Financial Controller

Manufacturing Accounting Leadership | Seward, Nebraska | On-site

If you are a strong manufacturing accountant who knows cost and inventory accounting deeply and you have been looking for the opportunity to help build something rather than simply maintain it, this is worth a conversation.

We are conducting a confidential search for a newly created Financial Controller role supporting a brand-new dairy beverage processing facility in Seward, Nebraska. The operation is being launched by an established, successful dairy business, giving you the chance to join early and help shape the finance function without taking on the risk of a traditional startup.

What Makes This Opportunity Different

• Newly created role - you are not stepping into someone else's job or inheriting an established way of doing things.
• Join before production fully ramps, giving you time to understand the business and establish strong accounting practices early.
• High visibility with the CFO, COO, Plant Manager and ownership.
• Real opportunity to influence how financial information is structured, reported and used as the operation grows.
• Long-term growth potential as the plant, branded-products business and finance organization expand.

What You Will Own

• Core accounting for the manufacturing operation, including full-cycle accounting responsibilities.
• Month-end close, general ledger, reconciliations and financial accuracy.
• Manufacturing cost accounting, including analysis of standards, variances and the drivers behind product cost.
• Inventory accounting, valuation, reconciliations, physical inventory/cycle counts, controls and variance investigation.
• Internal controls and accounting processes that support a growing plant environment.
• Timely, useful reporting for the CFO, COO, Plant Manager and ownership.
• Financial analysis that helps leadership understand what is happening in the business and, over time, identify opportunities to reduce cost and improve profitability.
• Working within NetSuite and helping the organization continue getting more value from its accounting and reporting systems.

The Background We Are Most Interested In

• Substantial accounting experience in a manufacturing or plant environment.
• Strong hands-on cost accounting expertise.
• Strong hands-on inventory accounting expertise.
• Broad accounting ownership across close, GL, reconciliations and controls.
• Ability to investigate variances and explain the business reason behind the numbers.
• Comfort working in a lean, growing environment where responsibilities may evolve as the organization scales.
• Clear communication and the judgment to give different leaders the financial information they need, when they need it.

Relevant backgrounds may include Plant Controller, Manufacturing Controller, Financial Controller, Controller, Manufacturing Accounting Manager, Plant Accounting Manager, Plant Finance Manager, Assistant Controller, or another manufacturing accounting role with comparable responsibility. Food, beverage and dairy experience can be useful, but strong manufacturing accounting expertise is what matters most.

Systems

The company uses NetSuite. Direct NetSuite experience is a strong plus, but experience with other modern ERP systems and the ability to learn quickly are equally important.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base compensation approximately $130,000-$170,000, depending on experience and fit.
• Annual bonus opportunity.
• 100% employer-paid family medical insurance.
• Dental and vision coverage.
• PTO flexibility.
• 401(k) program.
• Relocation assistance available when needed.

Why This Could Be a Great Long-Term Move

This is a chance to join while the operation is still being built, become a trusted accounting partner to senior leadership, and grow as the organization grows. The finance structure is expected to expand alongside both the manufacturing operation and the branded-products side of the business, creating meaningful room for broader responsibility over time.

If you enjoy digging into manufacturing numbers, understanding what is driving cost and inventory, and turning good accounting into better business decisions, I would be happy to tell you more.