The Plant Controller owns finance and controllership at the plant — financial reporting, cost control, budgeting, compliance, working capital, capex monitoring, and quality-linked cost metrics like COPQ and CPU.
This role sits on the plant leadership team, with a solid-line reporting relationship to the Plant Head and a dotted-line relationship to the Head of Finance. You will be the plant's day-to-day finance decision-maker, while staying aligned to corporate finance standards, cadence, and governance.
Your mandate is to make the plant's numbers — cost, quality, cash, and compliance — as disciplined and predictable as the production line itself.
Reports to: Plant Head (solid line)
Dotted line to: Head of Finance
Internal Interfaces: Plant Head, Plant Leadership Team (Production, Quality, Supply Chain), Corporate FP&A, Financial Controller / FinOps
External Interfaces: Statutory & Internal Auditors, Tax Consultants, Capex Vendors / Contractors
Your performance in this role will be measured across the following KRAs:
| KRA | Detailed Activities | Success Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Reporting | Prepare monthly/quarterly MIS, consolidate plant accounts, variance analysis, ensure trial balance accuracy, support management reporting | Reports submitted within deadlines; < 2% error rate |
| Cost Control | Monitor production costs, analyse overheads/utilities, implement cost-saving initiatives, benchmark vs. industry, review BOM/material usage | Cost reduction ≥ X%; Budget variance < 5% |
| Budgeting & Forecasting | Annual budget preparation, rolling forecasts, scenario planning, align with leadership, track actual vs. forecast | Forecast accuracy ±3%; Budget approved on time |
| Compliance & Audit | Ensure statutory compliance, coordinate internal/external audits, maintain documentation, implement audit recommendations, monitor tax filings | Zero non-compliance; Audit closure without major remarks |
| Working Capital Management | Optimize inventory, manage receivables/payables, daily cash flow monitoring, improve credit control | Improved inventory turnover; Receivables ageing reduced by X days |
| Capex Monitoring | Track capital project spend, validate ROI assumptions, ensure approvals, monitor timelines, report deviations | Projects within budget; ROI achieved within planned timeframe |
| Process Improvement | Drive ERP automation, streamline reporting, introduce dashboards, reduce manual work, standardize SOPs | ≥ 2 efficiency projects implemented annually |
| Stakeholder Management | Partner with plant leadership, provide financial insights, support cross-functional teams, conduct finance workshops, build auditor trust | Positive leadership feedback; Finance seen as strategic partner |
| COPQ (Cost of Poor Quality) | Track scrap/rework/warranty claims, quantify quality losses, collaborate with QA to reduce defects, report COPQ trends monthly | COPQ reduced by ≥ X%; COPQ as % of sales < target |
| CPU (Cost per Unit) | Calculate unit manufacturing cost, monitor labor/material/overhead allocation, benchmark CPU vs. industry, drive initiatives to reduce CPU | CPU reduced by ≥ X%; CPU variance vs. budget < 3% |
Mandatory