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Plant controller skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Fang Lin,

Dr. JP Krahel Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical plant controller skills. We ranked the top skills for plant controllers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 5.9% of plant controller resumes contained internal controls as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a plant controller needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 plant controller skills for your resume and career

1. Internal Controls

Here's how plant controllers use internal controls:

Developed processes to improve internal controls, improve operational efficiency with the Finance organization as well as driving manufacturing operations improvements.
Supported Sarbanes-Oxley implementation by reviewing internal controls for purchasing, accounts payable and inventory management functions to ensure corporate compliance.

2. GAAP

Here's how plant controllers use gaap:

Promoted from initial position in Corporate Internal Audit Department with responsibility for ensuring compliance with GAAP and corporate policies.
Provided accurate and timely reporting of financial information to Senior Management in compliance with corporate policies and GAAP.

3. Plant Management

Plant management is the oversight of economic, technical administrative machinery of an industrial enterprise. A plant manager's main tasks include preparing, developing, and substantiating decisions in a manufacturing or production facility.

Here's how plant controllers use plant management:

Streamlined and consolidated source documents for the creation of journal entries and facilitate monthly financial operational performance review with plant management.
Utilized value analysis techniques to identify and make recommendations to plant management to improve performance and lower unit costs.

4. Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is an ongoing process of improvement of products, services, and processes with the help of innovative ideas. It is an organized approach that helps an organization to find its weaknesses and improve them.

Here's how plant controllers use continuous improvement:

Participated in the company's continuous improvement project of working capital reduction, and identified opportunities to reduce inventory.
Recognized regionally as a leader and mentor in driving continuous improvement through disciplined value stream process analysis.

5. Reconciliations

Here's how plant controllers use reconciliations:

Managed monthly closing process including, account reconciliations, account analysis, preparation of monthly financial statements and other management reports.
Managed general accounting functions, including monthly financial statements and audit reports, and monthly account reconciliations.

6. Financial Analysis

Here's how plant controllers use financial analysis:

Prepared financial forecasts, performed financial analysis, and provided sufficient periodic financial information and solutions to support the strategic objectives.
Prepared financial analysis reports for executive management and provided recommendations that improved processes, contained costs, and increased profitability.

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7. Payroll

Payroll is the sum of all the compensation that an organization has to pay to employees at a specified time. Payroll is managed by the finance or HR department while small business owners may handle it themselves. Payroll isn't fixed as it varies every month due to sick leaves, overtime, etc.

Here's how plant controllers use payroll:

Directed all division-wide financial activities, including payroll, general accounting, budgeting, inventory management and cash management.
Experience included payroll supervision, credit and collections, benefits administration and renewals, and fixed-asset accounting.

8. Fixed Assets

Here's how plant controllers use fixed assets:

Safeguarded plant assets by maintaining accurate plant balance sheets and timely reconciliation which included physical observation of inventory and fixed assets.
Maintain process for capitalization of plant's fixed assets and update the fixed assets register including capitalized interest.

9. Variance Analysis

Here's how plant controllers use variance analysis:

Obtained experience in activity-based costing of labor and plant operations by assisting the plant industrial engineer in costing and variance analysis.
Prepared periodic financial reports, developed budgets, and performed variance analysis related to such for plant personnel and senior management.

10. ERP

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is computer software used by major corporations and organizations for conducting their management and accounting tasks efficiently. ERP systems bind different business processes with each other allowing smoother flow of data between them resulting in swift project assessment and completion.

Here's how plant controllers use erp:

Participated in the implementation of an ERP system that accomplished key strategic initiatives including job costing and a perpetual inventory system.
Participated in Visual Enterprise Manufacturing (ERP) computer system installation - reducing inventory and integrating all accounting functions.

11. SOX

Here's how plant controllers use sox:

Reviewed business processes, identified risks and key financial controls requiring documentation for completeness, accuracy and SOX elements.
Prepared quarterly balance sheet account analysis and interfaced with internal and external auditors on SOX compliance and documentation.

