Assistant Plant Controller

Tenneco; Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Tenneco is seeking a seasoned finance professional to lead the Lansing facility’s accounting and financial planning. You’ll partner with plant leadership across Lansing and Marshall to drive performance, ensure GAAP/SOX compliance, and deliver accurate reporting.

Responsibilities span month-end close, budgeting, forecasting, capital spending, cost accounting, and internal controls, with primary accountability for the Lansing operation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in financial accounting or cost accounting in a manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of GAAP and SOX compliance.
• Strong leadership and collaboration capabilities are essential.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary finance partner for the Lansing facility.
• Lead month-end close activities including journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, and reporting.
• Prepare and analyze financial results, identify key drivers and risks.
• Maintain KPI tracking and profitability improvement initiatives.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis for facilities.
• Manage fixed asset accounting and capital spending tracking.
• Coordinate with shared services for AP, payroll, and G/L processes.
• Ensure compliance with SOX and GAAP across locations.

Skills

Financial accounting

Cost accounting

Leadership and teamwork

Interpersonal communication

GAAP knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

SAP

10Stream

Mainframe-based accounting systems

Microsoft Excel

Macros

Job description

At Tenneco, we don’t follow industry standards; we set them, and we don’t settle for being best-in-class because we hustle to be better than best-in-class. Whether it’s our Core Values – radical candor, simplify, organizational velocity, tenacious execution and win – or our Get Stuff Done (GSD) mindset, we’re determined to become the most trusted partner and best manufacturer and distributor to the transportation industry.

With a product portfolio as expansive as it is innovative, an obsessive commitment to quality and excellence, and a global presence, we’re all about getting stuff done, so we can win.

How do we make it happen? Through the Tenneco Way. Fueled by our Core Values, a winning mindset and a relentless commitment to excellence, the Tenneco Way is how we win. It’s what keeps Team Tenneco bold, driven, and unapologetically focused on pushing past limits and redefining success.

Here, you’ll work alongside a team of relentless problem-solvers who are committed to making a tangible impact. If you’re ready to break boundaries, deliver results, and enjoy the ride along the way, you’ll thrive here.

This position serves as the primary finance representative for the Lansing facility and supports the Marshall operation. The role is responsible for the financial affairs of the Lansing operation, including financial planning, analysis, reporting, internal controls, and accounting activities, while assisting the Controller with broader finance responsibilities across both locations. This position partners closely with plant leadership to support operational and financial performance, ensure compliance with company policies and procedures, and provide insights to support business decision-making.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as the primary finance business partner for the Lansing facility and act as the site's sole finance representative.
• Support the development of the Strategic Planning Process, Annual Operating Plan, Monthly Forecast, Weekly Flash, and Monthly Profitability Planning and Reporting.
• Lead month-end close activities including journal entries, account reconciliations, accruals, variance analysis, and financial reporting.
• Prepare and analyze financial results, identifying key drivers, risks, opportunities, and performance trends.
• Maintain reporting tools tracking key performance indicators and profitability improvement plans.
• Support operational and manufacturing activities through financial analysis and performance monitoring.
• Assist with developing Capital Appropriation Requests, business cases, Return on Investment analyses, and Economic Value Add evaluations.
• Maintain standard costing systems and assist with the development of standard costs and overhead rates.
• Analyze material, labor, overhead, and inventory variances and recommend corrective actions.
• Assist with managing accounting activities including billing, accounts payable (handled through shared services), payroll, capital assets, general ledger, and standard costing systems while ensuring compliance with SOX and company-established policies and procedures.
• Manage fixed asset accounting, capital spending tracking, and related reporting.
• Assist with safeguarding company assets including inventory and fixed assets.
• Support internal and external audit requests and compliance activities.
• Support corporate requests to ensure the company's ability to comply with GAAP and Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.
• Apply principles of accounting to analyze financial information and prepare financial reports.
• Compile and analyze financial information to prepare entries to accounts, including general ledger accounts and documentation of business transactions.
• Coordinate accounts receivable processing with the Tenneco CFS team and support other shared-service activities as required.
• Responsible for monthly general ledger account reconciliations and intercompany reconciliations.
• Partner with the Controller to support financial planning, reporting, analysis, and business decision-making activities for Marshall.
• Provide financial and operational analysis to support business objectives, performance improvement initiatives, and strategic projects.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, profitability analysis, management reporting, and special projects as assigned.
• Prepare and present financial results, forecasts, budgets, capital requests, and business case recommendations to plant leadership and senior management.
• Communicate key business drivers, financial risks, opportunities, and operational performance metrics to support strategic and operational decision-making.
• Complete special projects as assigned.

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in financial accounting or cost accounting in a manufacturing environment. Knowledge of both areas is preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, macros, and mainframe-based accounting systems are required. SAP and 10Stream experience is helpful.
• Highest standards of accuracy and organization skills.
• Knowledge of manufacturing/packaging/distribution processes.
• Detailed knowledge of financial and cost accounting principles with ability to interpret and utilize General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Working knowledge of Sarbanes – Oxley.
• Leadership and teamwork experience a must.
• Developed interpersonal skills with both written and oral communication necessary in this role in order to lead teams to problem-solving challenges within the department and in the automotive manufacturing setting.
• We are an equal opportunity employer. Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to gender, race, age, disability, religion, national origin, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other protected class.
• The position requires the ability to split your worktime between our Lansing, MI location and our Marshall, MI location weekly.

Equal opportunity employer as to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities