Plant Controller

Crenlo Engineered Cabs•Rochester, MN

16d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Plant Controller is the finance and FP&A leader for the facility and a core member of the plant leadership team, owning both the controllership function (P&L integrity, internal controls, GAAP compliance) and the strategic FP&A function (profitability analysis, forecasting, budgeting, and capital investment analysis) for the plant. This is a highly visible role that regularly presents financial results, forecasts, and business recommendations to senior corporate leadership (Directors, VPs, CFO, CEO), and is expected to act as a business partner first and a controller second, using sound financial judgment to influence plant and corporate decisions. This is a driver's seat role: the Plant Controller is expected to take ownership of outcomes, not simply report on them, and to help raise the performance bar for the entire plant finance team.

Requirements

Ability to work independently across the full scope of plant finance, exercising sound judgment on when to escalate to the Director of Finance or plant leadership
Strong knowledge of US GAAP and internal control principles; working familiarity with IFRS concepts a plus given Crenlo's OEM customer relationships
Demonstrated business partnering skills; able to translate financial data into clear, actionable recommendations for non-finance leaders
Self-starter who proactively identifies issues and opportunities rather than waiting for direction; acts as a driver of outcomes, not a passenger along for the process
Constructively challenges assumptions and the status quo at the plant; comfortable respectfully pushing back on plans or numbers that don't hold up
Acts as a business partner first and a controller second, without compromising financial integrity or controls
Strong data mining, analysis, and financial modeling capabilities
Excellent verbal, written, and executive presentation skills
Proficient with Microsoft 365 (Excel, PowerPoint, Word); experience with Oracle EBS or a comparable ERP strongly preferred
Contributes to raising the performance bar for the broader plant finance team, not just individual results; supports a team-first culture where the team's collective strength matters as much as any one person's output
Experience mentoring and developing accounting/finance staff; comfortable guiding and coaching an Associate Plant Controller toward advancement without formal supervisory authority over that role
Demonstrated ability to influence senior leadership decisions using financial data and analysis
Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or related discipline
8+ years of progressive experience in finance/accounting, with demonstrated supervisory experience
Broad cost accounting experience in a manufacturing environment, or a lean/continuous improvement methodology and culture, strongly preferred
Demonstrated FP&A leadership experience: budgeting, forecasting, and capital investment analysis
Demonstrated experience presenting to and influencing senior leadership
Experience with an ERP system (Oracle EBS preferred), business intelligence/reporting tools, and financial planning software
Experience with internal controls and audit support preferred

Nice To Haves

CPA or CMA not required, but preferred / a strong plus
Working familiarity with IFRS concepts a plus given Crenlo's OEM customer relationships

Responsibilities

Own the accuracy and integrity of the plant's monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and operational reporting
Oversee month-end and year-end close processes, ensuring accuracy and compliance with US GAAP
Own the design, implementation, and monitoring of internal controls
Own cost allocation methodology, including standard labor and overhead rates by work center/department
Own resolution of standard cost variances, including purchase price variance (PPV), material usage, and labor/overhead absorption variances; drive root cause analysis and corrective action to closure, partnering with the Costing function and plant operations as needed, and escalating systemic costing issues to the Director of Costing and Director of Finance
Analyze inventory valuation and metrics, including period-to-period fluctuations
Serve as the primary point of contact for internal and external audit requests
Mentor and guide Associate Plant Controllers; this is a leading-without-authority relationship (Associate Plant Controllers currently report to the Director of Finance, not the Plant Controller) and a deliberate development opportunity for the Plant Controller to build influence and coaching skills ahead of larger management scope
Serve as the FP&A lead for the plant, partnering directly with the Plant Director and plant leadership team
Lead the annual budget/AOP process and periodic reforecasts for the facility
Own profitability analysis by product line and/or customer, and use it to drive plant strategy
Lead capital project and investment analysis, including ROI and payback calculations, for plant leadership decision-making
Present financial results, forecasts, and strategic recommendations to plant leadership and senior corporate leadership
Proactively lead cost reduction and margin improvement initiatives, both inter-departmentally and cross-functionally, to drive low-cost producer status
Serves as the lead analyst partner to the Costing team for the plant: proactively surfacing costing opportunities, risks, and variance root causes, and driving them into Costing's review and standard-setting process; Costing owns execution and the standard, the Plant Controller owns the analysis and the push
Lead plant continuous improvement events and business transformation activities
Lead special projects and system implementations (e.g., Oracle EBS) on behalf of the plant