Plant Controller

No Serve as the financial conscience of the facility and a strategic partner to the Plant Manager. Own all plant-level accounting, cost management, budgeting, and financial reporting with speed, precision, and EBITDA discipline. Communicate financial data with operational clarity and proactively surface opportunities to improve margins, reduce waste, and optimize working capital in support of the company’s value creation plan.

Financial Management, Reporting & Close Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process for the plant P&L and balance sheet, meeting all intra-company and PE sponsor reporting deadlines Prepare and deliver plant-level financial packages, including detailed variance analysis vs. budget, prior year, and rolling forecast Maintain a close calendar and enforce cross-functional accountability for timely inputs from operations and supporting functions (e.g., quality, maintenance, sanitation) o Ensure accuracy and completeness of all journal entries, accruals, and account reconciliations Monitor and report on inventory health, including blocked stock, aging, obsolescence reserves, and slow-moving SKUs Identify cost savings and productivity opportunities related to material, labor, and overhead Deliver concise analyses and financial presentations to plant leadership team with confidence, providing critical insights that drive awareness and support future operational decisions

Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process for the plant P&L and balance sheet, meeting all intra-company and PE sponsor reporting deadlines

Prepare and deliver plant-level financial packages, including detailed variance analysis vs. budget, prior year, and rolling forecast

Maintain a close calendar and enforce cross-functional accountability for timely inputs from operations and supporting functions (e.g., quality, maintenance, sanitation) o Ensure accuracy and completeness of all journal entries, accruals, and account reconciliations

Monitor and report on inventory health, including blocked stock, aging, obsolescence reserves, and slow-moving SKUs

Identify cost savings and productivity opportunities related to material, labor, and overhead

Deliver concise analyses and financial presentations to plant leadership team with confidence, providing critical insights that drive awareness and support future operational decisions

Cost Accounting & Standard Costing Design, maintain, and continuously improve the standard cost system across raw materials, labor, and manufacturing overhead Perform, explain, and identify root causes for material utilization variance (MUV), direct labor variances, production volume/mix variance, and overhead absorption analyses Partner with operations to validate yield assumptions, headcount, and throughput rate cost updates Conduct periodic standard cost resets and lead the annual cost roll process

Design, maintain, and continuously improve the standard cost system across raw materials, labor, and manufacturing overhead

Perform, explain, and identify root causes for material utilization variance (MUV), direct labor variances, production volume/mix variance, and overhead absorption analyses

Partner with operations to validate yield assumptions, headcount, and throughput rate cost updates

Conduct periodic standard cost resets and lead the annual cost roll process

Budgeting & Forecasting Lead the annual operating plan (AOP) process for the plant, coordinating inputs across all functional departments Prepare and maintain a 12-month rolling forecast; hold functional owners accountable to forecast accuracy Build bottoms-up models for direct labor, overhead, and COGS supporting both internal and PE sponsor reporting cadences Develop financial sensitivity analyses to inform decision-making under variable demand or supply/capacity scenarios

Lead the annual operating plan (AOP) process for the plant, coordinating inputs across all functional departments

Prepare and maintain a 12-month rolling forecast; hold functional owners accountable to forecast accuracy

Build bottoms-up models for direct labor, overhead, and COGS supporting both internal and PE sponsor reporting cadences

Develop financial sensitivity analyses to inform decision-making under variable demand or supply/capacity scenarios

Capital Expenditure Management Apply financial discipline to critically assess business need for CapEx spend being considered Support CapEx justification by reviewing and/or preparing financial components CapEx Authorization, including ROI and models in partnership with engineering and operations Conduct post-implementation reviews on significant capital projects to validate return assumptions

Apply financial discipline to critically assess business need for CapEx spend being considered

Support CapEx justification by reviewing and/or preparing financial components CapEx Authorization, including ROI and models in partnership with engineering and operations

Conduct post-implementation reviews on significant capital projects to validate return assumptions

Internal Controls & Compliance Design and maintain a robust control environment at the plant level, aligned with corporate policies and any applicable SOX or PE diligence requirements Serve as the primary liaison for internal and external audits; prepare audit-ready workpapers and documentation Identify control gaps and implement corrective actions; escalate material issues to corporate finance promptly Ensure compliance with food industry-specific regulations (FDA, USDA) as they intersect with financial record-keeping and traceability

Design and maintain a robust control environment at the plant level, aligned with corporate policies and any applicable SOX or PE diligence requirements

Serve as the primary liaison for internal and external audits; prepare audit-ready workpapers and documentation

Identify control gaps and implement corrective actions; escalate material issues to corporate finance promptly

Ensure compliance with food industry-specific regulations (FDA, USDA) as they intersect with financial record-keeping and traceability

Operational & Strategic Partnership Actively participate in daily/weekly operational review meetings, providing actionable analyses from prior day/week results Partner with Plant Manager and department leaders to provide financial context that drives better business and operational decisions Develop and support plant financial KPI metrics, including calculation and assessment of variances to cost, budget, and forecast Participate in S&OP Supply Planning process and customer-specific pricing discussions as the financial voice of the plant Support M&A integration, system implementations, and carve-out activities as required by the PE sponsor

Actively participate in daily/weekly operational review meetings, providing actionable analyses from prior day/week results

Partner with Plant Manager and department leaders to provide financial context that drives better business and operational decisions

Develop and support plant financial KPI metrics, including calculation and assessment of variances to cost, budget, and forecast

Participate in S&OP Supply Planning process and customer-specific pricing discussions as the financial voice of the plant

Support M&A integration, system implementations, and carve-out activities as required by the PE sponsor

Executive Communication Deliver concise financial analyses and presentations to company leadership team, providing critical insights that drive awareness and support future business decisions Promote a continuous improvement mindset in operational and financial processes

Deliver concise financial analyses and presentations to company leadership team, providing critical insights that drive awareness and support future business decisions

Promote a continuous improvement mindset in operational and financial processes

Support food safety program, quality standards, and legality of manufactured products

Perform other job-related duties as assigned