Plant Controller - Manufacturer

Location: Harleysville, PA

Salary: $ - $ USD annually

Plant Controller – A food manufacturer in Harleysville seeks a Plant Controller to act as the financial business partner to the Plant Manager and operations team. In a high-volume, fast‑paced manufacturing environment, you will oversee all financial, accounting, and cost control functions, focus on the standard costing system, variance analysis, inventory control, and cost‑saving initiatives to maximize profitability.

• Maintain, review, and optimize the plant’s standard costing system (including BOMs, routings, labor, and overhead rates).
• Perform annual standard cost roll‑ups and analyze impact on inventory valuation and margins.
• Lead daily, weekly, and monthly variance analysis (purchase price, labor efficiency, material usage, and overhead).
• Partner with engineering and operations to ensure accurate Bill of Materials and production routings.

• Lead preparation of the plant’s annual budget, monthly forecasts, and long‑range strategic plans.
• Provide deep‑dive analysis of plant financial performance, highlighting trends, risks, and opportunities to leadership.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators to track operational efficiency, scrap rates, and labor productivity.

• Act as a strategic advisor to the Plant Manager to drive continuous improvement, lean manufacturing initiatives, and cost‑reduction projects.
• Evaluate and justify capital expenditure proposals with rigorous ROI and payback analysis.
• Oversee month‑end and year‑end closing processes, ensuring timely and accurate GAAP‑compliant reporting.
• Maintain a strong internal control environment (SOX compliance where applicable) to safeguard plant assets, including rigorous inventory cycle count programs and physical audit programs.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (CPA, CMA, or MBA highly preferred).
• Experience:
  
  5–7+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience in a high‑volume manufacturing environment, with 2–3+ years as Plant Controller or Assistant Plant Controller.
• Technical Expertise:
  Deep understanding of standard costing methodologies and variance analysis; proficiency with tier‑1 ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics) and advanced Excel skills.
• Soft Skills:
  
  Strong leadership, excellent communication to translate complex financial data into actionable operational insights, and a hands‑on approach to the manufacturing floor.