Plant Controllership Leader, Manufacturing Operations

Job Description

Job Description

Picture yourself as the financial heartbeat of a high-performing manufacturing site. Reporting to the site General Manager and/or the Director of Finance, you set the tone for rigorous financial discipline, clear insight, and business partnership that drives operational and strategic results. From month-end close to long-range planning, you own the controllership agenda and lead a capable team across accounting, cost, inventory, fixed assets, payroll oversight, tax, treasury, and analysis.

A Day in the Role

Morning: you huddle with the Finance team to align on close milestones, production variances, and working capital priorities. Midday: you’re with Operations and Supply Chain leaders, challenging assumptions, shaping budgets, and modeling scenarios. Afternoon: you’re reviewing reconciliations, approving capital requests, updating forecasts, and preparing insights for executive leadership. Throughout, you coach your team, elevate internal controls, and ensure compliance with GAAP/IFRS and corporate policies.

Your Scope of Ownership Lead the Team and the Culture

• Manage, mentor, and develop the Finance and Accounting team with clear objectives and ongoing coaching.
• Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and financial rigor.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to plant leadership and executive management.

Close, Report, Explain

• Direct monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes end-to-end.
• Deliver timely, accurate financial statements compliant with GAAP and/or IFRS.
• Analyze results, variances, trends, risks, and opportunities; present recommendations to senior leaders.
• Prepare management reporting that summarizes current performance and projects future outcomes.

Plan, Budget, Forecast

• Own the annual budget cycle and coordinate cross-functional submissions.
• Challenge assumptions with data; provide decision-quality analysis to support plans.
• Develop rolling forecasts and long-range financial models.
• Track performance to plan, identify gaps, and drive corrective actions.

Manufacturing Finance and Costing

• Continuously improve cost accounting processes and systems.
• Ensure accurate standard costs, inventory valuation, labor absorption, and variance tracking.
• Analyze production costs, material usage, labor efficiency, and overheads.
• Partner with Operations to identify cost reductions and profit improvement opportunities.
• Quantify ROI for continuous improvement initiatives.

Inventory and Fixed Assets

• Lead annual physical inventory and ensure accurate valuation aligned with policy.
• Resolve inventory discrepancies and accounting variances promptly.
• Own PP&E accounting and reporting, including capital budget management.
• Evaluate capital requests with robust financial analysis and ROI assessment.
• Oversee additions, disposals, depreciation, and impairment reviews.

Controls and Compliance

• Maintain a strong internal control framework safeguarding assets.
• Document and enforce accounting policies and procedures.
• Ensure adherence to GAAP, IFRS, corporate policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate internal/external audits and close findings on time.

Balance Sheet Integrity

• Ensure proper classification, valuation, and existence across all balance sheet accounts.
• Oversee monthly account reconciliations with complete support.
• Investigate and resolve unreconciled items quickly and thoroughly.
• Deliver on period-end closing and reporting requirements.

Regulatory and Corporate Reporting

• Prepare and file required financial, tax, and regulatory reports, including sales and use tax.
• Support environmental reporting and other compliance-related financial attestations.
• Assemble corporate reporting packages and required analyses.
• Serve as primary financial contact during audits and regulatory reviews.

Treasury and Cash

• Monitor cash flow, liquidity, and working capital performance.
• Manage banking relationships and cash operations.
• Support collections, credit management, and AR performance.
• Recommend actions to strengthen cash and overall financial performance.

Enterprise Partnership

• Collaborate with Operations, Supply Chain, HR, Quality, and Engineering.
• Provide financial insight for strategic and operational decisions.
• Evaluate new business opportunities, capital investments, and process improvements.
• Champion initiatives that improve profitability, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field (required).
• CPA, CMA, MBA, or equivalent credential (preferred).

Experience

• 8+ years of progressive accounting/finance responsibility with prior leadership experience.
• Manufacturing industry background (required); aerospace manufacturing (strongly preferred).
• Depth in cost accounting, inventory accounting, and standard costing systems.
• Hands-on ERP experience and integrated reporting platforms.
• Proven partnership with operational leadership in a plant environment.

Technical Toolkit

• GAAP and/or IFRS
• Cost accounting and standard costing
• Inventory valuation and controls
• Budgeting and forecasting
• Financial statement preparation and analysis
• Internal controls and audit practices
• Fixed asset accounting
• Capital expenditure management
• Cash management and treasury
• Payroll accounting
• Tax reporting
• ERP systems and financial reporting tools

Core Strengths

• People leadership: develop talent, set clear expectations, and elevate performance.
• Influence: build strong relationships at every level.
• Integrity and continuous improvement mindset.
• Communication: translate complex finance for diverse audiences.
• Analysis and decision-making: turn complex data into action.
• Organization: detail orientation, prioritization, and project management.

Working Norms & Compliance

• Maintain a safe, organized, and professional workplace.
• Comply with all company policies, procedures, quality standards, and safety requirements.
• Support continuous improvement efforts across the organization.
• Uphold all regulatory, ethics, and compliance requirements.

ITAR / Export Compliance Requirement

Employment with the company is subject to compliance with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Access to controlled technology and facilities may be limited to U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, or individuals otherwise authorized under applicable U.S. export control regulations. Successful candidates must be eligible to satisfy all export compliance and screening requirements as a condition of employment.

Ideal Profile

You’re a hands-on manufacturing finance leader who pairs strong technical accounting with sharp business acumen. You’ve led cost and inventory disciplines, built robust budgets and forecasts, strengthened controls, and provided clear, actionable insights to operations. You consistently improve processes, drive accountability, and help the business hit its performance and growth goals.