Plant Controller/Cost Accounting

Company / Location Information

A.O. Smith is a global leader applying innovative technologies and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products for residential and light commercial applications. A. O. Smith is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with approximately 12,000 employees at operations in the United States, Canada, China, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Primary Function

Directs and has overall responsibility for general accounting, cost accounting, and budgetary controls of the location. Responsible for appraising operating results in terms of costs, budgets, policies of operations, trends and increased profit opportunities. Ensures accurate financial statements are prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

Responsibilities

• Manage all accounting processes for division and ensure month end close processes are completed timely and in adherence with generally accepted accounting procedures (GAAP)
• Directly supervise and manage employees in the accounting function by directing, allocating, and assigning priority to work, recommending and implementing training, promotions, and other personnel actions.
• Consolidates capital assets and operating budgets, checks appropriation requests against approved budgets for availability of funds prior to commitment; and exercises accounting control to insure that budgeted expenditures do not exceed amounts authorized.
• Interprets operating results as they affect the financial aspects of the corporation and makes specific recommendations which will result in cost reduction and profit improvement.
• Responsible for driving projects to help improve performance and to create accounting processes and accounting controls in a dynamic business environment as the business expands and new business processes are created
• Support the plant manager and team on all aspects of analysis and financial support
• Work with the Purchasing, Production and Warehouse team on inventory related issues
• Responsible to maintain accurate cost data within the SAP system
• Interpret the financial data to make appropriate recommendations to management about financial matters.
• Responsible for coordination and successful completion of annual cost roll.
• Responsible for developing annual overhead standards and periodically reviewing those standards.
• Maintain a professional working relationship with other departments to correct and improve procedures to reflect accurate manufactured products cost.
• Other responsibilities may be assigned as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, with preference for a CPA
• 8 years related work experience or training and past experience as a cost accountant required.
• 2 years of supervisory/leadership experience

Additional Qualifications:

• Strong leadership experience in managing the performance of subordinate accounting staff.
• Strong ability to prioritize work with minimal supervision and work in cross-functional teams.
• Advanced knowledge of GAAP.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and accounting software, preferably SAP
• Strong sense of judgment, decision making, and complex problem solving.
• Strong communication skills, both orally and written, especially communication of financial results and information
• Strong attention to detail and high organization skills
• Strong business and financial acumen

Education

We Offer

Competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits plans which include medical and dental insurance, company-sponsored life insurance, retirement security savings plan, short- and long-term disability programs and tuition assistance.

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ADA Statement & EEO Statement

In developing this job description care was taken to include all competencies needed to successfully perform in this position. However, for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) purposes, the essential functions of the job may or may not have been described for purposes of ADA reasonable accommodation. All reasonable accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

We consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, marital or military status. We also provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local law.