Plant Controller

FreshRealm; Linden (NJ); On-site; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturing company in Linden, NJ seeks a Plant Controller to drive financial performance at the facility level. This role blends plant-level finance leadership with strong expertise in manufacturing finance. The ideal candidate will excel in cost accounting and operational finance, offering insights into profitability through data-driven decision-making. With a preference for candidates from a small- to medium-sized manufacturing environment, this hands-on position requires effective collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in manufacturing finance or operations-focused FP&A.
• Strong background in cost accounting and manufacturing metrics.
• Proven ability to influence leadership through data-driven insights.

Responsibilities

• Provide insight into margins, cost drivers, and operational performance at the facility.
• Develop and manage annual budgets, rolling forecasts, and long-range financial plans.
• Lead weekly and monthly financial reviews with plant leadership.

Skills

Cost accounting

Financial modeling

Operational finance

Excel proficiency

Data-driven decision-making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field

MBA or CPA

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Our Plant Controller is a senior finance partner responsible for driving financial performance at the facility level. This role blends plant-level FP&A leadership with strong manufacturing finance expertise, supporting operational decision-making, margin optimization, and profitability management. The ideal candidate comes from a small- to medium-sized manufacturing environment and is comfortable operating as a hands-on business partner rather than a back-office accountant.

FreshRealm is a team of hardworking, passionate leaders who persevere through challenges, collaborate with one another to problem solve and achieve desired outcomes, and work to bring out the best in our employees as we service our customers. At FreshRealm, we welcome individuals from all backgrounds and abilities to apply and make employment decisions based on merit.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Plant Financial Leadership & FP&A

• Providing insight into margins, cost drivers, and operational performance at our Linden, NJ facility.
• Develop and manage annual budgets, rolling forecasts, and long-range financial plans for the site.
• Lead weekly and monthly financial reviews with plant leadership, highlighting risks, opportunities, and action plans.
• Monitor facility profitability, including labor, materials, yield, waste, overhead absorption, and variances to plan.
• Provide financial modeling and scenario analysis to support production planning, labor strategies, and capital investment decisions.

Operational & Manufacturing Finance

• Partner closely with Operations, Supply Chain, and Engineering to understand production drivers and translate them into financial impact.
• Analyze standard costing, manufacturing variances, and cost improvement opportunities.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by quantifying savings and tracking realized benefits.
• Assist with pricing, new product introductions, and volume/mix analysis.

Accounting Partnership (Oversight vs. Ownership)

• Act as the plant-level finance liaison to Corporate Accounting; ensure accurate financial data flows without owning core accounting execution.
• Review month-end results, journal entries, inventory adjustments, and accruals for accuracy and business context.
• Ensure strong internal controls, audit readiness, and compliance with corporate accounting policies.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as a trusted thought partner to the Site Director and leadership team.
• Translate complex financial data into actionable insights for non-finance leaders.
• Support M&A integration, system implementations, and financial process improvements at the site.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field; MBA or CPA a plus.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing finance, plant controlling, or operations-focused FP&A.
• Strong background in cost accounting, manufacturing metrics, and operational finance in a small- to medium-sized company environment.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills; ERP experience required.
• Proven ability to influence plant leadership and drive profitability through data-driven insight.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in food manufacturing or high-volume, multi-shift operations.
• History of improving plant margins through labor optimization, yield improvement, and waste reduction initiatives.
• Comfort operating in fast-paced, evolving environments with limited structure.