Plant Controller - manufacturing cost accounting

Why Join This Company?

• Long-standing global manufacturer with over a century of expertise in advanced minerals and abrasive products
• Stable and established organization serving critical industries including ceramics, refractories, abrasives, and industrial manufacturing
• Family-owned culture that maintains a close-knit, team-oriented environment despite global scale
• Strong employee retention with many long-tenured staff and a collaborative workplace culture
• Exposure to complex manufacturing processes including high-temperature furnace operations and mineral processing
• Opportunities for career growth across accounting, operations, engineering, quality, and plant leadership functions
• Competitive compensation and benefits compared to industry benchmarks
• Hands-on environment with continuous learning and operational improvement focus

About the Role

We are seeking a Plant Accounting Manager to oversee financial reporting, cost accounting, and compliance functions for a manufacturing facility. This role partners closely with plant leadership and corporate finance to ensure accurate reporting, cost control, and operational financial support.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and administer the plant accounting system ensuring compliance with GAAP and applicable regulations
• Serve as a key member of the plant leadership team with strong on-site presence
• Report directly to the Corporate Controller with a dotted line to the Plant Manager
• Manage the monthly close process and ensure accuracy of financial reporting packages
• Analyze product costs and prepare monthly cost statements for management review
• Reconcile intercompany accounts on a monthly basis
• Partner with plant leadership to review budgets, cost variances, and drive cost savings initiatives
• Coordinate annual physical inventory counts and reconcile system variances
• Maintain and update standard inventory valuations annually or as required
• Prepare regulatory filings including sales & use tax filings and 1099 reporting
• Support ERP implementation (IFS) for finance and operations teams

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance
• 3+ years of management or supervisory experience in accounting or finance
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and cost accounting principles
• Experience with inventory accounting and manufacturing cost analysis
• Strong analytical, organizational, and data management skills
• Ability to manage large datasets and convert them into actionable insights
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• High level of ethics, professionalism, and integrity
• Ability to work collaboratively in a plant and corporate environment
• Understanding of procurement principles and competitive bidding is a plus
• Self-motivated with strong problem-solving and process improvement mindset