Plant Accountant

Position Description:

o Bachelor degree in Accounting or Finance, CPA, CMA, or MBA preferable or equivalent, complementary work experience
o Minimum 5 years of progressive experience 2-3 years Accounting firm exp and audit exp, with 2-3 years acctg exp in a manufacturing environment preferred. This would be an ideal promotional opportunity for an assistant controller or cost accountant.
o Strong analytical skills are required to quickly grasp issues impacting the plant’s financial results
o Strong IT aptitude to deliver effective desktop reporting (paperless web-enabled environment), utilize business warehouse tools and MS Excel and PowerPoint for analysis and presentations
o Strong communication and presentation skills are required
o Capable of leading a process team and able to define clear vision, goals, and service standards
o Ability to manage projects, work independently, and communicate effectively to all areas and levels of the location
o Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships across plant and functional organizations.
o Demonstrated customer service orientation



The ideal candidate will have the following qualities: leadership, proactive, visionary, excellent communication skills, resourcefulness, and have the ability to influence management and peer levels.


o Jackson: Annual sales = $115MM; Inventory $20MM; Fixed Assets = $30MM; Avg Headcount = 225

AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY – COMMENTS -
o Requires the intensity, agility and aptitude to successfully manage multiple simultaneous priorities and projects to support a matrix of diverse customers

o Must have a broad enough understanding of the business to be credible, make impactful changes, and support other projects that impact areas outside of accounting and reporting

o Focus on continuous improvement and the elimination of non-valued activities.

o Strong sense of customer service

o Ability to effectively develop people and transfer knowledge down into, and across, the financial and manufacturing organizations

o Must effectively manage and interact in a matrix reporting structure between the EPG financial shared service and local plant management.

o Given the lean financial staffing locally, the incumbent must demonstrate strong technical skills and self confidence to be an effective financial advisor and internal control presence.

o Travel up to 10%.


To Apply Visit Saint Gobain

Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

• Manage the timely and accurate completion of the month-end financial close
• Oversee and reconcile monthly inventory counts
• Demonstrate awareness of all elements of a plant’s financial statements
• Prepare timely account analyses
• Prepare all post closing plant financial analyses, performance reports and meaningful commentary
• Prepare and coordinate the annual budget at the plant level.
• Prepare, maintain and analyze product standard costs (where applicable)
• Support the analytical needs of the Manager of Financial and Cost Analysis, and Group Controller
• Participate as an active member of the local plant management staff to improve plant performance
• Identify issues and proactively initiate analyses / solutions to plant issues
• Ensure compliance with Internal policies and procedures
• Actively support strong internal controls via audits and on-going self-assessments
• Assist in preparation of capital appropriations requests and adherence to procedures
• Support monthly forecast process as required
• Participate in group process improvement, standardization and system implementation projects





DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

25% Plant Management Support
o Active participation in Plant Staff meetings
o Involvement in and support of Plant Review meeting
o Identify and manage process improvement initiatives
o Identify issues and proactively initiate analysis (labor, material usage, spending, etc.)
o Ad hoc analysis and reporting for plant and operations management

Identify and make improvement recommendations


20% Month End Closing:
o Inventory verification and control
o Prepare and post journal entries
o Analysis of financial results
o Account reconciliations
Month-end Analysis and Reporting:
o Prepare month end reports
o Prepare manufacturing variance analysis
o Plant Manager Financial Review
20% Support needs of the Group Controller, Manager Financial & Cost Analysis and Regional Controller
o Prepare ad hoc analysis and reporting upon request
o Perform cost and operating variance analysis
o Assist in planning and analysis of other forecasts
15% Coordinate and assist in the preparation of the annual operating budget
o Analytically review and challenge the budget and all assumptions
o Prepare plant presentation and budget book.
o Load budget details into Cognos; tie budget assumptions to standard costs (where applicable)
10% Ensure proper internal controls and compliance with SGC/EPG policies and procedures
o Coordinate and support annual Self-Assessment review
o Support ICS audit activities, coordinating plant responses and follow-up.
10% Other duties such as:
o Mid-month forecasts
o Prepare and maintain product standard costing

o Oversee and reconcile inventory counts
o Support capital expenditure appropriation request development
o Coordinate and support annual fixed asset desk review, and fixed asset audit process

PROBLEM SOLVING -

This position will need the capacity to meet the needs of a complex, diverse, dynamic and fast paced organization that will pose a wide variety of challenges from a manufacturing level. This position must answer these challenges quickly and accurately, keeping in mind the requirements from GAAP. Although some challenges have standardized answers, many do not, and require creative thought and strong analytical skills to solve. Typically, these questions concern inventory valuation, operational variances, location capacity, etc.