Plant Controller

Reports into:
Director, Plant & Cost Accounting

Brunel is currently seeking a Plant Controller for our manufacturing client in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Plant Controller has a direct reporting relationship to the Director, Plant & Cost Accounting within the Corporate Controllers department and acts as a key business partner to the Plant General Manager and their direct reports by providing financial oversight, critical analysis, and actively driving process improvement initiatives.

In this role, you will be responsible for providing timely and accurate financial and operational reporting with corresponding analysis. You will establish and maintain a strong internal control environment and ensure plant personnel understand and adhere to corporate financial policies. The position oversees all financial activities related to accounting processes, annual planning, spare parts reviews, fixed assets, maintenance activities, and planned or unplanned turnarounds, while also managing internal and external audit requirements.

• Acts as a key financial reporting resource to Corporate and local management, providing financial forecasting, budgeting, and analysis of variations from company budgets
• Acts as a key financial business partner to the Plant General Manager by providing operational financial data and analysis
• Leads and supervises professional accounting and clerical staff while providing leadership, guidance, coaching, and process oversight for plant accounting activities
• Accounts for, manages, and reports on the local capital and maintenance spending process, including budgeted and unplanned turnaround activities
• Performs and reviews the monthly inventory costing process and reconciles inventory through local production reporting systems
• Reviews and verifies the accuracy of journal entries, accounting classifications, and account analyses as part of the month-end and year-end close processes
• Ensures accurate Fixed Assets accounting by maintaining close relationships with Maintenance and Engineering to track project progress, asset capitalization and retirements, and internal order classifications
• Establishes and maintains a thorough accrual review process
• Manages the local plant Accounts Payable function, analyzes monthly aging reports, and ensures production and accounts payable invoices are accurately recorded
• Prepares cost statements, accounting statements, operational reports, and analyses for management, Corporate, outside Directors, and government agencies
• Leads monthly cost review meetings comparing actual results to plan and prior periods and utilizes data-driven insights to support business decisions
• Coordinates and prepares tax analyses and filings as determined by Corporate Tax and local taxing authorities
• Assists with internal and external audits by providing requested documentation and analysis
• Makes recommendations and suggestions on best methods and strategies to streamline accounting and plant processes and implement improvements where appropriate
• Provides assistance to Financial Planning & Analysis during annual planning and forecasting periods and prepares additional analysis as required
• Advises stakeholders on the accounting implications of strategic decisions and highlights potential risks related to internal controls and compliance
• Provides direction to individuals regarding their roles and responsibilities to support Company objectives and plant goals and empowers development and decision-making
• Promotes strong relationships between department members and other Corporate Finance departments through effective communication across management and encourages collaboration within a matrix organizational structure
• Demonstrates a high level of integrity and trust while maintaining knowledge of FASB and AICPA governing bodies and staying abreast of current information and technology
• Establishes and implements internal control processes and procedures, ensures they are followed, works with Internal Controls to identify deficiencies, and develops and implements corrective actions as necessary

• A bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance related
• 10+ years supervisory experience in manufacturing accounting, CPA/MBA and public accounting experience preferred
• Experience at manufacturing plants with a high level of complexity including a high volume of capital projects, multiple products with an intricate manufacturing process and supporting multiple departments within a plant
• Ability to work independently and be self-directed; high level of self-motivation with the ability to understand and follow detailed instructions
• Ability to function effectively while meeting deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and administrative skills
• Must be proficient in PC use within a Windows environment, with an intermediate knowledge of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Familiarity with SAP accounting systems desired