Plant Controller

Albemarle • Magnolia, AR

11d • Onsite

About The Position

Albemarle is hiring an on-site Plant Controller for its Magnolia, Arkansas site. The Plant Controller is the senior finance leader and trusted business partner for the site, serving as a core member of plant leadership. The role owns plant financial performance and supports disciplined, fact-based decisions by turning operational and financial data into insights that improve cost, cash, productivity, and profitability.

The position leads plant financial planning and performance, including budgeting, forecasting, manufacturing accounting, standard costing, inventory valuation, cost and margin analysis, and financial reporting. It oversees accurate and timely month-, quarter-, and year-end close; establishes cost-management practices tied to operational drivers; and identifies causes, risks, opportunities, and corrective actions for variances and cost leakage.

The Plant Controller leads the Annual Operating Plan, rolling forecasts, scenario analysis, and predictive insights; collaborates with cross-functional teams on productivity, working capital, inventory, and cash; and evaluates capital projects and productivity initiatives. The role develops driver-based models, dashboards, and automated reporting, strengthens SAP data quality and governance, and ensures compliance with US GAAP, SOX, company policies, and internal controls. It also coordinates audits and communicates financial and operational topics clearly to influence cross-functional decisions.

The role requires awareness of and support for the Magnolia Site Quality Policy, Site Quality Objectives, and the site quality management system.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Engineering, or a related quantitative discipline.
• At least 8 years of progressive finance or accounting experience, including at least 5 years in FP&A, plant controlling, manufacturing finance, or site finance business partnering.
• Advanced SAP expertise, particularly FI/COPA, MM, Purchasing, and production data, with ability to independently extract, analyze, and interpret operational and financial data.
• Expert-level Excel and financial-modeling skills.
• Practical experience building automated, auditable analyses and dashboards in business-intelligence tools.
• Strong command of manufacturing variance analysis, forecasting, driver-based planning, capital evaluation, and financial controls.
• Fluent written and spoken English.
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrix organization.
• Follow and support requirements of the site's quality management system.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree preferred.
• Power BI, Analysis for Office, SQL, or equivalent data-query capability is strongly preferred.
• CPA, CMA, CFA, or MBA preferred.
• Lean Six Sigma or other continuous-improvement training is an advantage.
• Track record of measurable cost reduction, stronger cost ownership, and improved plant profitability in a complex manufacturing environment.
• Outstanding analytical ability, including structuring ambiguous problems, analyzing large data sets, detecting patterns and anomalies, testing assumptions, and converting findings into action.
• Highly technical, hands-on approach and curiosity to trace results through operational data, systems, and plant-floor drivers.
• Deep expertise in manufacturing finance, FP&A, cost and margin analysis, and business performance management.
• Strong business judgment and constructive challenge, including the ability to take clear positions, escalate issues, and hold peers accountable while building trusted relationships.
• Exceptional accuracy, structured thinking, attention to detail, and ability to deliver under tight deadlines.
• Clear, concise communication to operators, engineers, executives, and auditors.
• Continuous-improvement mindset, high learning agility, and capacity to grow into broader finance leadership roles.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Plant Manager and operations leaders on financial accountability, cost discipline, and decision-making.
• Own plant financial planning and performance, including budgeting, forecasting, manufacturing accounting, standard costing, inventory valuation, cost and margin analysis, and financial reporting.
• Lead month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close, including reconciliations, accruals, inventory accounting, and variance reporting.
• Establish cost-management practices that connect operational drivers to financial results.
• Analyze performance against budget, forecast, and prior year; identify root causes, risks, opportunities, corrective actions, and cost leakage.
• Lead the Annual Operating Plan, rolling forecasts, scenario analysis, and predictive insights.
• Partner with operations, supply chain, maintenance, engineering, procurement, and commercial teams to improve productivity, working capital, inventory, and cash performance.
• Evaluate capital projects and productivity initiatives, including assumptions, cash flow, returns, risks, alternatives, and post-investment benefits.
• Develop driver-based models, dashboards, and automated reporting using SAP, Excel, and business-intelligence tools.
• Strengthen data quality and governance, especially SAP production, purchasing, costing, and master data, and identify process simplification and automation opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with US GAAP, SOX, company policies, and internal controls; coordinate audits and resolve findings in a timely manner.
• Communicate financial and operational topics clearly and influence cross-functional decisions.
• Understand and support the Magnolia Site Quality Policy, Quality Objectives, and quality management system requirements.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Resources to support employees professionally and personally and foster well-being and personal growth

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior