Plant Controller

Confidential; Lincolnshire (IL); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness programs

Retirement contributions

Paid time off

Job summary

Confidential in the Chicago area seeks a Plant Controller to lead financials across two manufacturing sites. You will partner with site and corporate leadership, driving cost efficiency, margin expansion, working capital optimization, and actionable reporting.

You will own forecasting, budgeting, standard costing, ERP finance modules, dashboards, and cross-functional initiatives, requiring hands-on leadership in a dynamic manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related business field.
• 7+ years in a manufacturing environment with cost accounting focus.
• ERP experience (JD Edwards, Oracle, SAP; IQMS preferred) and SOX exposure.
• MBA/CPA/CMA/CFA preferred; strong analytical skills to translate data into action.

Responsibilities

• Deliver insightful financial analysis with context on results, trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Analyze manufacturing performance including productivity, scrap, PPV, spending trends, and capital investments.
• Monitor and optimize working capital (inventory, A/R, A/P).
• Partner with operations, sales, and leadership on tactics and growth initiatives.
• Provide financial support for new business quoting and profitability analysis.
• Maintain strong controls, ensure policy compliance, and support audits.
• Lead budgeting/forecasting for P&L and Balance Sheet; drive standard costing processes.
• Drive ERP enhancements, automation, and dashboard reporting; develop visibility tools.

Skills

Cost accounting

Manufacturing variance analysis

Analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Financial planning & analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

MBA, CPA, CMA, or CFA

Tools

JD Edwards

Oracle

SAP

IQMS

Excel

HFM

Qlik

Job description

Location: Lincolnshire, IL or Chicago, IL (Hybrid – Onsite 3+ days/week)

Overview

We are seeking a Plant Controller to provide financial leadership across two manufacturing sites in the Chicago area. This role will serve as a trusted finance business partner to site and corporate leadership, driving manufacturing cost efficiency, margin expansion, revenue growth, and working capital optimization.

Reporting to the Finance Director with a dotted-line relationship to operations leadership, this is a high-impact, hands-on role for a finance leader who brings a strong blend of accounting, analytics, and operational partnership. The ideal candidate is comfortable rolling up their sleeves while also thinking strategically to elevate reporting, streamline processes, and influence decision-making at the plant and enterprise level.

This position offers exposure and impact beyond a traditional plant controller role and is well-suited for someone who thrives in a dynamic manufacturing environment and enjoys solving complex, cross-functional challenges.

Key Responsibilities

Operations & Financial Reporting

• Deliver insightful financial analysis with clear context around results, trends, risks, and opportunities
• Analyze manufacturing performance including productivity, scrap, purchase price variance (PPV), spending trends, and capital investments
• Monitor and optimize net working capital (inventory, A/R, A/P)

Business Partnership

• Partner closely with operations, sales, and leadership on tactical and strategic initiatives
• Support customer and product profitability analysis, sales mix analytics, and new business quoting
• Provide financial support for growth initiatives, including integration activities as needed

Controls & Compliance

• Maintain a strong control environment and proactively identify and resolve risks or gaps
• Ensure compliance with accounting policies and procedures, including revenue cut-off, reserves, and asset safeguarding
• Support audits and internal control initiatives

Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead accurate and timely forecasting for the P&L and Balance Sheet
• Identify risks and opportunities and support standard cost processes

Stakeholder Management

• Act as a key liaison to internal teams (FP&A, Corporate Accounting, AP, AR) and external partners (vendors, customers)

Systems & Process Improvement

• Drive ERP enhancements, automation, and reporting improvements
• Develop dashboards and tools to improve visibility, efficiency, and decision-making

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related business field
• 7+ years of progressive experience, ideally in a manufacturing environment
• Strong background in cost accounting and manufacturing variance analysis
• 5+ years of experience with ERP financial modules (e.g., JD Edwards, Oracle, SAP; IQMS preferred)
• MBA, CPA, CMA, or CFA strongly preferred
• Experience supporting SOX compliance and audit engagements
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights
• Proactive problem-solver with a continuous improvement mindset
• Collaborative leader with the ability to influence across functions
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills
• Advanced Excel skills; experience with HFM, data warehouses (e.g., Qlik), and reporting tools a plus

Work Arrangement & Travel

• Onsite presence required 3+ days per week
• Less than 10% travel

This organization offers a competitive compensation package along with comprehensive benefits designed to support employee well-being and long-term growth. Benefits include health and wellness programs, retirement savings with employer contributions, paid time off, and additional incentives aligned with company performance and ownership mindset.