Plant Controller

Huhtamaki, Inc.; Waterville (ME); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401K plan

Pension

Tuition reimbursement

Online learning & development courses

Employee referral program

Wellness program

Onsite medical staff

Monthly plate store benefits

Monthly boot truck

Job summary

Huhtamaki, Inc. is seeking a Plant Controller for the Waterville site to lead financial planning, analysis, and reporting. You will partner with plant and Finance leaders to improve cost, performance, controls and decision-making through clear financial insights.

The role requires 5+ years in manufacturing finance, strong ERP and Excel skills, and a track record of cross-functional influence. Onsite work environment with opportunities for continuous improvement and organizational impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Five+ years of manufacturing operations finance or accounting leadership experience.
• Experience in costing, budgeting, forecasting, inventory accounting, controls, and capital evaluation.
• People-leadership experience with cross-functional influence.
• Strong ERP and advanced Excel skills including inventory, costing, reconciliations, and account review.

Responsibilities

• Partner with plant leaders to develop and execute financial and operational plans.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, monthly performance reviews, and reporting trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Analyze labor, material usage, yield, scrap, downtime, productivity, inventory, and other operating drivers.
• Provide actionable insights to improve cost competitiveness, working capital, and operating performance.
• Lead product costing, standard costs, cost modeling, variance analysis, and cost-to-serve analysis.
• Evaluate capacity, staffing, sourcing, inventory, productivity, and manufacturing process decisions.
• Monitor capital spending and benefits, support post-investment reviews, and track incentives.
• Maintain internal controls and compliance with accounting policies and reporting standards.
• Support audits and site compliance programs (safety, SQF, food safety).
• Lead and develop the plant Finance team and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Analytical skills

Excel proficiency

Strong communication

ERP systems

Costing & budgeting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

ERP software (Oracle/ERP)

BI/Visualization tools

Job description

Enjoy a career, packaged with care, whilst helping protect food, people and the planet We are a key global provider of sustainable packaging solutions. We’re on a mission to make all packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable. Every day, we ensure the hygiene and safety of food and drink for people around the world. We are Huhtamaki. You could be part of our vision. Because it’s our talented people that make it happen. Our people on the shop floor producing innovative, sustainable products. Our people in our offices delivering excellence for our customers every day. It’s every one of us working together. We offer a place where you can feel safe, be supported, and make an impact so we can all focus on the future together.

Job Summary

The Plant Controller is the financial leader for the Waterville site and a key member of the plant leadership team. This role partners with plant and Finance leaders to improve cost, performance, controls, and decision-making through clear financial analysis and recommendations.

Key Responsibilities

Business Partnership and Performance

• Partner with plant leaders to develop and execute financial and operational plans.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, monthly performance reviews, and reporting key trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Analyze labor, material usage, yield, scrap, downtime, productivity, inventory, and other operating drivers.
• Provide actionable insights that improve cost competitiveness, working capital, and operating performance.

Costing, Capital, and Decision Support

• Lead product costing, standard costs, cost modeling, variance analysis, and cost-to-serve analysis.
• Evaluate decisions related to capacity, staffing, sourcing, inventory, productivity, and manufacturing processes.
• Assess capital proposals, including cost, cash flow, ROI, utilization, and operational benefits.
• Monitor capital spending and benefits, support post-investment reviews, and track applicable incentives.

Controls and Financial Integrity

• Maintain effective internal controls and compliance with Huhtamaki accounting policies and reporting standards.
• Partner with centralized Finance on close activities, reconciliations, fixed assets, transactions, and financial reporting.
• Maintain accurate ERP, inventory, and product-costing records.
• Support audits and site compliance programs, including safety, SQF, food safety, and housekeeping.

People and Continuous Improvement

• Lead and develop the plant Finance team, setting clear priorities and accountability.
• Champion continuous improvement and validate financial benefits.
• Improve reporting and decision support through automation, dashboards, data visualization, and ERP discipline.
• Support World Class Operations and cross-functional process standardization.

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Five or more years of manufacturing operations finance or accounting leadership experience.
• Experience in costing, budgeting, forecasting, inventory accounting, controls, and capital evaluation.
• People-leadership experience and the ability to influence cross-functional teams.
• Strong ERP and advanced Excel skills, including inventory, costing, reconciliations, and account review.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills; ability to turn complex analysis into clear recommendations.
• Experience leading change or continuous improvement.

Preferred

• CPA or CMA; master’s degree desirable.
• Oracle, BI, visualization, reporting automation, and manufacturing systems experience.
• Lean, Kaizen, World Class Operations, or similar continuous improvement experience.
• Food packaging, paperboard, converting, or related manufacturing experience.

Work Environment

• Onsite at the Waterville manufacturing site with regular shop-floor and plant leadership engagement.
• Periodic support outside normal business hours may be required for close, budgets, audits, inventory, or significant operating events.
• Physical ability to do work requiring frequent stooping, standing, squatting, bending, crawling, twisting, walking and lifting up to 50 lbs. occasionally.

What we offer in return

• Huhtamaki offers a comprehensive traditional benefits package including medical insurance as well as dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, 401K, and a pension.
• We also proudly offer a slate of more nontraditional perks – opportunities like online learning and development courses, tuition reimbursement, employee referral bonus program, wellness program, onsite medical staff, monthly employee plate store benefits, monthly onsite boot truck, and various mentorship programs – that encourage our associates to grow personally as they develop professionally.
• You’ll also enjoy Paid Time Off and holiday pay because we believe a work-life balance is more than just a buzzword – it’s part of our culture.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Huhtamaki is an equal opportunity employer. EEO/AA Employer/Veterans/Disabled.

Trace your own Path! Join us to shape the future together! Equal Employment Opportunity Huhtamaki is an equal opportunity employer. EEO/AA Employer/Veterans/Disabled. Join us. Help protect food, people and the planet.

Help protect food, people and the planet. We’re on a mission to be the first choice in sustainable packaging solutions so we can protect food, people and the planet. We need talented people like you to make that happen. We’re growing as a business which is opening up new roles and opportunities so it’s an exciting time to join us. We promise to offer a place where you can feel safe, be supported and make an impact, so we can all focus on the future together. Sounds like your sort of place? Your career, packaged with care.