Controller

Plant Accountant

The Plant Accountant is responsible for financial oversight and analysis of plant operations, with a strong focus on manufacturing cost accounting, margin analysis, FP&A, and month-end close activities. This role partners closely with Plant Leadership, Operations, Engineering, and Corporate Finance to drive cost control, profitability, and data-driven decision-making within a wire harness and cable assembly manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & Month-End Close

• Lead and execute monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities for the plant
• Prepare and review journal entries, accruals, variance analyses, and account reconciliations
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting in compliance with GAAP and internal controls
• Support audits (internal and external) and maintain proper financial documentation

Cost Accounting & Cost Control

• Maintain and analyze standard costs, labor rates, overhead absorption, and material costs
• Track and analyze manufacturing variances (labor, material, overhead, scrap, PPV)
• Partner with Operations and Engineering to identify cost reduction and efficiency opportunities
• Monitor inventory valuation, WIP, scrap, and cycle count adjustments

Margin Analysis & Profitability

• Perform detailed product, customer, and program-level margin analysis
• Analyze quoting assumptions vs. actual performance and support corrective actions
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by highlighting margin erosion risks
• Provide actionable insights to improve gross margin and plant profitability

FP&A & Forecasting

• Lead plant-level budgeting, forecasting, and reforecasting processes
• Develop financial models to support headcount planning, capital expenditures, and pricing decisions
• Track KPIs related to productivity, utilization, yield, and cost per unit
• Support long-range financial planning and scenario analysis

Business Partnership & Operations Support

• Act as a financial partner to Plant Manager and leadership team
• Support new program launches, NPI cost tracking, and ramp-up analysis
• Collaborate with Supply Chain on inventory turns, excess & obsolete material, and cash flow
• Provide financial input for make/buy decisions and capital investment justifications

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Gross margin accuracy and improvement
• Manufacturing variance reduction
• Budget vs. actual performance
• Inventory accuracy and turns
• On-time, accurate month-end close

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 37+ years of experience in manufacturing or plant accounting
• Strong experience with cost accounting and margin analysis
• Hands-on experience with month-end close in a manufacturing environment
• Proficiency with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Epicor, NetSuite, or similar)
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, financial modeling)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in wire harness, electronics, or complex assembly manufacturing
• FP&A experience supporting plant or operations leadership
• Exposure to standard costing, PPAP/NPI environments, or regulated manufacturing
• CPA, CMA, or MBA a plus

NO SUBCONTRACT REQUIREMENT:

No third-party applicants will be considered. If you are a third party contracting company, please do not respond to this position.