Plant Accountant

Graham Packaging; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) plan

Wellness program

Paid time off

Job summary

Graham Packaging seeks a Plant Accountant to lead financial operations at the Atlanta facility, partnering with plant management to drive performance and profitability. You will guide budgeting, forecasting, costing, and internal controls while supporting productivity initiatives and capital projects.

The role requires manufacturing finance experience, strong Excel skills, and the ability to translate complex data into clear recommendations for leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 3–5 years of accounting, finance, or cost accounting experience.
• Manufacturing finance experience strongly preferred.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to communicate financial concepts effectively to non-financial audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Plant Management to drive financial performance.
• Lead plant monthly close activities and report results.
• Develop plant-level monthly forecasts, annual budgets, and long-range plans.
• Analyze variances versus budget, forecast, and prior year and provide actionable insights.
• Maintain standard costing methodologies and analyze variances.
• Support cost reduction, productivity initiatives, and capital projects.
• Ensure SOX compliance and strong internal controls.
• Provide daily financial support to plant leadership and generate actionable reports.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Analytical skills

Financial communication

Multitasking

Manufacturing finance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

SAP

Hyperion/HFM

Business Warehouse

Job description

Graham Packaging is a people, planet and values-based company and a leader in sustainable packaging manufacturing. From the kitchen to the laundry room, Graham Packaging is part of your everyday life.

For employees at Graham, our Blue Culture is part of their everyday lives, too. In other words, Blue is how we do things here.

At Graham, we are united by a clear vision. We know our part and help those around us know theirs, encouraging one another to continuously improve. We create a safe, challenging environment to innovate by supporting creative ideas and new ways of thinking. We take the initiative to cultivate our individual growth and help others do the same, while keeping ourselves and one another accountable. And we actively promote cooperation, collaboration, integrity and respect across regions and teams to foster an engaged, diverse and connected workforce.

We value our employees, and a Blue Culture allows for the most rewarding employee experience as part of the Graham family. Blue is how we feel about what we do—together—to create a better tomorrow. Working at Graham means you lead constructively with clear goals, use diverse thinking to drive excellence, accountability, innovation, as well as demonstrating collaboration, embracing learning, and taking action for continuous improvement and growth.

The Plant Accountant serves as the primary financial leader for the Atlanta manufacturing facility and is a key business partner to plant operations. Reporting to the Regional Controller, this position is responsible for providing financial guidance, operational analysis, cost management support, forecasting, budgeting, and internal controls that drive plant performance and profitability. This role works closely with plant leadership to identify opportunities for productivity improvement, cost reduction, waste elimination, and capital investment optimization while ensuring the accuracy and integrity of financial reporting.

Financial Leadership & Business Partnership

• Partner with Plant Management and Operations Leadership to drive financial performance and support key business objectives.
• Serve as the primary financial advisor for the manufacturing facility.
• Collaborate with operations teams to identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce conversion costs, and enhance profitability.
• Translate financial and operational data into actionable recommendations for plant leadership.

Financial Reporting & Month-End Close

• Lead all plant financial close activities, ensuring timely and accurate reporting.
• Analyze monthly financial results and communicate key drivers of variances versus budget, forecast, and prior year.
• Prepare and present monthly financial reviews to both plant and finance leadership.
• Ensure compliance with corporate accounting policies and procedures.

Forecasting, Budgeting & Planning

• Develop plant-level monthly forecasts, annual budgets, and long-range financial plans in partnership with the Regional Controller.
• Collaborate with plant leadership and the Regional Controller to identify financial risks, opportunities, operational assumptions, and key business drivers impacting forecast performance.
• Track and report key manufacturing and financial performance indicators, providing actionable insights to improve plant results.
• Monitor plant spending, labor, overhead, and conversion costs, proactively identifying variances and recommending corrective actions.
• Assist the Regional Controller in scenario modeling, sensitivity analysis, and strategic planning initiatives.
• Provide detailed variance analysis against budget, forecast, and prior year results, communicating key drivers and recommended actions to plant and finance leadership.
• Support development of productivity, cost reduction, and continuous improvement targets by providing financial analysis and operational insights.

Cost Accounting & Operational Analysis

• Maintain and improve standard costing methodologies.
• Analyze manufacturing variances including labor, material usage, overhead absorption, scrap, yield, and efficiency performance.
• Partner with operations to understand root causes of variances and develop corrective actions.
• Evaluate product costs and support initiatives that improve overall cost competitiveness.
• Support the financial evaluation of capital expenditure projects and prepare Authorization for Expenditure (AFE) analyses.
• Assist the Regional Controller in the development of financial models to support cost savings, productivity, automation, and maintenance investments.
• Track actual project performance against approved business cases.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives through quantitative analysis and performance measurement.

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Maintain strong financial controls and support compliance with SOX and company control requirements.
• Reconcile plant balance sheet accounts and ensure accuracy of financial records.
• Participate in physical inventory observations and inventory control processes.
• Promote a culture of accountability, compliance, and financial stewardship.

Operational Support

• Provide daily financial support to plant leadership and functional teams.
• Utilize and develop reports, dashboards, and analyses that improve operational decision-making.
• Support special projects and business initiatives as assigned.
• Assist in developing operational performance metrics and scorecards.

• Required
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 3-5 years of accounting, finance, or cost accounting experience.
• Manufacturing finance experience strongly preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and strong proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to communicate financial concepts effectively to non-financial audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Preferred
• Experience with SAP, Business Warehouse (BW), Hyperion/HFM, or similar ERP and reporting tools.
• Knowledge of standard costing, inventory accounting, and manufacturing performance metrics.
• Experience supporting continuous improvement, Lean Manufacturing, or productivity initiatives.

The expected salary range for the position described in this posting is made in accordance with the legal mandates of certain jurisdictions within the United States. The final agreed-upon compensation is based on individual qualifications and experience.

Benefits include medical, dental, vision and basic life insurance. Employees are able to enroll in the company’s 401K Employee Saving Plan and may participate in its Employee Wellness Program. Employees will also receive paid time off in accordance with company policy and state law requirements.

Graham Packaging is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, religion, creed, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.