Plant Controller

Location

Guelph, Ontario

Company

Original Composites & Fiberglass

Employment

Full-time, Permanent

Compensation

$114,000 - $150,000 Paid Bi-Monthly

 

ABOUT OCF

Join Original Composites & Fiberglass, The Original Composites Company™, a leading global provider of solutions for the growing composites industry as we build on more than 85 years of material innovation. Our 4,000 employees across 12 countries share a commitment to redefining what is possible for our customers in energy, transportation, infrastructure, defense, and consumer goods. Guided by our core values of Passion, Ownership, and Team Spirit, the Guelph plant has produced glass fiber reinforcements, including Wet Use Chopped Strands (WUCS) and Continuous Filament Mat (CFM), in the heart of the city since 1951.

 

POSITION SUMMARY

We have an immediate opening for a Permanent Plant Controller to provide financial and functional leadership for our Guelph facility. This posting is for an existing vacancy. Reporting to the Plant Leader, with a dotted-line relationship to the Regional Manufacturing Finance Leader, the Plant Controller is a member of the Guelph Leadership Team and the finance point of contact for both the Guelph and Wixom, Michigan facilities.  This hands-on role leads plant accounting, planning, forecasting, performance analysis, inventory accounting, capital governance and internal controls. The position also leads the Guelph Sourcing and Supply Chain function , translating operating performance into clear financial insight and helping plant leaders make timely, fact-based decisions.

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead with safety, ethics and strong controls

• Champion the plant’s safety culture and integrate safety considerations into financial and business decisions.
• Maintain high standards of integrity, confidentiality, compliance and professional judgement.
• Establish and sustain effective internal controls, segregation of duties, approval processes and documentation.
• Ensure compliance with company accounting policies, local statutory requirements and applicable financial standards.

Deliver accurate reporting and actionable insight

• Lead month-end, quarter-end and year-end close processes, ensuring accurate and timely plant results.
• Prepare, review and explain financial statements, operating results, balance-sheet accounts, accruals and reconciliations.
• Ensure the accuracy of manufacturing costs, standard costs, inventory valuation, reserves and related transactions.
• Identify trends, risks, opportunities, control gaps and accounting issues, and drive timely resolution.
• Provide concise analysis of results against plan, forecast and prior periods, including drivers and corrective actions.
• Support the Wixom facility’s month-end process and provide month-end financial reporting.

 

Lead planning, forecasting and performance management

• Lead the annual operating plan, periodic forecasts and long-range financial planning for the plant.
• Develop annual standard costs for products manufactured at the Guelph and Wixom facilities.
• Develop clear financial targets, assumptions, risks, opportunities and performance scenarios.
• Maintain disciplined performance routines and dashboards that connect financial outcomes with operational drivers.
• Build financial acumen across plant leadership by explaining cost drivers, trade-offs and financial consequences in practical terms.

 

Drive cost, productivity and cash improvement

• Partner with plant leadership to improve conversion cost, labour productivity, material usage, yield, reliability, quality cost and operating efficiency.
• Translate operating data into financial insight and challenge assumptions constructively to improve decisions.
• Support loss analysis, root-cause problem solving and validation of benefits from productivity and improvement initiatives.
• Provide financial leadership for inventory accuracy, cycle-counting discipline, slow-moving and obsolete inventory, and working-capital improvement.
• Develop business cases and financial models for operating changes, resource needs, sourcing decisions and other plant priorities.

 

Lead Sourcing, Supply Chain, capital and organisational partnership

• Lead the Guelph Sourcing and Supply Chain team, setting clear priorities, performance expectations and accountability aligned with plant and business objectives.
• Develop capability, succession, cross-functional coordination and operating discipline across Finance, Sourcing and Supply Chain.
• Provide financial analysis and governance for capital requests, including assumptions, returns, risks and alternatives.
• Track capital spending, commitments, project forecasts, asset commissioning and post-completion performance.
• Serve as a trusted adviser to the Plant Leaders and Plant Leadership Teams while maintaining independent financial judgement and strong alignment with the Regional Manufacturing Finance Leader.
• Collaborate with Regional and Corporate Finance, Operations, Engineering, Human Resources and other partners.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or a related field.
• Progressively more senior financial experience, including 5 years in manufacturing finance, cost accounting, financial planning or controllership responsibilities.
• Working knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, internal controls, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Experience leading Sourcing, Supply Chain or closely related plant functions, or demonstrated capability to lead these teams.
• Experience with standard costing, inventory accounting, capital governance and plant performance management.
• Experience using enterprise financial systems and advanced spreadsheet and analytical tools.
• Professional accounting designation such as CPA or equivalent is preferred.
• Experience in a unionized manufacturing environment is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading, training, and developing employees, influencing cross-functional leaders and translating analysis into action.
• Must currently have the legal right to work and live in Canada.
• May require travel.  Must have no legal restrictions to travel between US, Canada and Mexico. Valid Passport eligibility is mandatory

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

• Connects operational performance with financial outcomes and communicates the story behind the numbers.
• Leads Finance, Sourcing and Supply Chain as an integrated team supporting plant priorities.
• Uses strong financial judgement, analytical capability, business acumen and attention to detail.
• Challenges constructively, influences without relying on authority and maintains credibility with diverse stakeholders. Strand
• Communicates clearly and concisely with plant, regional and business leadership.
• Simplifies reporting and processes while preserving control, accuracy and decision quality.
• Handles confidential business and employee information with integrity and discretion.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Accurate and timely financial reporting with effective internal controls.
• Clear visibility to plant performance, risks, opportunities and corrective actions.
• Improved cost, productivity, inventory, working-capital and forecast performance.
• Effective leadership and development of the Guelph Sourcing and Supply Chain teams.
• Strong capability, accountability and succession across Finance, Sourcing and Supply Chain.
• Disciplined capital governance and reliable tracking of project benefits.
• Constructive alignment with the Plant Leader, Regional Manufacturing Finance Leader and cross-functional partners.

AI-ASSISTED SCREENING DISCLOSURE

To support a fair, consistent and efficient recruitment process, Original Composites & Fiberglass may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with the initial screening of applications. AI is used only as a recruitment support tool. All hiring decisions are made by qualified members of our recruitment and hiring team.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Original Composites & Fiberglass is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace where all employees are treated with dignity, respect and fairness. We welcome applications from qualified candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal employment opportunities without discrimination.  OCF is committed to accessible recruitment in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Accommodation will be provided throughout the recruitment process and employment lifecycle upon request. Applicants requiring accommodation are encouraged to notify us at any stage of the process.