Location: Chattanooga, TN
Industry: Manufacturing – Foam / Polyurethane Production
Company: Confidential
Reports To: Plant Manager
Direct Reports: Senior Accountant and Accounting Clerk
Tier I Automotive Experience Preferred
A confidential Tier I automotive supplier in Chattanooga, TN is seeking a hands-on Plant Controller with strong expertise in manufacturing cost accounting to lead all financial operations for a foam/polyurethane production facility.
This position reports directly to the Plant Manager and serves as a key member of the plant leadership team. The Controller will be responsible for driving financial accuracy, cost discipline, inventory integrity, and operational margin performance in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
This is a leadership role with direct supervision of a Senior Accountant and an Accounting Clerk, ensuring strong internal controls and financial process execution at the plant level.
Lead all plant-level accounting and financial reporting functions
Own and manage standard costing systems, cost rollups, and BOM accuracy
Perform detailed material, labor, scrap, yield, and overhead variance analysis
Analyze manufacturing absorption, inventory valuation, and gross margin performance
Drive cost reduction initiatives in partnership with Operations
Oversee WIP, raw material, and finished goods costing accuracy
Lead inventory controls, cycle counts, and annual physical inventory
Manage monthly close, forecasting, and annual budgeting processes
Support capital expenditure analysis and ROI modeling
Ensure GAAP compliance and strong internal controls
Provide financial insight and cost transparency to plant leadership
Reports directly to the Plant Manager
Directly manages the Senior Accountant and Accounting Clerk
Develops and mentors plant accounting staff
Partners cross-functionally with Operations, Supply Chain, and Corporate Finance
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required (CPA or CMA preferred)
Minimum 5+ years of manufacturing accounting experience
Strong hands-on cost accounting and standard costing expertise required
Tier I automotive manufacturing experience strongly preferred
Experience in foam, polyurethane, plastics, or chemical manufacturing a plus
ERP system experience required
Advanced Excel skills
Experience supporting high-volume, multi-shift production environments
Base Salary: $110,000 – $115,000
Bonus eligible + comprehensive benefits package