Plant Accountant

ROLE:

The Plant Accountant is a visible, hands-on accounting and finance partner to plant leadership and Corporate Finance. This role is responsible for accurate plant-level transactional accounting, cost accounting support, timely operational and financial reporting, and strong internal controls within the manufacturing environment. The Plant Accountant reports to the Corporate CFO and works closely with plant management to provide relevant insights, budgeting support, and KPI reporting that drive operational performance and financial accuracy.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Prepare and distribute weekly plant performance metrics (KPIs) and provide basic variance commentary for plant management.

- Perform monthly close for plant operations by preparing and reviewing plant journal entries, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules (materials, labor, and overhead).

- Maintain and reconcile key inventory-related accounts (raw materials, WIP, finished goods, and manufacturing variances – spending, materials purchase price and usage, efficiencies, throughput) on a monthly basis; investigate and explain significant variances.

- Ensure accuracy and timeliness of plant transactional processing in the ERP system (receipts, issues, production reporting, labor

- reporting, scrap, transfers, and inventory adjustments).

- Maintain standard costs for raw materials and components in ERP and quoting systems; assist with periodic updates of shop rates and burden rates as directed by Corporate Finance.

- Coordinate physical inventory counts and support the cycle count program; provide analysis of count differences and recommendations to improve inventory accuracy and process discipline.

- Assist plant and Corporate Finance with annual budgeting, periodic forecasts, and cost/volume/profit analysis (as needed).

- Support capital expenditure tracking by ensuring proper coding, documentation, and reconciliation of capital projects; assist with basic payback/ROI calculations when requested.

- Partner with plant operations to improve data integrity and reporting (routings/BOMs, labor standards, scrap reporting, and production metrics); participate in continuous improvement initiatives.

- Prepare and maintain documentation for key plant accounting processes and internal controls; assist with internal and external audit requests.

- Perform other duties and improvement projects as assigned by Corporate or Plant Management.

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

- Demonstrate a solid understanding of cost accounting fundamentals and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) as they apply to manufacturing operations.

- Deliver accurate and timely reconciliations, reports, and analyses; escalate issues and collaborate with others to ensure thorough review and resolution.

- Maintain a regular presence, interaction, and provide guidance on the shop floor to understand processes, support operational reporting, and improve transaction accuracy.

- Promote strong internal controls and compliance with company policies and procedures; ensure documentation is current and followed.

- Manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.

- Work in a safe manner and follow all safety rules and procedures.

- Live Advance’s core values.

MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS POSITION:

- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, production & operations management, or related field (required).

- Manufacturing cost accounting coursework or certification is a plus.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS POSITION:

- Two (2) to five (5) years of accounting experience, preferably in a manufacturing environment.

- Hands-on experience with ERP systems and plant transaction processing (inventory, production, and cost-related transactions).

- Practical experience and working knowledge of inventory control practices, physical inventory processes, and variance analysis.

- Experience supporting month-end close, account reconciliations, and management reporting.

REQUIRED OUTSIDE TRAINING/CERTIFICATIONS/REGISTRATIONS FOR THIS POSITION:

Authorization to work in the U.S. without sponsorship

CRITICAL SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION:

- Hands on experience working with and developing processes for use in a fully integrated ERP system (Infor/CSI, SAP, Epicor, Oracle)

- Strong Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups, basic modeling and reconciliation techniques).

- Clear written and verbal communication skills; ability to explain variances and issues to both operations and finance audiences.

- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with a detail-oriented mindset.

- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a team-oriented environment.

- Ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks with tight deadlines.

- Ability to act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.

- Comfortable working in a manufacturing environment and partnering with operations on the shop floor.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The work environment characteristics and associated physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

- Must be able to lift 25 pounds at times.

- Must be able to access and navigate each department at the organization’s facilities.

- Travel (less than 10% annually) may be required for plant support, training, and professional development.