What are the responsibilities and job description for the Plant Controller position at Ahlstrom?
Company Description
Ahlstrom is a global leader in fiber-based materials, offering innovative and sustainable solutions across three divisions: Filtration and Life Sciences, Food and Consumer Packaging, and Protective Materials. With a vision to be the Preferred Sustainable Specialty Materials Company, Ahlstrom aims to address global trends with safe and sustainable products. The company had net sales of EUR 3.0 billion in 2023 and employs approximately 7,000 people worldwide.
Role Description
This is a full-time hybrid role as a Plant Controller at Ahlstrom in De Pere, WI, with flexibility for remote work. The Plant Controller will be responsible for managing financial statements, fixed assets, cost accounting, and utilizing analytical skills to support the finance function of the organization.
Essential Functions and Primary Responsibilities:
- Ensure cost center accounting and standard cost accuracy
- Be responsible for planning, accounting, and reporting for the plant
- Ensure inventories (count and valuation) are accurate
- Support plant organization for more cost-effective operations
- Help Business Unit in profitability analysis
- Ensure the correctness of the periodic accruals
- Act as Financial contact for external and internal stakeholders working for local compliance
- Provide strategic management of the cost accounting functions.
- Analyze production variances
- Ensure the plant has an efficient internal control framework in place.
- Prepare ad-hoc analysis and reports
- Provide timely detailed production variance analysis
- Monthly, quarterly and year-end reporting, according to deadlines to support
- Provide product cost calculations for purchased or manufactured products as needed
- Forecast plant results according to group processes and rules (FC, AP)
- Support working capital management
- Provide investment analysis, including actual pay-back of closed projects
- Identify and monitor cost savings opportunities
- Support continuous improvement programs
- Analyze and report the total result of the plant
- Responsible for inventory accuracy and valuation
- Key contact to local auditors
Minimum Occupational Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Business/Economics, Accounting or equivalent
- Minimum of five years of relevant work experience in cost accounting and standard costing in a manufacturing company
- Some work experience in an auditing company is an asset
- Proficient with ERP Systems (JD Edwards or SAP preferred), Excel, and IT tools in general (HFM, OrderPlan, Microsoft Office, etc.)
- Ability to learn and work with software systems
- Ability to handle confidential information
- Excellent professional, written, and verbal communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal, analytical, and statistical skills
- Experience in a team-based environment
- High level of initiative and independence in managing responsibilities
- Able to manage the details while being able to discuss business issues
