Plant Controller

We work together to transform essential resources into critical ingredients for mobility, energy, connectivity and health. Join our values-led organization committed to building a more resilient world with people and planet in mind. Our core values are the foundation that make us successful for ourselves, our customers and the planet.

Albemarle is hiring for a Plant Controller . This position is located in Magnolia, AR , on-site.

The Plant Controller is the senior finance leader and trusted business partner for the Magnolia site. As a core member of plant leadership, this role owns plant financial performance and drives disciplined, fact-based decision-making. You will translate operational and financial data into actionable insights that improve cost, cash, productivity, and profitability.

• Serve as the finance co-pilot to plant leadership , partnering closely with the Plant Manager and operations leaders to drive financial accountability, cost discipline, and informed decision-making.
• Own plant financial planning and performance, including budgeting, forecasting, manufacturing accounting, standard costing, inventory valuation, cost and margin analysis, and financial reporting .
• Lead accurate and timely month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close , including reconciliations, accruals, inventory accounting, and variance reporting.
• Establish a rigorous cost-management cadence , connecting key operational drivers such as volume, yield, material usage, labor, maintenance, energy, downtime, and overhead to financial results.
• Analyze performance against budget, forecast, and prior year; identify root causes, risks, opportunities, and corrective actions for unfavorable variances and cost leakage.
• Lead the Annual Operating Plan, rolling forecasts, scenario analysis, and predictive insights to improve forecast accuracy and identify cost, margin, and cash risks early.
• Partner with operations, supply chain, maintenance, engineering, procurement, and commercial teams to improve productivity, working capital, inventory, and cash performance .
• Evaluate capital projects and productivity initiatives , including assumptions, cash flow, returns, risks, alternatives, and post-investment benefits.
• Develop driver-based models, dashboards, and automated reporting using SAP, Excel, and applicable business-intelligence tools , creating reliable and transparent financial insights.
• Strengthen data quality and governance , particularly SAP production, purchasing, costing, and master data, while identifying opportunities to simplify processes and reduce manual work.
• Ensure compliance with US GAAP, SOX, company policies, and internal controls , including coordination of audits and timely resolution of findings.
• Communicate complex financial and operational topics in clear, practical terms and influence cross-functional decisions without relying on formal authority .

• Demonstrated track record of driving measurable cost reduction, stronger cost ownership, and improved plant profitability in a complex manufacturing environment.
• Outstanding analytical ability: rapidly structures ambiguous problems, interrogates large data sets, detects patterns and anomalies, tests assumptions, and converts findings into action.
• Highly technical and hands-on, with the curiosity and persistence to trace results through operational data, systems, and plant-floor drivers.
• Deep expertise in manufacturing finance, financial planning and analysis, cost and margin analysis, and business performance management.
• Strong business judgment and constructive challenge; comfortable taking a clear position, escalating issues, and holding peers accountable while building trusted relationships.
• Exceptional accuracy, structured thinking, attention to detail, and ability to deliver under tight deadlines without losing sight of business priorities.
• Clear, concise communicator who can translate complex finance and data topics for operators, engineers, executives and auditors.
• Continuous-improvement mindset, high learning agility, and the capacity to grow into broader finance leadership roles.

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Engineering, or a related quantitative discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive finance or accounting experience, including at least 5 years in FP&A, plant controlling, manufacturing finance, or site finance business partnering.
• Advanced SAP expertise-particularly…