Operational Plant Controller

Operational Plant Controller

Tina’s Burritos / Camino Real Foods Location: Los Angeles, CA

Position Overview

Tina’s Burritos, the leading frozen handheld burrito brand in the United States, is seeking an Operational Plant Controller to support the financial and operational performance of our high-volume food manufacturing operations.

This role reports to the Senior Director of Finance / Controller and is responsible for plant-level financial accuracy, cost accounting, inventory control, and operational analytics. The ideal candidate is a hands-on finance leader who understands manufacturing environments and can translate plant activity into actionable financial insights.

Compensation

• Base Salary: $135,000 – $150,000

• Bonus: 10% – 15%

• Total Target Compensation: $150,000 – $170,000

Key Responsibilities

Plant Financial Operations & Close

• Lead plant-level participation in the monthly close process (8-day close target)

• Ensure accuracy of journal entries, accruals, and cost allocations

• Perform variance analysis vs. budget, forecast, and prior year

• Support preparation of financial statements and plant reporting packages

Manufacturing Cost Accounting

• Own plant-level cost accounting, including:

o Standard costing and updates

o BOM validation and accuracy

o Labor and overhead absorption

o Manufacturing variance analysis (labor, yield, waste, efficiency)

• Partner with operations to identify cost savings and margin improvement opportunities

Inventory & Warehouse Control

• Ensure accuracy of inventory valuation and movement

• Reconcile plant inventory to the general ledger

• Oversee:

o Cycle counts and physical inventories

o Production reporting and yields

o Slow-moving and obsolete inventory analysis

• Coordinate with internal teams and 3PLs to ensure alignment between physical and financial inventory

Operational Finance & KPI Reporting

• Develop and maintain plant KPIs, including:

o Throughput and line efficiency

o Labor cost per pound

o Yield and waste metrics

o Downtime impact on cost

• Work closely with production, maintenance, and engineering to improve financial visibility into operations

ERP & Data Integrity

• Serve as plant expert in Microsoft Dynamics NAV / Business Central

• Ensure accurate transaction flow across:

o Production orders

o Inventory movements

o Purchase orders

o Sales shipments

• Support system improvements, reporting automation, and data accuracy initiatives

Accounts Payable / Receivable Support

• Partner with corporate accounting on:

o Inventory-related AP issues

o Customer deductions and production-related claims

• Support accurate and timely processing tied to plant activity

Budgeting & Forecasting

• Support plant-level budgeting and forecasting processes

• Analyze performance vs. plan and provide actionable recommendations

• Assist in building financial models tied to production and capacity

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Maintain strong internal controls over inventory, production, and cost accounting

• Support audit readiness and documentation

• Ensure compliance with company policies and financial standards

Team & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work cross-functionally with:

o Operations

o Supply chain

o Engineering

o Maintenance

• Help drive a culture of accountability, cost awareness, and continuous improvement

• Support development of accounting and operational staff where applicable

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

• 5–8 years of experience in accounting or finance

• Manufacturing experience required (food manufacturing strongly preferred)

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of GAAP accounting

• Deep experience with cost accounting and inventory management

• ERP experience (Microsoft Dynamics NAV or Business Central preferred)

• Advanced Excel skills

Preferred

• CPA or CMA

• Experience in high-volume food or CPG manufacturing

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Detail-oriented with a high level of accuracy

• Ability to operate in a fast-paced production environment

• Strong communication and collaboration skills

• Continuous improvement mindset

• Ownership mentality and accountability

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Why This Role Matters

This role is critical to ensuring accurate financial reporting and operational visibility at the plant level, directly supporting Tina’s Burritos’ ability to scale efficiently, improve margins, and maintain its position as the highest velocity frozen burrito brand in the U.S.

Please watch this short video to hear What Makes Tina's Burritos So Special in the words of our employees, managers, and CEO.