Plant Controller
$135,000–$155,000 + 10–15% Bonus
Onsite | Wheeling, IL (some flexibility available)
Our client, a leading private label and contract food manufacturer, is seeking a Plant Controller to support one of its manufacturing facilities. This is a highly visible role reporting to the Director of Manufacturing Finance and serving as a strategic financial partner to plant leadership.
Our client has built a strong reputation in frozen pizza, salad dressing, and BBQ sauce manufacturing. The company offers a collaborative culture, strong operational leadership, and long-term growth potential within a stable and expanding organization.
Why Join as the Plant Controller?
- High-impact role with ownership of plant financial performance
- Opportunity to make the role your own in a collaborative environment
- Strong company culture with a team-oriented atmosphere
- Clear long-term growth and succession opportunities
- Stable organization with strong benefits
Key Responsibilities for the Plant Controller
- Lead all plant financial activities, including budgeting, forecasting, and month-end close
- Monitor and analyze manufacturing variances, providing actionable recommendations to improve plant performance
- Generate and maintain plant manufacturing budgets related to labor, material yields, operating outputs, and departmental spending
- Review weekly and period-end operational performance reports with plant leadership
- Partner with operations teams to identify cost reduction opportunities across materials, labor, inventory, and overhead expenses
- Verify inventory valuation accuracy and monitor inventory adjustments
- Maintain internal controls over factory assets, including raw materials, supplies, equipment, and capital assets
- Support and guide ERP system usage and maintenance (JustFood experience is a plus)
- Assist with monthly operating presentations to senior leadership
- Ensure compliance with accounting policies, internal controls, and manufacturing finance procedures
Qualifications for the Plant Controller
- 7+ years of accounting and finance experience with at least 2 years of true Plant Controller experience
- Strong background in food manufacturing or CPG manufacturing environments
- Hands-on experience with inventory management, costing, and manufacturing variance analysis
- Proven experience owning plant budgets, forecasts, and month-end close processes
- Strong analytical and Excel skills with the ability to work comfortably in large data sets
- ERP system experience required; JustFood experience preferred but not required
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance preferred
- Strong communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally with operations leadership
- Experience in manufacturing environments with GMP standards preferred
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