Plant Financial Controlling Executive ( Costing Systems & Performance )

Direct Reporting: Head of Finance Dotted-Line Reporting: Plant Manager The Plant Controller will be an active member of the Plant Management Team while maintaining functional alignment with Finance. Position SummaryWe are looking for an experienced and hands-on Plant Controller to take ownership of the plant’s financial controlling, manufacturing cost accounting and performance management activities.The role will lead the implementation and continuous improvement of the ERP-based manufacturing costing system, including the allocation of labor, energy, utilities, maintenance and manufacturing overheads. Acting as the Finance and Controlling Key User, the Plant Controller will ensure the system’s accuracy, governance, sustainability and effective use.The Plant Controller will also own the monthly actual-cost closing process, perform detailed variance analysis and constructively challenge relevant stakeholders to identify root causes and drive corrective actions.Working closely with the Plant Manager and all plant functions, the role will provide financial insights, KPI reporting and early-warning mechanisms to support productivity, cost optimization and continuous improvement.Key ResponsibilitiesPlant Controlling & Business PartnershipAct as the primary finance business partner to the Plant Manager and Plant Management Team.Monitor plant financial performance, including production costs, conversion costs, overheads, capacity utilization and profitability.Prepare and present monthly plant performance reports with clear financial and operational commentary.Analyze actual results against budget, forecast, standard cost and prior year.Provide timely insights, early warnings and recommendations to support management decisions.Support annual budgeting, forecasting and standard-cost processes.Constructively challenge operational assumptions while maintaining independent financial oversight.ERP Costing System & Key User ResponsibilitiesLead the design, configuration, testing, implementation and continuous improvement of the ERP-based manufacturing costing system.Translate production processes and cost flows into appropriate ERP costing structures.Define and maintain cost centers, cost elements, activity types, activity prices, allocation cycles and cost drivers.Establish system-based allocation methodologies for labor, energy, utilities, maintenance and general manufacturing overheads.Ensure that standard costing, actual costing, overhead absorption and variance-analysis processes operate accurately within the ERP system.Act as the plant’s Finance and Controlling Key User and process owner for manufacturing costing.Coordinate costing requirements and system improvements between Finance, plant functions and IT.Validate ERP costing outputs against operational data, inventory records and the general ledger.Ensure the accuracy and timely maintenance of costing-related master data and system parameters.Maintain process documentation, user guidance and internal controls.Train relevant users and develop backup users to ensure business continuity.Conduct periodic system-health reviews and drive automation, standardization and simplification opportunities.Monthly Actual-Cost ClosingTake full ownership of the monthly actual manufacturing cost-closing process.Execute and control cost allocations, activity-price calculations, overhead absorption, work-in-progress calculations and production-order settlements.Ensure that labor, energy, utilities, maintenance and manufacturing overheads are completely and accurately allocated.Validate production quantities, material consumption, labor and machine hours, energy usage, scrap and yield data before closing.Reconcile actual manufacturing costs with the general ledger, inventory records and production data.Identify and resolve incomplete postings, incorrect allocations and master-data issues before finalizing the close.Prepare reconciliation bridges between standard cost, budget, forecast and actual cost.Work closely with Accounting to ensure the accurate and timely closing of plant-related accounts.Cost Accounting & Variance ManagementOwn the plant’s manufacturing cost accounting process.Calculate and maintain standard costs for materials, packaging, labor, energy, machine hours and manufacturing overheads.Analyze material price and usage, labor rate and efficiency, energy, overhead, yield, scrap, volume, capacity and product-mix variances.Monitor cost per unit, conversion costs, production efficiency and product profitability.Determine the root cause, financial impact and responsible function for significant variances.Present results to the Plant Manager and relevant department managers with fact-based commentary.Constructively challenge responsible functions on significant or recurring deviations.Agree corrective actions, owners and target dates, and monitor implementation.Escalate unresolved or recurring issues to the Plant Management Team.Validate the financial benefits of corrective actions and improvement initiatives.Reflect relevant findings in standards, budgets, forecasts and operational improvement plans.KPI Reporting & Early-Warning SystemsDesign and maintain plant financial and operational KPI reports and management dashboards.Establish early-warning mechanisms, exception reports and thresholds to identify unfavorable trends and emerging risks.Monitor material usage, scrap, yield, labor efficiency, overtime, energy consumption, downtime, capacity utilization, overhead absorption, inventory and conversion costs.Translate KPI deviations into clear financial impacts and actionable recommendations.Ensure that KPI definitions, data sources and calculation methodologies are documented and consistently applied.Follow up corrective actions with responsible departments and report their financial and operational results.Inventory, Working Capital & ComplianceMonitor inventory valuation and ensure compliance with accounting policies.Analyze inventory movements, variances, slow-moving and obsolete inventory.Support physical inventory counts and reconcile physical, operational and financial records.Monitor working capital performance and identify improvement opportunities.Ensure the integrity and accuracy of plant financial and operational data.Maintain auditable documentation for costing calculations, allocations and system processes.Support internal and external audits and follow up related corrective actions.Continuous Improvement & Value CreationPartner with Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Procurement, Planning, Warehousing, Human Resources and IT.Identify productivity, efficiency and cost-saving opportunities through financial and operational analysis.Support Lean Manufacturing, waste reduction and loss-analysis initiatives.Quantify and track the financial benefits of improvement projects.Support make-or-buy decisions, capacity analysis and product-mix optimization.Participate in CAPEX business cases, investment evaluations and post-investment reviews.Promote cost awareness, data ownership and financial accountability across plant functions.Candidate ProfileBachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration or a related field.Minimum five years of experience in financial controlling, cost accounting or manufacturing finance.Strong experience in plant controlling and manufacturing environments.FMCG or similar fast-paced production experience is a significant advantage.Demonstrated experience in establishing or significantly improving a manufacturing costing system.Strong knowledge of standard costing, actual costing, cost allocation, overhead absorption, variance analysis and inventory accounting.Practical ERP experience in allocating labor, energy, utilities, maintenance and manufacturing overheads.Experience in monthly actual-cost closing and production-order settlement.Experience as a Finance or Controlling ERP Key User is strongly preferred.Strong understanding of manufacturing operations and their financial impact.Experience in KPI dashboards, exception reporting and early-warning mechanisms.Advanced Excel and strong ERP knowledge; business intelligence tool experience is preferred.Strong analytical, communication and stakeholder-management skills.Ability to constructively challenge stakeholders and drive accountability without direct authority.Hands-on, proactive and solution-oriented working style.