About this opportunity
Robert Half lists this Controller opportunity in morris county, New Jersey. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Position Overview
We are seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Controller to lead accounting and financial oversight for our manufacturing operations, with a strong focus on cost of goods sold (COGS), inventory, standard costing, and operational finance . This role is ideal for a finance leader who enjoys working closely with operations, supply chain, and leadership to improve visibility into product costs, inventory accuracy, gross margin, and overall financial performance.
This is not a Plant Controller role . Rather than serving as the financial lead for a single facility, this position provides broader accounting and financial control across manufacturing-related processes, inventory, costing, and reporting.
Key Responsibilities
Own the accounting and financial reporting related to inventory, COGS, cost accounting, and manufacturing operations
Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close activities for manufacturing-related accounts
Analyze and reconcile raw materials, work-in-process, finished goods, reserves, variances, and inventory movement
Oversee and improve standard costing , product costing, BOM accuracy, labor and overhead allocations, and variance analysis
Review and explain purchase price variance, production variance, labor variance, overhead variance, scrap, and obsolescence
Partner with operations and supply chain teams to ensure accurate inventory transactions and strong cost controls
Monitor inventory valuation and reserves, including excess and obsolete inventory analysis
Support physical inventory counts, cycle counts, and inventory audit readiness
Ensure accurate financial treatment of manufacturing transactions, including absorption accounting and inventory capitalization
Prepare margin, profitability, and cost trend analyses to support decision-making
Help develop and maintain internal controls over inventory and manufacturing accounting processes
Partner with FP&A, operations, procurement, and leadership on budgeting, forecasting, and operational improvement initiatives
Drive process improvements in ERP usage, reporting, and month-end close efficiency
Support external audit requests and compliance with accounting policies and standards
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
5+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience, with significant exposure to manufacturing accounting, inventory, and cost accounting
Strong knowledge of COGS, inventory valuation, standard costing, variances, and GAAP
Experience in a manufacturing environment required
Strong understanding of ERP systems, inventory modules, and reporting tools
Advanced Excel skills and strong analytical capabilities
Ability to work cross-functionally with operations, supply chain, and executive leadership
Strong attention to detail, accountability, and process-improvement mindset
CPA, CMA, or MBA is a plus
Preferred Background
Experience with standard cost systems , BOMs, routings, and overhead absorption
Background in inventory-intensive or multi-product manufacturing environments
Experience improving controls and visibility around inventory accuracy and gross margin
Comfortable operating in a role that blends technical accounting, operational finance, and business partnership
What Success Looks Like
Inventory balances are accurate, well-supported, and tightly controlled
COGS and margin reporting are timely, reliable, and actionable
Variances are clearly analyzed and communicated to leadership
Manufacturing accounting processes are efficient, disciplined, and audit-ready
Operations leaders have stronger visibility into cost drivers and profitability
Ideal Candidate
You are a hands-on, detail-oriented manufacturing accounting leader who knows how to dig into inventory, costing, and margin performance. You are just as comfortable reviewing reconciliations and journal entries as you are partnering with operations to understand what is driving variances. You bring strong technical accounting skills, but you also think like a business partner focused on improving performance.
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Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.