12. Financial Performance

Here's how plant controllers use financial performance:

Analyzed financial performance against key business metrics and document pertinent financial highlights that would enable management to determine progress against budget.
Determined company s overall financial performance, identified areas for improvement, and fortified stakeholder s trust with standardized guidelines.

13. General Ledger

Here's how plant controllers use general ledger:

Spearheaded the successful general ledger and cost accounting system and business conversion during acquisition of Stanley Works door division into Masonite.
Converted payroll and general ledger systems from custom packages to corporate centralized system ahead of established deadlines and below planned expenditures.

14. Financial Reports

Here's how plant controllers use financial reports:

Compile and analyze monthly financial reports for distribution to Plant and Division management ensuring accuracy of information for decision-making.
Prepared financial reports, developed budgets, and compiled weekly financial reporting packages for senior management.

15. Plant Operations

Here's how plant controllers use plant operations:

Worked directly with the Division General Manger to reduce cost and maintain profitability for plant operations during drastic economic slowdown.
Prepared daily production reports for plant and corporate management which was essential for making decisions regarding plant operations.

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What skills help Plant Controllers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What plant controller skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Fang Lin

Assistant Professor of Finance, Pacific Lutheran University

Don't be afraid to negotiate your starting salary. Young journalists have a lot to offer newsrooms through social media skills and a willingness to adapt to new technologies such as artificial intelligence. Technology skills have value and should not be undersold. Also, young journalism students should not discount the value of their student media and internship experiences. Young journalists must use everything on their resumes to show how they bring value to their position and ask to be compensated fairly for the work they will contribute to the newsroom's success.

What technical skills for a plant controller stand out to employers?

Dr. JP Krahel Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Accounting, Accounting Department Chair, Loyola University Maryland

First, Excel. It's the most basic, essential tool for the accounting professional. If you can come in on Day 1 knowing essential keyboard shortcuts, proper formula and reference use, and how to format a spreadsheet properly, you'll have an immediate advantage over your peers.

Second, believe it or not, is writing. People think that accounting is all about numbers, but really, it's less about the math (which Excel does for you) and more about being able to explain the deeper meaning behind the results. Can you explain complex depreciation methods to an audit client? Give bad news to a tax client in an understandable way? These are big deals.

Third is data analytics. Given the immense volume of data now available to firms, someone who can extract, clean, and present that data using modern software tools will have an edge. It's really another form of communication, and one that early-career accounting professionals would do well to familiarize themselves with before entering the workforce.

What soft skills should all plant controllers possess?

Kris Allee Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Doyle Z. Williams Chair in Professional Accounting, University of Arkansas

Given an accounting manager assumes a leadership position at the firm, the ability to lead effectively, communicate well, and organize and manage projects would be the most important soft skills necessary.

What hard/technical skills are most important for plant controllers?

Thomas King

Department Chair, Director, Master of Accountancy Program, Professor, Accountancy, Case Western Reserve University

The ability to extract information from unfamiliar data sets and then explain conclusions reached in a clear, persuasive manner.

Do you want to know more?

List of plant controller skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a plant controller resume and required skills for a plant controller to have include:

Internal Controls
GAAP
Plant Management
Continuous Improvement
Reconciliations
Financial Analysis
Payroll
Fixed Assets
Variance Analysis
ERP
SOX
Financial Performance
General Ledger
Financial Reports
Plant Operations
Cost Reduction

Sarbanes-Oxley
Account Reconciliations
Hyperion
Journal Entries
Capital Projects
Asset Management
Cost Savings
Financial Management
Close Process
Financial Data
Financial Results
Process Improvement
Inventory Control
Plant Performance
Accruals
Balance Sheet Accounts

Cost Analysis
Financial Forecasts
Direct Reports
External Auditors
Financial Support
Manufacturing Industry
Capital Expenditures
Lean Manufacturing
Cash Flow
Sigma
Cycle Counts
Capital Spending
Inventory Management
Shared Services
Corporate Management
Product Line

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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