Plant Controller

Arkema; Wauwatosa (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Arkema, a global materials company, seeks a Finance Controller to be located at multiple US plants, including Wauwatosa, WI, with responsibilities spanning budgeting, cost control, inventory valuation, and month-end close. The role reports to the North America Finance Director and collaborates with Plant Leadership Teams to drive financial performance.

The position requires 3+ years in accounting/finance in industrial or public accounting, SAP experience, and strong analytical and collaboration

Qualifications

• B.S. or B.A. in accounting or finance with at least 3 years of experience in industrial or public accounting.
• ERP experience required, SAP preferred.
• Strong spreadsheet and accounting system skills for financial analysis.
• Excellent relationship-building, analytical and organizational abilities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Finance Business Partner on Plant Leadership Team to influence plant-level decisions.
• Coordinate conversion cost, capital, and headcount budgets and forecasts.
• Provide monthly performance reports, financial analysis, and variance reviews.
• Ensure adherence to internal controls and financial policies.
• Support fixed asset inventories and capital disposals with asset tracking.
• Lead month-end close, budgeting, and forecast processes for the plants.
• Mentor and train local manufacturing staff in accounting principles and controls.

Skills

SAP ERP

Spreadsheets

Financial modeling

Analytical ability

Communication / relationship building

Education

B.S. or B.A. in accounting or finance

Job description

Reports to C&C North America Finance Director. Member of the Plant Leadership Team at each plant.

Position to be located in the Wauwatosa, WI, Greenville SC, Dalton GA, or Radnor, PA, with responsibilities for the Dalton, GA, and Greenville, SC plants.

Objectives

• As the Finance Business Partner on the Plant Leadership Team, this role works collaboratively with the members of the Plant leadership team and actively influences plant level decision making, to enable continued success.
• The controller provides financial guidance, direction, and analytical support for appropriate functional areas and all corresponding departments within the 2 plants. This position will coordinate the development of conversion cost, capital, and headcount budgets, and forecasts for assigned areas.
• The controller provides comprehensive financial support for assigned departments, including, but not limited to monthly performance reports, financial analysis, expense variance review, recommendations for corrective actions when needed, and special projects as required.
• This role ensures adherence to internal control & compliance to financial policies & procedures.

Position Scope

• Dual reporting to the C&C North America Finance Director with a matrix line to the C&C USA Industrial Director.

Activity

Provide financial guidance, direction, and analytical support in the following areas:

• Plant conversion costs – Understand site conversion costs including monitoring and controlling spend to ensure the site achieves its financial goals including headcount, total spend and cost per ton. This includes cost allocations, expenditure commitments, timely receipt of goods/services, supporting plant managers in monitoring plant performance. Ensure that plant level costs are recorded in accordance with Bostik policy. Communicate issues timely.
• Material and production costs – Review and understand Actual and Standard Costing for their site. Complete cost estimate calculations, review Bill of Materials to ensure proper Material Usage Variance (MUV) analysis throughout the year. Analyze and communicate actual product cost variances including but not limited to Purchase Price Variance, Scrap and MUV. Inform manufacturing manager and BU finance director of any alteration on production process performance, track and communicate under/over absorption at production work centers and UG level.
• Inventory valuation – Ensure accurate inventory valuation by reviewing and approving finished goods product Weighted Average Cost (WAC). Identify and communicate raw material costing issues for their site(s), monitors cycle counts/physical inventories to ensure adherence to policy. Monitor spare parts and inventory, manage (analyze, adjust, validate) inventory provisions (slow moving and quality based on identified issues).
• Financial statements – control and detect any variances regarding budget, Group Reporting Manual, IFRS, US GAAP, request any corrective manual entries as needed.
• Industrial investment –Work in close coordination with fixed asset accountant to review fixed-assets inventories. Perform fixed asset inventories in accordance with Bostik Policy. Ensure assets are appropriately identified and disposed of with the addition of any new/replacement capital.
• Month end close - Provide timely communication to the BU leaders in accordance with reporting schedule.
• Budget and forecast – Responsible for coordinating the plant budget process. Prepare costing data for the next year (calculate activity rates, validate BOMs and routings, analyze standard cost run for the plant). Compile the annual conversion cost budget (cost center hierarchy, headcount, payroll, maintenance costs, etc.), review and adjust allocation keys for shared expenses, analyze yearly conversion cost evolution versus year-end-forecast, provide the BU a detailed presentation.
• Financial reporting – Communicate site financial results, providing a monthly financial report to Finance Managers - BU and Corporate.
• Audit support – Support year end audit requirements regarding plant financials to external/internal auditors.
• Mentoring – lead training and development of local manufacturing staff on accounting principles, internal controls, financial statement analysis, cost analysis and inventory control.

Context AND Environment

• Context: Dalton 45%, Greenville 45%, and BU initiatives 10%. Approximately 121 employees at the two plants.
• Constraints: ensure the proper application of Group Reporting Manual rules, Core Model processes, ARKEMA Internal Control policy, closing deadlines respect.
• Travel: 25% of the time.
• Education: B.S. or B.A. in accounting or finance with at least 3-years of experience in an industrial or public accounting
• Practice safe work habits in accordance with OSHA and EPA guidelines and Bostik specific EHS expectations.
• ERP experience (SAP preferred), knowledge of metrics / KPI
• Demonstrated competency in the use of spreadsheets and accounting systems for the purpose of analysis and financial modeling is required.
• Good relationship building skills, analytical insight, organizational skills, reactivity, ability to see the whole picture and neutrality, analytical capacities to proactively detect drifts.