What are the responsibilities and job description for the Plant Controller position at Kennametal?
About Kennametal
With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Learn more at kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Job Title: Plant Controller
Location: Bedford, PA
Job Summary
The Plant Controller provides strategic financial leadership and stewardship to the Plant Management team. This role partners across all areas of the business, serving as a trusted advisor to Business Unit Leaders and supporting the effective delivery of operational and financial objectives.
Working closely with cross-functional teams, the Plant Controller is responsible for developing accurate financial forecasts, enabling data-driven decision-making, and collaborating on business proposals and special projects. The role plays a critical part in aligning financial insights with operational strategies.
Key responsibilities include performing financial reporting and analysis related to profit planning, cost management, and capital expenditures. The role also focuses on delivering clear, actionable financial insights through structured reporting views, while identifying key profitability drivers and trends.
Based on financial analysis and a deep understanding of the business, the Plant Controller provides recommendations that support improved financial performance and informed strategic decisions.
Key Job Responsibilities
Business Partnering & Leadership Support
With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Learn more at kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Job Title: Plant Controller
Location: Bedford, PA
Job Summary
The Plant Controller provides strategic financial leadership and stewardship to the Plant Management team. This role partners across all areas of the business, serving as a trusted advisor to Business Unit Leaders and supporting the effective delivery of operational and financial objectives.
Working closely with cross-functional teams, the Plant Controller is responsible for developing accurate financial forecasts, enabling data-driven decision-making, and collaborating on business proposals and special projects. The role plays a critical part in aligning financial insights with operational strategies.
Key responsibilities include performing financial reporting and analysis related to profit planning, cost management, and capital expenditures. The role also focuses on delivering clear, actionable financial insights through structured reporting views, while identifying key profitability drivers and trends.
Based on financial analysis and a deep understanding of the business, the Plant Controller provides recommendations that support improved financial performance and informed strategic decisions.
Key Job Responsibilities
Business Partnering & Leadership Support
- Serves as a visible leader supporting business-critical functions across the organization
- Effectively communicates financial results and insights to both financial and non-financial stakeholders, fostering strong cross-functional collaboration
- Acts as a facilitator on strategic and tactical initiatives to support achievement of business objectives
- Provides both support and constructive challenge to ensure business decisions align with strategy and optimize, protect, and grow company assets
- Drives improvements in operational performance and efficiency
- Delivers meaningful, actionable insights and recommendations based on historical performance and forward-looking financial analysis
- Builds and maintains strong business partner relationships across functions and regions
- Responds to stakeholder and customer needs in a timely and effective manner
- Shares expertise to enhance stakeholders’ understanding of financial management processes and best practices
- Supports the delivery of financial, operational, and strategic insights throughout the organization
- Promotes an open and collaborative environment that encourages innovation and continuous process improvement
- Acts as a catalyst in advancing key initiatives critical to executing business strategy
- Provide analytical support for developing base budget assumptions, including volume, revenue, and expense inflation, while incorporating cost-saving initiatives and new program investments
- Partner with Business Unit leadership to identify, understand, and manage key volume drivers, risks, and variances
- Actively participate in the month-end financial close process
- Support Shared Services and Corporate Accounting in the preparation and validation of accrual estimates
- Prepare detailed analysis of operational and financial performance, including trend and root cause analysis of key metrics
- Clearly communicate findings and insights to Business Leaders, enabling informed decision-making
- Engage with leadership to develop, implement, and monitor corrective action plans
- Support labor and non-labor benchmarking analysis to drive efficiency
- Partner with Business Leaders on cost management and performance improvement initiatives
- Participate in cross-functional and client-based meetings to strengthen business understanding and alignment
- Guide Business Leaders in understanding and applying financial policies, procedures, and controls to ensure compliance with corporate standards and GAAP
- Support and contribute to performance improvement initiatives that enhance operational and financial results
- Provide financial education and training to stakeholders across the organization, strengthening overall financial acumen and management capabilities
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field required; Finance or Accounting strongly preferred
- MBA with a concentration in Finance preferred
- 5–8 years of relevant finance experience, including strong expertise in financial statement analysis and corporate finance principles
- Exceptional attention to detail with a strong commitment to quality, customer service, and timely execution
- Proven ability to collaborate with and influence business leaders outside of Finance/Accounting, including presenting to senior leadership
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify issues and implement effective solutions
- Demonstrated strategic thinking, leadership, and influencing capabilities
- High-energy, self-motivated individual with a proactive mindset
- Ability to build and maintain strong business partner relationships and communicate effectively across teams
- Skilled in leading and facilitating cross-functional meetings
- Self-starter with the ability to perform in a fast-paced and sometimes ambiguous environment
- Strong proficiency in computer systems and financial tools