Plant Controller
About The Position
HireNow Staffing is confidentially partnering with a manufacturing organization in the Waterloo region seeking a seasoned Plant Controller to lead financial oversight at the plant level while serving as a strategic partner to operations leadership. This role requires a financially disciplined leader with strong cost accounting expertise, manufacturing exposure, and a stable career progression. Candidates with frequent short-term employment history will not be considered. The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to translate financial data into actionable operational insight. This position follows a hybrid schedule but requires consistent onsite presence and local residency within commuting distance.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, or related field.
- Minimum 3+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience.
- Minimum 2+ years of cost accounting exposure within a manufacturing environment.
- Strong working knowledge of GAAP, internal controls, and audit processes.
- Demonstrated ERP system experience.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel including financial modeling.
- Proven employment stability with consistent tenure in prior roles.
- Ability to work hybrid while maintaining regular onsite presence in Waterloo, Iowa.
Nice To Haves
- CPA, CMA, or MBA.
- Prior experience reporting directly to executive leadership.
- Manufacturing environment with standard costing and variance management experience.
- Leadership or supervisory experience overseeing accounting staff.
- Demonstrated success partnering with operations to reduce cost and improve margin performance.
Responsibilities
- Direct all plant-level accounting functions including general ledger oversight, reconciliations, accruals, and close processes.
- Ensure financial reporting accuracy in compliance with GAAP and internal policies.
- Maintain and strengthen internal controls to protect company assets and ensure regulatory compliance.
- Serve as the primary liaison for internal and external audit activity.
- Lead standard costing processes, variance analysis, and inventory valuation oversight.
- Investigate discrepancies in labor, material, overhead, and scrap reporting.
- Analyze operational performance data including yield, production efficiency, and cost drivers.
- Provide financial clarity around production performance and recommend corrective actions.
- Partner with plant leadership to develop annual operating budgets and forecasts.
- Conduct capital expenditure analysis, ROI modeling, and financial scenario planning.
- Evaluate financial impact of automation investments, new product introductions, and process changes.
- Identify cost reduction opportunities and track realized savings.
- Collaborate closely with production, supply chain, and engineering teams to align financial and operational goals.
- Provide financial interpretation of plant performance metrics to non-financial leaders.
- Support tax compliance activities including property, sales/use, and corporate filings as applicable.
- Supervise and develop accounting staff.
- Ensure workload allocation, training, and performance management of direct reports.
- Promote a culture of accountability, data accuracy, and continuous improvement.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
