Plant Controller

Pave Talent; Richmond (IN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits from Day 1

Relocation assistance

Excellent work-life balance

Job summary

A mid-size food packaging manufacturer in Richmond, Indiana is seeking a Plant Controller to lead financial operations. This role involves managing all accounting functions, mentoring a finance team, and driving operational improvements. Ideal candidates have a Bachelor's in Accounting, over 5 years of relevant experience, and strong cost accounting skills. The company offers competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and a supportive work environment for long-term success.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Plant Controller or Cost Manager in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience managing and developing accounting staff.
• Detail-oriented with demonstrated ability to meet strict monthly close deadlines.
• Strong cost accounting, variance analysis and standard costing.
• Advanced Excel skills and financial modeling.

Responsibilities

• Lead all plant financial reporting and analysis, delivering accurate monthly results.
• Build and mentor a finance team of 1-3 professionals.
• Own inventory accuracy and control by leading monthly physical inventory audits.
• Partner with operations leadership to analyze labor costs and identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Ensure SOX compliance and strengthen internal controls.
• Prepare comprehensive variance analysis reports.

Skills

Cost accounting

Variance analysis

Advanced Excel skills

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting

MBA / CMA / CPA preferred

Tools

JD Edwards ERP system

Job description

Ready to lead financial operations at a high-volume manufacturing facility where your expertise directly impacts operational excellence?

Pave Talent is hiring on behalf of our client, an established mid-size food packaging manufacturer with multiple locations across the US, known for their collaborative culture, employee longevity, and commitment to operational excellence. This Richmond, Indiana facility produces specialty closures for the food industry and operates with a tight-knit team of 170 employees.

As Plant Controller, you'll be the financial backbone of this 170-person operation, leading all accounting functions while partnering closely with plant leadership to drive cost efficiency and operational improvements. This is a true leadership opportunity where you'll build and mentor a small finance team while serving as a strategic partner to operations. Your financial insights will directly influence production decisions, inventory management, and overall plant profitability.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead all plant financial reporting and analysis, delivering accurate monthly results, forecasts, and annual operating plans to plant and corporate leadership within tight deadlines
• Build and mentor a finance team of 1-3 professionals, developing their technical skills while fostering a collaborative accounting department
• Own inventory accuracy and control by leading monthly physical inventory audits, investigating variances, and maintaining perpetual inventory systems reconciled daily to production and shipping
• Partner with operations leadership through daily production meetings and regular plant walkthroughs to analyze labor costs, materials usage, manufacturing overhead, and identify cost-saving opportunities
• Ensure SOX compliance and strengthen internal controls across all plant operations and financial processes, working closely with corporate finance to safeguard company assets
• Develop and maintain standard costs and bills of materials that accurately reflect production realities and support strategic pricing decisions
• Control and verify capital expenditures and monthly spending, ensuring alignment with budgets and corporate approval requirements
• Prepare comprehensive variance analysis reports that translate financial data into actionable operational insights for plant management

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting required
• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Plant Controller or Cost Manager in a manufacturing environment
• Proven experience managing and developing accounting staff
• Strong cost accounting background with expertise in variance analysis and standard costing
• Advanced Excel skills with ability to create and modify complex spreadsheets and financial models
• Detail-oriented with demonstrated ability to meet strict monthly close deadlines

Preferred Qualifications:

• MBA, CMA, or CPA certification with solid cost accounting experience
• Experience with JD Edwards ERP system and system conversions
• Multiple years of Plant Controller experience in food manufacturing or packaging industries
• Background in high-volume production environments with complex inventory management

Competitive base salary depending on experience, comprehensive benefits package from Day 1, Monday-Friday schedule with excellent work-life balance (flexibility to leave an hour early when needed), relocation assistance available, and only 4 inventory Saturdays per year. This replacement role offers stability with a long-tenured team and the autonomy to build your own accounting department.

Join a plant where controllers stay for decades because leadership values their financial expertise and treats finance as a true business partner. The retiring controller built strong processes over many years, and you'll have the opportunity to modernize systems while maintaining operational excellence.

Ready to lead plant finance operations in a stable, collaborative environment? Apply via Pave Talent will contact qualified candidates within 48 hours. Confidential search - your application is fully private. Apply now!