Job Description

Plant Controller

Location: Waterloo, Iowa

Employment Type: Direct Hire | Full-Time

Work Arrangement: Hybrid (Local candidates only)

Compensation: $80,000 – $100,000 base + performance bonus

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer

Direct Reports: 2

Position Overview

HireNow Staffing is confidentially partnering with a manufacturing organization in the Waterloo region seeking a seasoned Plant Controller to lead financial oversight at the plant level while serving as a strategic partner to operations leadership.

This role requires a financially disciplined leader with strong cost accounting expertise, manufacturing exposure, and a stable career progression. Candidates with frequent short-term employment history will not be considered. The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to translate financial data into actionable operational insight.

This position follows a hybrid schedule but requires consistent onsite presence and local residency within commuting distance.

Core Responsibilities

Financial Leadership & Oversight

• Direct all plant-level accounting functions including general ledger oversight, reconciliations, accruals, and close processes.

• Ensure financial reporting accuracy in compliance with GAAP and internal policies.

• Maintain and strengthen internal controls to protect company assets and ensure regulatory compliance.

• Serve as the primary liaison for internal and external audit activity.

Cost Accounting & Manufacturing Analysis

• Lead standard costing processes, variance analysis, and inventory valuation oversight.

• Investigate discrepancies in labor, material, overhead, and scrap reporting.

• Analyze operational performance data including yield, production efficiency, and cost drivers.

• Provide financial clarity around production performance and recommend corrective actions.

Budgeting & Strategic Planning

• Partner with plant leadership to develop annual operating budgets and forecasts.

• Conduct capital expenditure analysis, ROI modeling, and financial scenario planning.

• Evaluate financial impact of automation investments, new product introductions, and process changes.

• Identify cost reduction opportunities and track realized savings.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Collaborate closely with production, supply chain, and engineering teams to align financial and operational goals.

• Provide financial interpretation of plant performance metrics to non-financial leaders.

• Support tax compliance activities including property, sales/use, and corporate filings as applicable.

Team Leadership

• Supervise and develop accounting staff.

• Ensure workload allocation, training, and performance management of direct reports.

• Promote a culture of accountability, data accuracy, and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications (Non-Negotiable)

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, or related field.

• Minimum 3+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience.

• Minimum 2+ years of cost accounting exposure within a manufacturing environment.

• Strong working knowledge of GAAP, internal controls, and audit processes.

• Demonstrated ERP system experience.

• Advanced proficiency in Excel including financial modeling.

• Proven employment stability with consistent tenure in prior roles.

• Ability to work hybrid while maintaining regular onsite presence in Waterloo, Iowa.

Preferred Qualifications (Strongly Emphasized)

• CPA, CMA, or MBA.

• Prior experience reporting directly to executive leadership.

• Manufacturing environment with standard costing and variance management experience.

• Leadership or supervisory experience overseeing accounting staff.

• Demonstrated success partnering with operations to reduce cost and improve margin performance.

Candidate Profile

We are seeking professionals who:

• Operate as both financial steward and operational partner.

• Are comfortable challenging assumptions with data-backed insights.

• Understand manufacturing cost structures deeply.

• Communicate effectively across finance and plant leadership.

• Value long-term stability and growth within a manufacturing organization.

Deal Breakers

• No manufacturing cost accounting experience.

• Public accounting background without plant-level exposure.

• No ERP system experience.

• Unstable work history with multiple short-term roles.

• Unwillingness to work onsite on a consistent basis.

HireNow Staffing Disclaimer

HireNow Staffing is acting as a direct placement partner for this role. All candidate information is handled confidentially and evaluated against defined requirements. This job description outlines the general scope of responsibilities and qualifications. Duties may evolve based on client needs and business growth. Only candidates meeting the core qualifications will be considered for interview.

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