Operations Controller

Position: Operations Controller (Finance)

Location: Waukegan, IL 60087

I am looking for an Operations Controller with 7 years of experience and 3 years of supervisory experience that will report to the Director of Finance Americas for a large global manufacturing company. In this role you will be responsible for overseeing financial planning, analysis, and reporting to ensure efficient and cost-effective operations. The role blends financial management with operational strategy, ensuring that production, supply chain, and regulatory compliance align with business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

• Develop budgets, forecasts, and financial reports for manufacturing operations.
• Monitor costs, margins, and profitability across production units.
• Analyze operational performance metrics and recommend efficiency improvements.
• Review CAPEX projects, prepare financial valuations, and present to senior leadership for review/approval

Cost Control & Efficiency

• Track manufacturing costs (materials, labor, overhead) and identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Analyze cost for inventory, labor, material purchases, and variance analysis and recommendations for improvement.
• Product costing,
• Maintain company's costing standards
• Complete and review inventory reporting for actuals and forecasts.
• Work closely with the supply chain and procurement to optimize costs.
• Implement cost accounting and variance analysis for production expenses.

Operational Oversight & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to FDA, ISO, and other regulatory standards for cGMP device production.
• Collaborate with quality assurance and regulatory teams to maintain compliance.
• Support audits and internal controls for risk management.

Process Improvement & Performance Monitoring

• Use data analytics to optimize manufacturing operations.
• Work with production teams to improve efficiency and reduce waste.
• Implement KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to track and enhance performance.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Act as a bridge between finance, production, supply chain, and senior management.
• Provide insights to support strategic decision-making.
• Ensure that financial objectives align with operational goals.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelors’ Degree Required in Accounting/Finance required, MBA is a plus
• CPA/CMA highly preferred
• Financial acumen (cost accounting, budgeting, financial reporting, quarterly/annual cost rolls).
• Manufacturing & supply chain knowledge (especially in regulated industries).
• Data analysis & ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, or other financial tools).
• Regulatory compliance expertise (FDA, ISO 13485, GMP).
• Strong leadership & communication skills for cross-department collaboration.
• SOX and GAAP regulations and principles

Overview: Sterling Engineering / Staffing has a rich history of delivering top talent to our clients. We are a nationwide Staffing Firm that has been in business for over 55 years. With over 200 currently active clients, Sterling works within the Automation, Energy, Facilities, Information Technology, Food, Logistics / Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Packaging, Life Sciences, Pharmaceuticals, Engineering and R&D industries.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.