Financial Controller - Manufacturing

Seward, Nebraska | Fully On-Site | $130,000-$170,000 Base

Newly created Controller opportunity with a growing manufacturing operation, strong executive visibility, and significant long-term growth potential.

Position Overview

We are conducting a confidential search for an experienced Financial Controller to support a brand-new dairy beverage processing facility in Seward, Nebraska. The operation is new, but it is backed by an established and successful dairy business, providing both the opportunity to build and the stability of an experienced parent organization.

This role is ideal for a manufacturing accounting professional with deep cost accounting and inventory accounting expertise who is comfortable owning the accounting details, investigating variances, and providing timely, useful information to senior leadership. The strongest candidates will understand how activity inside a plant flows through the accounting records and will be able to identify opportunities to improve accuracy, control costs, and support better decisions.

Key Responsibilities

·  Own full-cycle accounting for the manufacturing operation.

·  Lead month-end close, general ledger activity, account reconciliations, and accounting accuracy.

·  Own and/or lead manufacturing cost accounting, including standards, variances, labor and overhead, product cost, yield/cost drivers, and margin analysis as applicable.

·  Own and/or lead inventory accounting, including valuation, reconciliations, cycle counts and physical inventories, adjustments, reserves, aging/obsolescence, and variance investigation.

·  Maintain effective internal controls and disciplined accounting processes.

·  Prepare timely management reporting for the CFO, COO, Plant Manager, and ownership.

·  Research unusual trends and variances and explain the business drivers behind the numbers.

·  Use financial analysis to identify cost savings, inefficiencies, and opportunities to improve profitability.

·  Work within NetSuite and help improve reporting, visibility, and accounting processes as the business scales.

·  Operate effectively within a growing, hands-on environment where responsibilities will continue to evolve.

Preferred Background

·  Meaningful manufacturing or plant accounting experience.

·  Strong hands-on cost accounting and inventory accounting expertise.

·  Experience with full-cycle accounting, month-end close, general ledger, reconciliations, and controls.

·  Ability to investigate manufacturing variances and understand the operational drivers behind financial results.

·  Strong Excel and ERP/system skills; NetSuite experience is highly valued but not required.

·  Ability to communicate clearly and work effectively with executives, plant leadership, and ownership.

·  High attention to detail, strong follow-through, accountability, and sound judgment.

·  Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field preferred; equivalent depth of relevant experience will be considered.

Relevant Manufacturing Environments

Candidates may come from food and beverage, dairy, CPG, ingredients, protein, agricultural processing, packaging, industrial manufacturing, or other plant-based environments. Direct dairy or beverage experience can be helpful, but the more important requirement is strong manufacturing accounting depth—particularly cost and inventory accounting.

Compensation & Benefits

·  $130,000-$170,000 base salary, depending on experience

·  Annual bonus opportunity

·  100% employer-paid family medical insurance

·  Dental and vision coverage

·  PTO

·  Relocation assistance available

Growth Opportunity

The finance organization is expected to grow alongside the plant and the company's branded-products business. This position offers exposure to the CFO, COO, Plant Manager, and ownership, along with the opportunity to take on broader responsibility as the operation scales.

Location

This is a fully on-site position in Seward, Nebraska. Candidates outside Nebraska who are genuinely open to relocating are encouraged to apply.

Why Consider This Role?

Most Controller opportunities ask you to inherit an established function. This one gives you the opportunity to join early, understand the business before it reaches full production, and help create the accounting discipline a growing manufacturing operation needs. If you're strongest in manufacturing accounting—especially cost and inventory—and want a role with visibility, ownership, and room to grow, this could be an excellent next step.

At Insight Recruitment, we specialize in connecting top professionals in ERP, Information Technology (IT), Sales & Marketing, and Executive leadership with companies that need their skills most.

For over 25 years, we’ve been known as a boutique executive search firm that goes beyond “post and pray” recruiting. Instead, we take a hands-on, personalized approach — directly engaging with passive talent to deliver the right candidates, not just the most available ones.

With a track record of long-term placements and 99% of roles filled within the first 3–5 candidates presented/interviewed, Insight Recruitment has become the trusted partner for organizations across the Midwest and nationwide looking for quality hires who stay and make an impact.