Manufacturing Controller - Food Manufacturing

Description

Location: Cameron & Dresser, Wisconsin / Hybrid
Employment Type: Full-Time
Work Arrangement: Hybrid – Onsite approximately 1–2 days per week

Position Summary

Sweet Additions is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Controller to oversee financial operations, reporting, budgeting, cost accounting, and internal controls for our two food manufacturing facilities located in Cameron and Dresser, Wisconsin. This hands-on leadership role will partner closely with plant operations and senior leadership to provide meaningful financial insights, improve profitability, manage costs, and support continued business growth.

The ideal candidate will have strong manufacturing finance and cost accounting experience, preferably within food, food ingredients, or process manufacturing, with demonstrated knowledge of standard costing, inventory, variance analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and plant financial performance.

This position offers a hybrid work arrangement, with the flexibility to work remotely while maintaining an onsite presence at one of our two manufacturing facilities approximately 1–2 days per week. Candidates should be within a reasonable commuting distance and comfortable traveling between Cameron and/or Dresser if needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee accounting and financial operations for two manufacturing facilities.
• Lead month-end and year-end close processes and ensure timely, accurate financial reporting.
• Oversee general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, fixed assets, and inventory accounting.
• Develop, maintain, and analyze standard product and manufacturing costs.
• Analyze manufacturing variances, including material, labor, yield, overhead, and production efficiencies.
• Oversee inventory valuation, reconciliations, cycle counts, and related financial controls.
• Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.
• Monitor manufacturing costs, margins, plant performance, and profitability.
• Partner with leadership at both facilities to provide financial analysis and support operational decision-making.
• Develop and monitor financial and operational KPIs.
• Maintain effective internal controls and ensure compliance with GAAP and company accounting policies.
• Support cash flow and working capital management.
• Coordinate annual audits and work with external auditors, tax professionals, and financial partners.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, systems, reporting, and financial controls.
• Provide financial analysis and strategic recommendations to ownership and senior leadership.
• Lead, develop, and support accounting and finance team members.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field required.
• 5+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including significant manufacturing experience.
• Previous Controller, Assistant Controller, Plant Controller, or senior manufacturing finance experience strongly preferred.
• Strong manufacturing cost accounting experience required.
• Food, food ingredient, beverage, agricultural processing, chemical, or other process-manufacturing experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of standard costing, inventory valuation, manufacturing variances, budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Working knowledge of GAAP and internal controls.
• Experience supporting more than one manufacturing facility preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to turn financial data into actionable business recommendations.
• Strong communication and leadership skills with the ability to partner effectively with plant operations and senior leadership.
• Proficiency with ERP/accounting systems and Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to work onsite at the Cameron or Dresser facilities approximately 1–2 days per week and travel between locations if needed.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for a Controller who understands how manufacturing operations drive financial results. The successful candidate will be comfortable working directly with leadership at both facilities to evaluate costs, yields, labor efficiency, inventory, margins, and overall plant performance.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced manufacturing finance professional seeking a hands-on leadership role with the flexibility of a hybrid work environment.

Requirements