Plant Controller

Job Description

Job Description

Job Purpose 

To Serve as the financial conscience of the facility and a strategic partner to the Plant Manager. Own all plant-level accounting, cost management, budgeting, and financial reporting with speed, precision, and EBITDA discipline. Communicate financial data with operational clarity and proactively surface opportunities to improve margins, reduce waste, and optimize working capital in support of the company’s value creation plan.  

Essential Functions 

• Financial Management, Reporting & Close 
  • Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process for the plant P&L and balance sheet, meeting all intra-company and PE sponsor reporting deadlines 
  • Prepare and deliver plant-level financial packages, including detailed variance analysis vs. budget, prior year, and rolling forecast 
  • Maintain a close calendar and enforce cross-functional accountability for timely inputs from operations and supporting functions (e.g., quality, maintenance, sanitation) o Ensure accuracy and completeness of all journal entries, accruals, and account reconciliations 
  • Monitor and report on inventory health, including blocked stock, aging, obsolescence reserves, and slow-moving SKUs 
  • Identify cost savings and productivity opportunities related to material, labor, and overhead 
  • Deliver concise analyses and financial presentations to plant leadership team with confidence, providing critical insights that drive awareness and support future operational decisions 
• Cost Accounting & Standard Costing 
  • Design, maintain, and continuously improve the standard cost system across raw materials, labor, and manufacturing overhead 
  • Perform, explain, and identify root causes for material utilization variance (MUV), direct labor variances, production volume/mix variance, and overhead absorption analyses 
  • Partner with operations to validate yield assumptions, headcount, and throughput rate cost updates 
  • Conduct periodic standard cost resets and lead the annual cost roll process 
• Budgeting & Forecasting
  • Lead the annual operating plan (AOP) process for the plant, coordinating inputs across all functional departments 
  • Prepare and maintain a 12-month rolling forecast; hold functional owners accountable to forecast accuracy 
  • Build bottoms-up models for direct labor, overhead, and COGS supporting both internal and PE sponsor reporting cadences 
  • Develop financial sensitivity analyses to inform decision-making under variable demand or supply/capacity scenarios 
• Capital Expenditure Management 
  • Apply financial discipline to critically assess business need for CapEx spend being considered 
  • Support CapEx justification by reviewing and/or preparing financial components CapEx Authorization, including ROI and models in partnership with engineering and operations 
  • Conduct post-implementation reviews on significant capital projects to validate return assumptions 
• Internal Controls & Compliance 
  • Design and maintain a robust control environment at the plant level, aligned with corporate policies and any applicable SOX or PE diligence requirements 
  • Serve as the primary liaison for internal and external audits; prepare audit-ready workpapers and documentation 
  • Identify control gaps and implement corrective actions; escalate material issues to corporate finance promptly 
  • Ensure compliance with food industry-specific regulations (FDA, USDA) as they intersect with financial record-keeping and traceability 
• Operational & Strategic Partnership 
  • Actively participate in daily/weekly operational review meetings, providing actionable analyses from prior day/week results  
  • Partner with Plant Manager and department leaders to provide financial context that drives better business and operational decisions 
  • Develop and support plant financial KPI metrics, including calculation and assessment of variances to cost, budget, and forecast 
  • Participate in S&OP Supply Planning process and customer-specific pricing discussions as the financial voice of the plant 
  • Support M&A integration, system implementations, and carve-out activities as required by the PE sponsor 
• Executive Communication  
  • Deliver concise financial analyses and presentations to company leadership team, providing critical insights that drive awareness and support future business decisions 
  • Promote a continuous improvement mindset in operational and financial processes 
• Support food safety program, quality standards, and legality of manufactured products  
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned 

Qualifications (Education, Experience, Competencies) 

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance 
• 5+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, with at least 3 years in a plant or manufacturing finance role 
• Direct experience in food production, food & beverage, consumer products, or other process manufacturing environments 
• Proven experience in a PE-owned company or similarly high-accountability, metrics-driven environment preferred 
• Experience with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement initiatives from a finance support perspective preferred 
• Strong ERP proficiency (SAP or equivalent); intermediate or advanced Excel skills working with large data sets 
• Demonstrated mastery of cost accounting methodologies: standard costing, activity-based costing, variance analysis 
• Track record of hitting close deadlines and delivering clean, auditable financials 
• Familiarity with food safety financial implications: FSMA, HACCP cost tracking, SQF certification costs preferred 
• Strong analytical capabilities and a natural curiosity to understand cost drivers 
• Willingness to partner cross-functionally to solve problems and pursue opportunities 

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C. Residents Only: The salary range for this role is $124,698 to $155,872 annually. Pay is based upon several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. Rise Baking Company complies with all minimum wage laws as applicable. In addition to your annual salary, Rise Baking Company offers benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, annual bonus eligibility, incentive and recognition programs and 401k contributions (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). At Rise Baking Company, our people are our finest ingredient.