Plant Controller - Manufacturing - Neenah, WI

Genuine Search Group; Neenah (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading search firm is seeking a Plant Controller for a high-volume packaging manufacturing facility in Neenah, WI. This role involves financial planning, reporting, and analysis while ensuring compliance with corporate standards. Ideal candidates will have 5-10 years of finance/accounting experience in manufacturing, with strong skills in budgeting and internal controls. Candidates should also be proficient in ERP systems like SAP and have advanced skills in Excel. This position offers the opportunity to drive financial performance and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of finance/accounting experience, ideally in manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and cost accounting.
• Ability to analyze complex data and translate it into actionable insights.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily, weekly, and monthly financial reporting for plant performance.
• Prepare monthly plant financial statements, forecasts, and KPIs.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP and company financial policies.
• Maintain and analyze standard costs and manufacturing variances.
• Lead annual operating plan (AOP) and monthly forecast updates.

Skills

Financial analysis

Budgeting

Cost optimization

Communication

Leadership

Education

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

CPA or CMA preferred

Tools

ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards)

Excel

Job description

Plant Controller - Manufacturing - Neenah, WI

The Plant Controller is a key member of the plant leadership team, responsible for all financial planning, reporting, analysis, and controls for a high-volume packaging manufacturing facility. This role provides strategic financial insights to support operational decision‑making, cost optimization, margin improvement, and overall plant performance. The Plant Controller ensures accounting accuracy, compliance with corporate standards, and strong internal controls while partnering closely with operations, supply chain, and engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily, weekly, and monthly financial reporting for plant performance, including production variances, labor utilization, scrap, OEE, and cost of goods sold (COGS).
• Prepare and present monthly plant financial statements, forecasts, and KPIs.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP and company financial policies.
• Oversee month‑end closing activities, inventory valuation, standard costing, and journal entries.

Costing & Analysis

• Maintain and analyze standard costs, bills of materials (BOM), routings, labor/burden rates, and cost rolls for packaging products (e.g., cartons, corrugated, flexibles, rigid plastics).
• Monitor manufacturing variances (material usage, yield, scrap, labor efficiency) and implement corrective actions.
• Provide margin analysis and profitability insights by product line, customer, SKU, and plant area.
• Partner with engineering and operations on capital projects, ROI analysis, and process optimization.

Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead annual operating plan (AOP) and monthly forecast updates for the plant.
• Support strategic planning, multi‑year capital planning, and volume/capacity projections.
• Collaborate with plant management to set cost‑reduction targets and track progress.

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Ensure strong internal controls around inventory, production reporting, procurement, and fixed assets.
• Lead plant audits and coordinate with internal/external auditors.
• Oversee cycle counts and/or physical inventory processes.

Business Partnership

• Work closely with the Plant Manager to drive operational excellence and financial discipline.
• Provide real‑time financial insights to supervisors and department leads.
• Support commercial teams on customer pricing, quotes, and cost‑to‑serve analysis.
• Mentor and develop plant accounting staff.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required; CPA or CMA preferred.
• 5–10 years of finance/accounting experience, ideally in manufacturing; packaging industry experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, or similar) and manufacturing cost accounting.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, inventory flow, and cost accounting.
• Ability to analyze complex data and translate it into actionable insights.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and financial modeling.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and deadlines.
• Fast‑paced, high‑volume packaging plant (examples: corrugated, paperboard, plastics, rigid/flexible packaging).
• Frequent interaction with production floor, operations team, and plant leadership.
• Occasional travel to corporate or cross‑functional sites.