Plant Controller

Overview

Location: Memphis, TN

Salary: $ USD Annually - $ USD Annually

Industry leading manufacturer is seeking a Plant Controller in their Memphis, TN site. This person will serve as the financial leader and strategic business partner at the manufacturing facility level. This role is responsible for overseeing all plant accounting functions, including cost accounting, inventory valuation, variance analysis, and internal controls. The Plant Controller bridges the gap between plant floor operations and corporate finance, translating operational data into financial insights to drive cost reduction, process improvements, and margin expansion.

The ideal candidate blends rigorous accounting discipline with a deep understanding of manufacturing workflows, standard costing, and plant-level metrics.

• Plant Financial Leadership:
  Direct the plant’s monthly financial close process, ensuring accurate and timely preparation of journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial statements in accordance with GAAP.
• Cost Accounting & Variances:
  Maintain and optimize the standard costing system. Analyze and explain monthly manufacturing variances, including purchase price variance (PPV), labor efficiency, and overhead absorption.
• Operational Partnership:
  Partner closely with the Plant Manager and operations team to identify operational bottlenecks, analyze scrap/waste, and evaluate plant labor and machinery efficiencies.
• Inventory Control & Auditing:
  Oversee all inventory accounting processes, including cycle counting programs, annual physical inventories, and the tracking of slow-moving or obsolete stock (SLOB).
• Budgeting & Forecasting:
  Lead the development of the plant’s annual budget, monthly rolling forecasts, and localized operational financial targets.
• Cap Ex & ROI Management:
  Validate financial justifications for capital expenditure (Cap Ex) projects, tracking project spend against budget and conducting post-investment ROI audits.
• Controls & Compliance:
  Ensure a robust internal control environment that safeguards company assets and complies with corporate policies, SOX requirements (if applicable), and external audit standards.

• Experience:
  
  5 to 7 years of progressive accounting and finance experience, with a minimum of 3 years spent in a dedicated cost accounting or manufacturing finance role (Plant Controller, Assistant Controller, or Senior Cost Accountant).
• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation is highly desirable.
• Technical Expertise:
  Deep knowledge of standard costing methodologies, manufacturing Bill of Materials (BOMs), routings, and inventory valuation techniques.
• Systems Mastery:
  Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and extensive experience with major manufacturing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Net Suite, Epicor) and BI reporting tools.
• Communication & Influence:
  Strong interpersonal skills with a proven ability to translate complex financial data into actionable, easy-to-understand insights for non-financial plant operations personnel.