Plant Controller

Conexus; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Job summary

A manufacturing firm in Costa Mesa is seeking a hands-on Controller to provide financial insights and support operational performance. This role involves month-end close, job costing, and profitability analysis while collaborating closely with site leadership and the CFO. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment and should have experience with manufacturing ERP systems. Benefits include a competitive salary, bonus, and comprehensive health care coverage.

Qualifications

• Experience in a manufacturing environment with focus on operational finance.
• Strong analytical skills for P&L and variance analysis.
• Proficient in financial reporting and budgeting processes.

Responsibilities

• Act as financial partner to Site Operations Leadership.
• Lead month-end and year-end close processes.
• Analyze customer and product profitability.

Skills

Operational finance

Cost accounting

Job costing

Financial analysis

Forecasting

Collaboration

Tools

Manufacturing ERP

Advanced Excel

Tableau

Job description

Compensation

Compensation: $160,000 – $180,000 base + 10% bonus

Reports To

Reports To: CFO

About the Role

This is a hands-on Controller role with a strong emphasis on operational finance, cost accounting, and job costing within a manufacturing environment. You will serve as the primary financial partner to site leadership, providing actionable insights that drive operational performance, margin improvement, and data-driven decision making.

While this is an individual contributor role, it offers high visibility and frequent interaction with the CFO, corporate finance leadership, and site operations. The position is ideal for someone who enjoys being close to the business and thrives in a fast-paced, manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the primary financial partner to Site Operations Leadership, delivering insights to improve efficiency, profitability, and execution.
• Own the job costing environment, supporting both build-to-print manufacturing and design & development programs.
• Lead month-end and year-end close for the site, ensuring accurate and timely GAAP-compliant financial statements.
• Perform detailed P&L and variance analysis, including labor, overhead, purchase price variance, and other operational KPIs.
• Analyze customer, product, and SKU-level profitability, identifying margin drivers and improvement opportunities across a large SKU base.
• Support the annual budgeting process and maintain rolling forecasts in partnership with corporate finance.
• Ensure data integrity across financial reporting, inventory usage, and physical inventory variance analysis.
• Prepare and review balance sheet account reconciliations on a monthly basis.
• Manage cash reporting, forecasting, and reconciliations at the site level.
• Support external audits, including preparation of audit schedules and responding to auditor inquiries.
• Collaborate closely with the CFO, Corporate Controller, and Corporate FP&A leadership across multiple operating entities.
• Participate in special projects, including M&A due diligence and post-acquisition integration initiatives.
• Drive continuous improvement in financial processes, controls, and reporting practices.
• Monitor project and operational costs, providing early visibility into potential overruns or risks.

Systems & Tools

• ERP: Manufacturing ERP (job-costing focused)
• Advanced Excel (Power Pivots, lookups, large data sets)
• Tableau and other reporting tools
• Manufacturing / operations-driven organization
• High accountability, high collaboration
• Strong partnership between finance and operations
• Medical, Dental, and Vision (HMO & PPO options)
• 401(k) with company match (5% match on 6% contribution)