Plant Accountant

Pay Rate: $38.46-$43.27 per hour
Employment Type: Contract-to-Hire
Work Arrangement: Remote with periodic onsite plant support
Facility Location: Newport, TN
Travel: Up to 25% monthly

Position Summary

We are seeking a Plant Accountant to support the financial and operational accounting functions of a manufacturing facility. This position will be responsible for cost accounting, inventory, production reporting, journal entries, reconciliations, plant financial reporting, and support for accounts payable and accounts receivable activities.

The Plant Accountant will work closely with plant leadership, production, operations, vendors, and internal finance teams. The ideal candidate has prior accounting experience in a manufacturing environment and understands how production, labor, inventory, scrap, and overhead affect plant financial performance.

Key Responsibilities

Plant and Cost Accounting

• Prepare and post journal entries related to manufacturing operations, including production, labor, overhead, and inventory transactions
• Coordinate and reconcile production reporting, including units produced, scrap, and manufacturing variances
• Analyze labor hours and manufacturing costs
• Investigate and explain variances against standards and budget
• Support month-end and year-end closing activities for the plant
• Prepare account reconciliations and ensure financial records are accurate

Inventory and Production Support

• Maintain accurate inventory records for raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods
• Partner with production and operations teams to validate inventory movements and production reporting
• Support physical inventory counts and cycle counts
• Investigate and resolve inventory discrepancies
• Monitor inventory reserves, obsolescence, and adjustments
• Help maintain effective inventory controls and reporting processes

Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable

• Support plant-related accounts payable and accounts receivable activities
• Review invoices, accruals, plant expenses, and intercompany transactions
• Ensure plant expenses are processed accurately and within the appropriate accounting period
• Coordinate with vendors and internal stakeholders to resolve discrepancies

Systems and Financial Reporting

• Utilize AS/400, IBM i, SAP, or related systems for production, inventory, and financial transactions
• Prepare and analyze plant financial reports, including profit and loss statements, cost summaries, and variance analyses
• Ensure compliance with internal controls, accounting policies, and audit requirements
• Assist with process improvements and system enhancements related to plant accounting
• Maintain a high level of data accuracy and accountability

Business Partnership

• Serve as a key finance partner to plant management and operations
• Provide financial insight related to production performance, labor, inventory, scrap, and manufacturing costs
• Travel to the manufacturing plant up to 25% monthly to support operations, inventory counts, and cross-functional collaboration

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
• 3-5 years of accounting experience in a manufacturing or plant environment
• Hands-on experience with AS/400, IBM i, SAP, or a comparable ERP system
• Strong understanding of cost accounting, inventory accounting, and manufacturing processes
• Experience preparing journal entries, account reconciliations, and accruals
• Experience supporting accounts payable and accounts receivable functions
• Ability to analyze manufacturing costs and investigate financial variances
• Ability to work remotely with periodic onsite plant support
• Ability to travel up to 25% monthly
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills
• High level of accuracy, ownership, and accountability

Contract-to-Hire Opportunity

This position will begin as an hourly contract assignment with the opportunity to convert to a permanent role based on performance and business needs.