What are the responsibilities and job description for the Plant Accountant position at ML6 Search Talent Advisory?
The Opportunity:
ML6 is partnering with a Houston-based manufacturing organization seeking a Plant Accountant. This role oversees the plant’s financial operations, ensuring accurate reporting, managing budgets and forecasts, analyzing variances, and providing recommendations to improve profitability and efficiency. The Plant Accountant will also maintain cost accounting systems, collaborate with plant leadership, ensure compliance with accounting standards, and support audits and continuous improvement initiatives.
What You'll Be Doing:
Financial Planning & Reporting
- Prepare and monitor annual budgets, monthly forecasts, and journal entries.
- Deliver timely, accurate financial reports aligned with corporate standards.
- Provide analysis and insights to plant leadership, supporting data-driven decisions.
Compliance & Controls
- Ensure adherence to corporate accounting policies and government reporting requirements.
- Support internal and external audits; conduct periodic audits of plant financial data.
- Develop processes that strengthen financial controls and operational efficiency.
Cost & Variance Analysis
- Track material, labor, overhead, and inventory costs.
- Compare actual costs to estimates, analyze variances, and implement corrective actions.
- Maintain accurate labor and overhead rates for the plant.
Capital & Business Support
- Evaluate capital investments and conduct financial analyses for sourcing or make/buy decisions.
- Actively support sales forecasting, considering capacity and operational constraints.
- Identify and report changes in business conditions, asset impairments, or potential liabilities.
Inventory & Efficiency
- Manage reporting for inventory, scrap, and work-in-progress.
- Lead or support physical inventory audits and monitor cycle counts.
- Review reserves for excess and obsolete inventory, and recommend waste-reduction improvements.
- Participate in cost savings and continuous improvement initiatives.
What You'll Need To Be Successful:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
- MBA or CPA strongly desired but not required
- 3–5 years of cost accounting experience in a medium to large manufacturing environment.
- Strong knowledge of financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting.
- Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems in a manufacturing setting.
- Hands-on experience with general ledger, journal entries, and reconciliations.
- Proficiency in analyzing variances and providing actionable recommendations.
- Strong Excel and financial modeling skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to partner effectively with both finance and operations teams.
- High level of integrity, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience with job costing systems and percentage-of-completion revenue recognition would be an asset.
- Demonstrated success in supporting audits and ensuring compliance with corporate and regulatory standards would be an asset.
- Proven ability to lead or participate in continuous improvement and cost-reduction initiatives.