Plant Financial Controlling Executive – Costing Systems & Performance

About the role

We are looking for an experienced, hands‑on Plant Controller to own the plant’s financial controlling, manufacturing cost accounting and performance management activities. The role leads the design, implementation and continuous improvement of an ERP‑based manufacturing costing system and drives the monthly actual‑cost closing process, providing financial insights and KPI reporting to support productivity and cost optimisation.

Key responsibilities

• Act as the primary finance business partner to the Plant Manager, monitoring production costs, conversion costs, overheads and profitability, and presenting monthly performance reports.
• Lead the design, configuration, testing and continuous improvement of the ERP costing system, defining cost centers, activity types, allocation cycles and cost drivers.
• Own the monthly actual‑cost closing process, including cost allocations, overhead absorption, work‑in‑progress calculations and production‑order settlements.
• Maintain standard costs, perform variance analysis across material, labor, energy and overhead, and drive corrective actions.
• Design and maintain financial and operational KPI dashboards, early‑warning mechanisms and exception reporting.
• Monitor inventory valuation, working‑capital performance and ensure compliance with accounting policies.
• Partner with production, maintenance, engineering and supply‑chain functions to identify cost‑saving opportunities and support continuous‑improvement initiatives.

Required profile

• Bachelor’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, preferably in an FMCG or fast‑paced production environment.
• Proven experience 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, production‑order settlement and acting as a Finance/Controlling ERP key user.

Required skills

• ERP costing system implementation and maintenance
• Cost accounting
• Standard costing
• Variance analysis
• Inventory accounting