Financial Controller

IPL is a global leading sustainable packaging solutions provider that manufactures specialty rigid packaging products used in the food, consumer, agricultural, logistics and environmental markets. We have over 2,500 colleagues in 18 manufacturing facilities, one corporate office and two R&D facilities across Canada, the U.S., Ireland, the U.K., Belgium and China. IPL operates in a fast paced and dynamic environment and has significand growth plans acquiring four business in the last year.

Read more about our story at: www.iplglobal.com.

Location: Shelbyville, NA

Job Title: Financial Controller

Position Summary

The mission of the Regional Controller role is to help the Shelbyville’s operations team make the most informed decisions for the benefit of IPL NA.

As the site’s financial business partner, the Regional Controller advises and supports the Plant Manager, proactively identifies improvements, determines, and implements short- and long-term strategies concerning profitability, efficiency, and other matters.

As the Regional Controller, you’ll be responsible for leading and performing all finance operations associated with manufacturing operations. This role ensures adequate policies, controls, and procedures needed for the protection of company assets are in place, maintained and followed. The Regional Controller provides accurate and timely financial information and analysis that allows management to make rational and data-based decisions.

The Regional Controller proactively finds trends and opportunities in performance that can be leveraged for material growth opportunities and/or cost reductions. This business leader will work closely with other cross-functional leaders (Commercial, R&D, Supply Chain, Operations) to highlight opportunities, track progress and to flag performance challenges, to deliver on the Company's long-term growth and profitability plans.

The Regional Controller will be responsible for financial and accounting matters including general ledger closing, planning, and budgeting, cost accounting, inventory control, financial reporting, variance analysis, fixed assets, capital projects and forecasting of working capital and cash flow.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Perform monthly closing of financials for facility in accordance with GAAP/IFRS/internal accounting policies with full income statement, balance sheet and cash flow responsibility for plant location.
• Prepare and/or review all journal entries and account reconciliations on a monthly basis, including complex correcting journals or analytical schedules that support reserves
• Review, understand and communicate monthly all significant variances and interpretation of plant operating results to Plant and Division Leadership
• Frequently analyze plant financial data, including cost center reports, activity rates, variances, and inventory valuation. Prepare flux analysis (actual vs. budget) and other ad hoc financial analysis as needed.
• Inventory Control, including obsolescence monitoring & inventory turn analysis. Improve inventory accuracy by managing inventory control systems including cycle counts & physical inventories where needed; maintain records to document and explain variances and write-offs.
• Lead and prepare annual budget and monthly forecasts, comparing projected results to prior year, budget, and previous forecasts.
• Fixed Assets, safeguarding & tracking, creation of YTD capital spending project analysis.
• Apply cost accounting reviews, monitor, and analyze production standards including manufacturing variances. Lead initiatives to drive efficiencies which reduce manufacturing variances vs. standard costs (scrap, yield) and variable spend variances.
• Liaison & primary communicant to corporate finance.
• Enforce, support, and seek to enhance the procedures around internal controls through cooperation and collaboration with the Internal Audit team.
• Assist plant management with the identification of and participate in cost savings improving projects; monitor and report actual cost savings progress toward budget.
• Provides proactive / unsolicited consultation, interpretation, and education of complex financial and operational matters to various departmental leaders used to drive business.
• Support accounting policy implementation and training of plant accounting personnel.
• Prepare reports for tax and regulatory agencies as required and participate in all audits as required.

Additional information (including specialized qualifications / skills)

• CPA Preferred but not required, bachelor’s in accounting required
• At least 3 years of experience working in a manufacturing environment with plant managers and other business partners, with an emphasis on cost analysis and managerial accounting
• At least 3 years of US GAAP manufacturing operation accounting experience required
• Experience in assisting with development of financial justifications for capital expenditures and performance improvement projects
• Microsoft Excel skills to include the ability to create spreadsheets (e.g., formulas such as V-lookup, graphs, pivot tables)
• Excellent verbal and written skills necessary in order to communicate intricate job-related processes to internal stakeholders
• Self-starter, with proven analytical problem solving abilities
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to think strategically and creatively to develop new ideas and solutions
• Organizational skills including the ability to prioritize workload to meet deadlines
• Ability to perform duties with minimal supervision
• Works well in a team environment, working towards the common goal of the plant and the division as a whole
• Must be able to effectively handle multiple projects simultaneously in a deadline-driven environment