What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Plant Controller position at STEM Search Group?
About the opportunity…
This role supports a global manufacturer known for highly specialized, formulation-driven products used across a wide range of consumer applications. The company partners with many of the world’s most recognized brands, creating a unique environment with thousands of raw materials and constantly evolving formulations.
You’ll step into a highly visible, plant-facing role working directly with operations leadership, playing a key role in how cost, margin, and performance decisions are made.
What you’ll do…
- Serve as the lead finance partner supporting two manufacturing facilities, working closely with Operations, R&D, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to drive cost visibility and profitability.
- Own product costing and manufacturing finance activities within a high-mix, complex formulation environment, ensuring accuracy in standard and actual costs, BOM structures, and inventory valuation.
- Analyze manufacturing variances (materials, labor, overhead), identify root causes, and partner with operations to resolve issues and drive continuous improvement.
- Support margin and profitability analysis across products, customers, and business segments, providing insight into pricing, cost drivers, and performance trends.
- Support budgeting and forecasting processes, with a focus on cost inputs, operational assumptions, and plant-level financial visibility.
- Prepare and deliver monthly reporting and KPIs, including manufacturing performance, inventory, and cost metrics for site and regional leadership.
- Partner cross-functionally to support new product introductions, formulation changes, and process improvements, ensuring financial accuracy and visibility.
- Leverage SAP S/4HANA, SAP Analytics Cloud, and Power BI to maintain data integrity, enhance reporting, and support ongoing system improvements and automation initiatives.
- Act as a hands-on financial resource within the plants, translating data into actionable insights and supporting day-to-day decision-making.
What we’re looking for…
- 10 years of progressive experience in finance, controlling, or cost accounting within a manufacturing environment.
- Experience in high-mix, complex formulation manufacturing environments with large volumes of raw materials, detailed BOM structures, and dynamic costing considerations.
- Strong hands-on experience with SAP, specifically S/4HANA, including FI/CO and manufacturing-related modules (MM/PP).
- Deep understanding of product costing, manufacturing variances, inventory accounting, and plant-level financial performance.
- Proven ability to partner with operations and cross-functional teams to drive cost improvements, solve problems, and influence decisions.
- Experience supporting pricing, margin analysis, and customer/product profitability in a manufacturing setting.
- Background in industries such as specialty chemicals, food & beverage, flavor & fragrance, or similar process manufacturing environments preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CMA, CPA, or MBA a plus.
- Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to operate effectively in a hands-on, fast-paced environment.
What this role offers…
In this role, you’ll influence how cost, efficiency, and profitability are managed across plants, working side-by-side with operations leadership on day-to-day decisions.
You’ll be a key financial voice within a well-established, global organization known for its stability, strong culture, and long-standing relationships with some of the most recognized brands in the world.
The role offers broad exposure across operations and the opportunity to grow into larger scope over time, within a company known for long employee tenure and a steady, well-run environment.