Plant Controller

Controller (43019)

Our client is an organization in the Wauwatosa area looking for a Controller. Our client is looking for an experienced manufacturing finance professional who can serve as a strategic business partner while overseeing the accounting and financial performance of multiple plant locations. This role combines hands-on plant finance leadership with operational partnership, strategic planning, and financial decision support across three sites.

The salary range for this position is $120k–150k.

The Controller will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide accounting and finance leadership across three manufacturing locations.
• Serve as a key finance business partner to plant and operational leadership, providing insight and recommendations that support business decisions.
• Oversee plant-level accounting activities and ensure accurate, timely financial reporting across assigned locations.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and strategic financial planning activities for the plants.
• Analyze plant performance, operating results, costs, and key financial drivers to identify risks and opportunities.
• Partner with operations to evaluate business performance and develop actionable plans to improve profitability and operational results.
• Provide financial guidance related to manufacturing costs, inventory, productivity, capital investments, and other plant initiatives.
• Oversee month-end close activities and ensure appropriate review of financial results, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Develop forecasts and financial models to support operational planning, resource allocation, and strategic initiatives.
• Evaluate plant-level variances and communicate meaningful insights to finance and operational leadership.
• Support capital expenditure planning and evaluate the financial return of proposed investments.
• Maintain effective internal controls and ensure accounting practices are consistent with company policies and applicable accounting standards.
• Build strong working relationships across multiple locations while serving as a consistent finance resource for plant leadership.
• Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, reporting, controls, and visibility across the sites.
• Support broader business initiatives and provide financial leadership as operational priorities evolve.

The Controller will possess the following:

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• 6 years of progressive accounting and finance experience.
• Manufacturing accounting and plant finance experience required.
• Demonstrated understanding of plant-level financial operations, including costing, inventory, budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance analysis.
• Prior experience serving as a finance business partner to plant or operational leadership required.
• Experience taking ownership of the financial relationship with business or operational leaders and influencing decision-making.
• Previous Plant Controller, Site Controller, Plant Finance Manager, or similar operational finance leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Multi-site experience is a plus; candidates with strong ownership of finance for a single manufacturing location who are ready to expand into multi-site responsibility will also be considered.
• Strong understanding of the operational drivers behind manufacturing financial results.
• Proven ability to translate financial information into meaningful business recommendations for non-finance leaders.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to establish credibility across plant and corporate teams.
• Proactive, hands-on leadership style with the ability to balance accounting oversight, operational partnership, and longer-term strategic priorities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The compensation philosophy reflects the Company's reasonable expectation at the time of posting. Actual compensation is influenced by a variety of factors including, but not limited to, skills, experience level, and overall qualifications. This role may also be eligible to participate in a discretionary incentive program and company-sponsored benefits, subject to the rules governing those programs.