Plant Controller

Find Great People | FGP; Marion (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Find Great People | FGP is seeking a Plant Controller to serve as the senior financial leader for its Marion, NC manufacturing facility. This role partners with plant leadership to drive operational performance through strategic financial planning, cost management, forecasting, and business analysis.

You will oversee standard costing, product costing, monthly close, and internal controls, while guiding Lean initiatives and working capital performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing finance, cost accounting, or plant controllership.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing operations, standard costing, budgeting, and financial planning.
• Experience partnering directly with plant and operations leadership.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and financial modeling skills.
• Experience working within an ERP system (SAP experience is a plus).

Responsibilities

• Lead the annual budgeting, operating plan, and rolling forecast processes.
• Develop financial plans for production, labor, overhead, and capital expenditures.
• Partner with operations leadership to align financial plans with production objectives.
• Analyze monthly financial performance, identify variances, and recommend corrective actions.
• Support long-range planning, scenario modeling, and strategic decision-making.
• Provide financial analysis for capital investments, sourcing decisions, pricing, productivity improvements, and make-versus-buy evaluations.
• Oversee standard costing, product costing, and cost rollups.
• Monitor labor, material, scrap, overhead absorption, and manufacturing performance metrics.
• Lead the monthly close process, including journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and variance reporting.
• Maintain strong internal controls over manufacturing accounting, inventory, and fixed assets.
• Ensure GAAP compliance and audit readiness; partner with corporate finance on reporting initiatives.

Skills

Manufacturing finance

Cost accounting

Plant controllership

Excel modeling

SAP experience

CPA/CMA

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

CMA or CPA designation

Tools

SAP

Job description

An established manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced Plant Controller to serve as the senior financial leader for its manufacturing facility. This individual will partner closely with plant leadership to drive operational performance through strategic financial planning, cost management, forecasting, and business analysis.

The Plant Controller plays a critical role in helping the plant achieve its operational and financial objectives by providing actionable insights, ensuring financial accuracy, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives across the operation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the annual budgeting, operating plan, and rolling forecast processes.
• Develop financial plans for production, labor, overhead, and capital expenditures.
• Partner with operations leadership to align financial plans with production objectives.
• Analyze monthly financial performance, identify key variances, and recommend corrective actions.
• Support long-range planning, scenario modeling, and strategic decision-making.
• Provide financial analysis for capital investments, sourcing decisions, pricing, productivity improvements, and make-versus-buy evaluations.

Manufacturing Finance & Cost Management

• Serve as the primary financial business partner to plant operations, engineering, and supply chain leadership.
• Oversee standard costing, product costing, and cost rollups.
• Monitor labor, material, scrap, overhead absorption, and manufacturing performance metrics.
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.
• Support Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives with financial analysis.
• Manage inventory valuation, inventory turns, and working capital performance.
• Lead the monthly close process, including journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and variance reporting.
• Maintain strong internal controls over manufacturing accounting, inventory, and fixed assets.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, internal policies, and audit requirements.
• Partner with corporate finance on accounting updates, standard cost changes, and reporting initiatives.

Leadership

• Build strong partnerships with plant leadership by providing timely financial guidance and operational insight.
• Lead and mentor plant finance personnel, as applicable.
• Promote financial accountability throughout the organization.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with corporate finance, operations, engineering, and supply chain teams.

Success Measures

• Manufacturing cost and margin performance
• Labor productivity and overhead absorption
• Forecast accuracy and budget attainment
• Inventory accuracy and working capital management
• Timely identification and resolution of financial variances

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing finance, cost accounting, or plant controllership.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing operations, standard costing, budgeting, and financial planning.
• Experience partnering directly with plant and operations leadership.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and financial modeling skills.
• Experience working within an ERP system (SAP experience is a plus).

Preferred

• CMA or CPA designation.
• Experience with enterprise planning and budgeting software.
• Background in complex manufacturing environments.
• Exposure to Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit for extended periods while working at a computer.
• Frequent use of a computer, telephone, and virtual meeting platforms.
• Occasional standing and walking throughout the manufacturing facility.
• Ability to travel periodically, including overnight travel as needed.