Plant Controller

Alphia•Bern, KS

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Job Purpose The Plant Controller is the senior on-site finance leader and a hands-on business partner to the Plant Manager and plant leadership team. This role owns the financial performance of the manufacturing facility, with a strong focus on cost control, yield optimization, scrap reduction, and accurate financial reporting. The Plant Controller provides real-time financial insight to support safe, efficient, and profitable pet food production. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Financial Planning, Analysis, and Reporting Own the site P&L and provide daily, weekly, and monthly financial visibility to plant leadership. Lead the annual operating budget and rolling forecast process, including volume, mix, labor, overhead, yield, and capital planning. Own the plant month-end close process, including accruals, journal entries, account reconciliations, and variance explanations in accordance with corporate deadlines. Prepare and present monthly financial results to plant and supply chain leadership, including key risks, opportunities, and corrective action plans. Manage the site CapEx process, including business case development, ROI analysis, spend tracking, and post-implementation reviews. Cost Accounting, Yield, and Inventory Control Maintain and continuously improve standard costing for all finished goods, raw materials, labor, and overhead. Analyze manufacturing variances, including usage, yield, rate, mix, absorption, and formulation losses; partner with operations to drive corrective actions. Serve as the financial owner of yield, scrap, and rework performance, with specific focus on ingredient loss, over/under formulation, and process waste unique to pet food manufacturing. Quantify the financial impact of quality holds, ingredient downgrades, and product disposition decisions. Lead inventory control activities, including cycle counts, physical inventories, and reconciliation of inventory adjustments. Ensure accurate inventory valuation and proactive management of slow-moving, obsolete, or at-risk inventory. Operations Partnership and Daily Decision Support Act as the primary financial advisor to the Plant Manager and operations leadership. Provide real-time financial analysis to support production scheduling, labor deployment, overtime usage, throughput trade-offs, and formulation changes. Partner with Production, R&D, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure BOMs, recipes, and routings accurately reflect actual plant operations and yield assumptions. Support new product introductions, reformulations, and process changes by assessing cost, yield, and margin impact. Translate operational KPIs (OEE, yields, scrap, waste, cost per pound/ton) into clear financial outcomes for plant leadership. Forecasting and Performance Management Drive forecast accuracy by partnering with operations to understand volume, mix, yield, and cost drivers. Develop, monitor, and report key financial and operational performance indicators, highlighting trends, risks, and improvement opportunities. Track, validate, and report savings from continuous improvement, waste reduction, and yield optimization initiatives. Systems, Controls, and Compliance Serve as the site financial system owner, ensuring accuracy of ERP master data, including item costs, BOMs, routings, and inventory transactions. Maintain strong internal controls across purchasing, inventory, fixed assets, payroll, and production reporting. Partner with Corporate Finance, Internal Audit, and external auditors during reviews and audits. Ensure compliance with company policies, GAAP, food manufacturing regulatory requirements, and internal control standards. Actively support plant safety, food quality, and regulatory compliance initiatives through financial accountability and governance. Alphia is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Responsibilities

Financial Planning, Analysis, and Reporting
Own the site P&L and provide daily, weekly, and monthly financial visibility to plant leadership.
Lead the annual operating budget and rolling forecast process, including volume, mix, labor, overhead, yield, and capital planning.
Own the plant month-end close process, including accruals, journal entries, account reconciliations, and variance explanations in accordance with corporate deadlines.
Prepare and present monthly financial results to plant and supply chain leadership, including key risks, opportunities, and corrective action plans.
Manage the site CapEx process, including business case development, ROI analysis, spend tracking, and post-implementation reviews.
Cost Accounting, Yield, and Inventory Control
Maintain and continuously improve standard costing for all finished goods, raw materials, labor, and overhead.
Analyze manufacturing variances, including usage, yield, rate, mix, absorption, and formulation losses; partner with operations to drive corrective actions.
Serve as the financial owner of yield, scrap, and rework performance, with specific focus on ingredient loss, over/under formulation, and process waste unique to pet food manufacturing.
Quantify the financial impact of quality holds, ingredient downgrades, and product disposition decisions.
Lead inventory control activities, including cycle counts, physical inventories, and reconciliation of inventory adjustments.
Ensure accurate inventory valuation and proactive management of slow-moving, obsolete, or at-risk inventory.
Operations Partnership and Daily Decision Support
Act as the primary financial advisor to the Plant Manager and operations leadership.
Provide real-time financial analysis to support production scheduling, labor deployment, overtime usage, throughput trade-offs, and formulation changes.
Partner with Production, R&D, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure BOMs, recipes, and routings accurately reflect actual plant operations and yield assumptions.
Support new product introductions, reformulations, and process changes by assessing cost, yield, and margin impact.
Translate operational KPIs (OEE, yields, scrap, waste, cost per pound/ton) into clear financial outcomes for plant leadership.
Forecasting and Performance Management
Drive forecast accuracy by partnering with operations to understand volume, mix, yield, and cost drivers.
Develop, monitor, and report key financial and operational performance indicators, highlighting trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
Track, validate, and report savings from continuous improvement, waste reduction, and yield optimization initiatives.
Systems, Controls, and Compliance
Serve as the site financial system owner, ensuring accuracy of ERP master data, including item costs, BOMs, routings, and inventory transactions.
Maintain strong internal controls across purchasing, inventory, fixed assets, payroll, and production reporting.
Partner with Corporate Finance, Internal Audit, and external auditors during reviews and audits.
Ensure compliance with company policies, GAAP, food manufacturing regulatory requirements, and internal control standards.
Actively support plant safety, food quality, and regulatory compliance initiatives through financial accountability and governance.