader in taste and nutrition systems serving the food and beverage industry, and a leading supplier of added value brands and customer branded foods to the Irish and UK markets. We have annualised sales in excess of €5 billion and employ over 23,000 people globally. Founded in 1972 in Listowel, Co. Kerry, the Group has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions and has succeeded in achieving sustained profitability.

We supply over 15,000 food, food ingredients and flavour products to customers in more than 140 countries worldwide. We have established manufacturing facilities in 24 different countries and international sales offices in 20 other countries across the globe.

Kerry has been present in the Asia-Pacific region since 1997 and has grown its business to become a brand of choice for our regional and local customers. From our Regional Headquarters and Global Technology Innovation Centre based in Singapore, Kerry employs nearly 3500 talented people at manufacturing sites and sales offices in 16 countries across the region.

Kerry prides itself on continuous innovation, technological creativity and business excellence in every area of the business, striving to enhance leadership positions in our consumer foods business and across global food and ingredients markets.

Being a truly global company, our employees in Asia-Pacific have opportunities to develop their careers in a global environment, with training, career development and international opportunities across the Kerry world.

Our expertise leads the way

Kerry is a world leader in taste and nutrition systems serving the food and beverage industry, and a leading supplier of added value brands and customer branded foods to the Irish and UK markets. We have annualised sales in excess of €5 billion and employ over 23,000 people globally. Founded in 1972 in Listowel, Co. Kerry, the Group has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions and has succeeded in achieving sustained profitability.

We supply over 15,000 food, food ingredients and flavour products to customers in more than 140 countries worldwide. We have established manufacturing facilities in 24 different countries and international sales offices in 20 other countries across the globe.

Kerry has been present in the Asia-Pacific region since 1997 and has grown its business to become a brand of choice for our regional and local customers. From our Regional Headquarters and Global Technology Innovation Centre based in Singapore, Kerry employs nearly 3500 talented people at manufacturing sites and sales offices in 16 countries across the region.

Kerry prides itself on continuous innovation, technological creativity and business excellence in every area of the business, striving to enhance leadership positions in our consumer foods business and across global food and ingredients markets.

Being a truly global company, our employees in Asia-Pacific have opportunities to develop their careers in a global environment, with training, career development and international opportunities across the Kerry world.

Kerry is a world leader in taste and nutrition systems serving the food and beverage industry, and a leading supplier of added value brands and customer branded foods to the Irish and UK markets. We have annualised sales in excess of €5 billion and employ over 23,000 people globally. Founded in 1972 in Listowel, Co. Kerry, the Group has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions and has succeeded in achieving sustained profitability.

We supply over 15,000 food, food ingredients and flavour products to customers in more than 140 countries worldwide. We have established manufacturing facilities in 24 different countries and international sales offices in 20 other countries across the globe.

Kerry has been present in the Asia-Pacific region since 1997 and has grown its business to become a brand of choice for our regional and local customers. From our Regional Headquarters and Global Technology Innovation Centre based in Singapore, Kerry employs nearly 3500 talented people at manufacturing sites and sales offices in 16 countries across the region.

Kerry prides itself on continuous innovation, technological creativity and business excellence in every area of the business, striving to enhance leadership positions in our consumer foods business and across global food and ingredients markets.

Being a truly global company, our employees in Asia-Pacific have opportunities to develop their careers in a global environment, with training, career development and international opportunities across the Kerry world.

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