Plant Controller

Location: Lake Forest, Illinois
Salary: $130,000–$145,000 annually
Employment Type: Direct Hire
Work Arrangement: Onsite
Interview Travel Expenses: Provided
Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Plant Controller to provide financial leadership for a complex manufacturing operation and serve as a key member of the plant leadership team.

This position will oversee plant financial operations while partnering closely with manufacturing leadership to improve profitability, control costs, evaluate operational performance, and support strategic decision-making.

The successful candidate must bring high-level plant finance leadership experience within a complex manufacturing environment, along with an excellent background in financial analysis and manufacturing costing.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead financial operations for the manufacturing facility, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting.
• Partner with plant and operations leadership to provide financial guidance supporting operational and strategic decisions.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, performance reports, and management analyses.
• Lead annual budgeting, business planning, forecasting, and ongoing analysis of actual performance against established goals.
• Analyze manufacturing performance, operating results, costs, variances, trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Manage standard costing, product costing, cost analysis, inventory valuation, and cost-control processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability, productivity, working capital, and overall plant financial performance.
• Lead month-end and year-end close activities and ensure accounting accuracy.
• Oversee inventory accounting, physical inventory processes, and related financial controls.
• Prepare financial analyses and business cases supporting capital expenditures and major operational investments.
• Monitor operating expenses and recommend cost-reduction and performance-improvement initiatives.
• Support cash-flow and working-capital management.
• Maintain strong internal financial controls and ensure compliance with corporate accounting policies.
• Ensure financial transactions and reporting comply with GAAP and company standards.
• Support internal audits and other financial compliance activities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop members of the plant Accounting and Finance team.
• Communicate financial results and recommendations effectively to plant and senior leadership.
• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Supply Chain, Materials, Quality, and other plant functions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 7–10 years of Controller or Plant Controller experience within a manufacturing environment.
• High-level plant finance leadership experience in a complex manufacturing operation.
• Strong financial analysis and manufacturing costing experience.
• Strong knowledge of standard costing, product costing, cost accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.
• Experience partnering directly with manufacturing and operations leadership to improve financial and operational performance.
• Strong understanding of inventory accounting, inventory controls, capital expenditures, and working capital.
• Experience with month-end/year-end close, financial reporting, GAAP, and internal controls.
• Proven experience leading and developing Accounting or Finance professionals.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and experience working with ERP/accounting systems.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to influence plant and senior leadership.
• Ability to work onsite in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting a large or highly complex manufacturing facility.
• Experience preparing financial analyses and business cases for major capital investments.
• Demonstrated success identifying manufacturing cost reductions and operational performance improvements.