Job Details

Controller

Vertiv, a global leader in critical infrastructure solutions and services, is seeking a dynamic Controller to join our Americas Finance team as the finance leader at our Pelzer manufacturing campus.

Your role will include managing a team to provide strategic financial leadership and operational oversight across manufacturing finance activities, including value-added reporting & analysis and effective internal controls over conversion cost, capex, workforce planning, and inventory.

You will serve as the senior finance leader for the plant, partnering with Operations leadership and department heads to influence operational strategy, cost structure optimization, and long-term financial performance. This role plays a key leadership role in driving financial strategy and operational decision-making within a complex manufacturing environment.

This role requires a self-starter with strong experience in manufacturing finance, operational leadership, and process improvement.

Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Lead strategic planning and target setting of key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Plant Operations teams.
• Maintain regular shop floor presence to understand processes, identify improvement opportunities, and build strong relationships with production and warehouse teams.
• Actively participate in cross-functional value stream mapping or plant transformation projects to drive operational efficiency and cost optimization.
• Partner with operations leaders to optimize production processes and resource utilization.
• Actively contribute in production meetings and problem-solving sessions.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with diverse stakeholders from the shop floor to senior leadership.
• Provide financial leadership in a complex manufacturing environment with multiple operational drivers including labor productivity, material usage, inventory optimization, and capital investment planning.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives focused on operational transformation, manufacturing productivity improvement, and cost structure optimization.

Financial Leadership

• Accountable for plant manufacturing financials; primarily conversion costs (usage variances, labor, & overhead), logistics, freight, warehousing, inventory, and capital expenditures.
• Ensure robust financial controls over spending, workforce, and inventory while maintaining operational flexibility.
• Analyze account and department level financial performance and trends to make recommendations to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
• Maintain inventory accuracy through effective oversight of work order variances, cycle counts, annual physical inventories, and timely completion of inventory-related transactions performed by Operations.
• Translate shop floor observations into actionable financial insights and improvement initiatives.
• Provide frequent reporting on manufacturing plant KPIs to assess operational efficiency and conversion cost performance.
• Interlock with Plant & Regional Management on monthly forecasts for plant labor, expenses, and inventory.
• Lead cost reduction programs through direct engagement with production teams.
• Provide ad hoc analytical support as a business partner to Operations and Finance leadership.
• Influence plant leadership on strategic decisions including capital investment prioritization, capacity planning, and long-term cost competitiveness.
• Drive financial governance and performance management across key manufacturing cost drivers including labor, material utilization, overhead absorption, and inventory performance.

People Leadership

• Lead and develop a team of experienced finance professionals responsible for cost accounting, inventory governance, operational financial planning, and performance reporting.
• Provide leadership and coaching to experienced finance professionals who operate with a high degree of independence and professional judgment.

Qualifications

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance; MBA preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in manufacturing finance including financial and operations leadership.
• Advanced knowledge of operational metrics, cost accounting, and inventory management.
• Excellent communication, organization, and analytical skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of building and managing high-performance teams.
• Ability to pull together and summarize large amounts of data into concise explanations.
• Comprehensive and advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
• ERP systems experience, preferably Oracle.