Plant Controller- Manufacturing & Technical Operations

Location: Chicago, IL
Work Arrangement: Hybrid and Onsite
Compensation: $150,000 base salary + 10% annual bonus

We are seeking an experienced Plant Controller to oversee financial performance, operational accounting, and financial planning for multiple manufacturing operations in the Chicago, IL area. This role will serve as a strategic business partner to plant leadership, combining strong financial expertise with hands‑on knowledge of manufacturing processes, cost accounting, and operational performance.

The ideal candidate brings a blend of traditional plant controllership and technical analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex financial and operational data into actionable insights. This individual will play a key role in driving cost efficiencies, improving margins, strengthening financial controls, and optimizing plant performance through process improvements, data analysis, and cross‑functional collaboration.

• Plant Financial Controllership: Oversee plant‑level financial reporting, month‑end close, budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis to ensure accurate and timely financial results.
• Cost Accounting & Manufacturing Analysis: Analyze standard costs, material and labor costs, manufacturing overhead, scrap, purchase price variances (PPV), inventory valuation, and production variances to identify cost‑saving opportunities.
• Operational Business Partnership: Collaborate with plant managers, operations leaders, and cross‑functional teams to evaluate production performance, productivity, capacity utilization, and operational efficiency.
• Technical Reporting & Analytics: Develop and enhance financial reports, dashboards, and analytical tools using advanced Excel, ERP systems, and data reporting platforms to improve visibility into plant performance and support data‑driven decision‑making.
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Lead financial planning activities, including revenue, production costs, inventory, capital expenditures, and working capital projections. Identify financial risks, trends, and opportunities.
• Inventory & Working Capital Management: Monitor inventory accuracy, excess and obsolete inventory, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and cash flow metrics to improve working capital performance.
• Financial Controls & Compliance: Maintain effective internal controls, support audits and SOX compliance where applicable, and ensure adherence to accounting policies, revenue recognition, and asset protection procedures.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities to streamline financial processes, improve reporting accuracy, strengthen cost controls, and implement scalable systems and procedures.
• Capital Expenditure Management: Evaluate capital investments, track project spending, analyze return on investment, and partner with operations to ensure appropriate financial oversight.
• Strategic Decision Support: Provide financial modeling, scenario analysis, and recommendations to support pricing decisions, margin improvement, new business opportunities, and long‑term operational strategy.
• Cross‑Functional
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Partner with corporate finance, FP&A, accounting, and operational leadership to ensure alignment between financial objectives and plant‑level business priorities.

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience, preferably within a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Demonstrated experience in plant controllership, cost accounting, manufacturing finance, or operational finance.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing cost…