Position Summary: The Plant Accountant is the lead financial support role at our manufacturing facilities. This individual is a key member of the Plant leadership team. They function as a business partner with plant and financial management to effectively manage and control the local business. They lead the financial staff at the plant and are accountable for plant level responsibilities including cost accounting, inventory controls, manufacturing systems administration, financial reporting, and ad hoc projects related to factory performance improvements. They also serve as the liaison with corporate financial staff, as required.

Reports To: Director of Cost Control (dotted-line Plant Manager)

Direct Reports: Inventory Accountant (Variance Control Coordinator)

FLSA Status: Exempt 

Duties:

• Standard Cost System Administration – Calculate and verify product costs within ERP system. Develop production rate and labor standards for all manufactured items (including VISIO process diagrams). Perform periodic audits of bills of material and labor routings to ensure product costs are accurate and correctly reflect production operations. Work with counterparts at other locations to ensure consistency and adoption of best practices across the manufacturing group. Observe factory operations on a daily basis and communicate frequently with factory supervision to stay current on manufacturing process changes. Provide financial advisement pertaining to the cost impact of operational alternatives.
• Labor Analysis – Coordinate Labor Efficiency Program by working with factory personnel to ensure accurate labor tracking and address labor variance issues. Provide continuous effort towards seeking out labor improvement opportunities.
• Inventory Controls – Ensure that physical inventory and cycle counting controls are maintained and performed according to group procedures. Investigate, communicate and resolve book to physical adjustments. Analyze potential excess and obsolete inventory items monthly and report to Corporate Purchasing and Finance. Resolve all erroneous intercompany sales discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Manufacturing Variance Analysis – Maintain comprehensive understanding of material, labor and spending variances in order to explain them to Plant Management and recommend corrective action. Analyze and accurately report current month’s financial results to the plant and corporate management in accordance with the defined format and time requirements.
• ERP System Administration – Administer daily order processing and troubleshoot production and inventory system issues on a timely and accurate basis. Ensure that all order processing steps are completed according to company prescribed deadlines. Document and understand ERP/MRP systems and reporting conventions and serve as the on-site expert.
• New Product Cost Estimates – Interface with corporate finance team to provide labor and production rate estimates for new products.
• Analyze internal controls to ensure assets are adequately safeguarded and results are accurately reported.
• Attend daily plant production meetings to stay abreast of factory issues and to communicate opportunities for cost improvements.
• Perform monthly walkthroughs of the plant with the Plant Manager and Corporate Manufacturing Analyst to discuss production and costing issues. Review areas such as labor reporting and cost, material variance and waste, inventory controls and warehouse inventory levels.
• Conduct formal meetings with manufacturing and finance management personnel to discuss all plant issues. Develop and publish a formal agenda and recap with actions to be taken. The Corporate Manufacturing Analyst will assist with the coordination of this task but the Plant Accountant is the owner of these issues and is responsible for managing the progress and resolution of the issues.
• Periodic reports to promote manufacturing cost awareness. Publish factory performance measurement statistics in a timely manner as directed by the Plant Manager.
• Identify and assist with ad hoc projects related to factory cost savings opportunities.

Key Skills:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Exhibits clear and concise written and verbal communication.
• Ability to work and communicate effectively at all organizational levels and across functional areas.
• Thorough attention to detail and accuracy.
• Sound planning and organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple concurrent assignments.
• Maintains professionalism and reacts well under pressure.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment.
• Demonstrated leadership as part of a cross-functional plant management team.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 3 to 5 years as a cost manager in a manufacturing environment with an emphasis on cost accounting, reporting and variance analysis.
• High level of proficiency with MS Office products and ERP/MRP systems.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration.
• Supervisory experience with a proven ability to manage and develop staff