Plant Controller - Data Center BU
At a glance
Mid-level Accounting role at Danfoss. Utica · no salary stated · we estimate $76,000–$135,000 across the United States.
Danfoss has not published a salary for this role. The figure below is our estimate, not theirs.
financeroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Run site reporting, close support, budgets and forecasts, then explain results through management updates
- Break down labor, overhead, inventory, scrap, rework and freight costs to identify manufacturing variances
- Build investment cases, track capital projects, and review their costs and returns after completion
- Work with site leaders, supply chain, operations and engineering on inventory, productivity, cost and equipment decisions
- Maintain costing, inventory valuation and financial controls while preparing operating reviews and leadership materials
What you bring
- A bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business or a related discipline
- Background in manufacturing finance, cost accounting, plant controlling, FP&A or operations finance
- Strong knowledge of manufacturing costs, budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis and financial controls
Who this fits
This mid-level role suits someone who can turn plant operating results into clear financial guidance and work with leaders across the site. The position is based in Utica, United States.
From the employer
The Impact You'll Make
The Controller leads site financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cost control, variance analysis, capital justification, inventory valuation, financial governance, and decision support for the Utica liquid-cooling manufacturing and distribution site within the Data Center Business Unit.
This role translates operational performance into financial insight. The Controller supports profitable growth, ramp-up decisions, inventory health, capital deployment, and cost discipline while ensuring financial controls and reporting accuracy.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Lead financial reporting, monthly close support, forecasting, budgeting, cost analysis, and management reporting for the site.
- Analyze labor, overhead, inventory, scrap, rework, productivity, purchase price variance, premium freight, capital spending, and manufacturing cost drivers.
- Partner with site leadership to identify financial risks, improvement opportunities, operating tradeoffs, and resource allocation decisions.
- Support capital investment requests, business cases, payback analysis, project tracking, capitalization, and post-completion reviews.
- Maintain financial controls, accounting accuracy, compliance, standard costing, inventory valuation, and cost center governance.
- Support ramp-up planning by modeling labor needs, overhead absorption, startup costs, inventory requirements, capacity investments, and productivity assumptions.
- Partner with Supply Chain on inventory health, cycle count results, excess/obsolete risk, purchase price variance, and freight/expedite impacts.
- Partner with Operations and CI to validate productivity savings, scrap reduction, labor efficiency improvements, and cost-reduction projects.
- Partner with Engineering on equipment justification, tooling costs, make-versus-buy analysis, standard cost impacts, and capital project controls.
- Prepare operating review materials, financial bridges, variance explanations, forecast updates, and leadership decision packages.
- Ensure compliance with corporate finance policies, internal controls, approval requirements, and audit documentation expectations.
- Develop financial acumen across the site by explaining cost drivers and helping leaders make fact-based decisions.
What We're Looking For
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field required; master's degree, CPA, CMA, or equivalent certification preferred.
- Manufacturing finance, cost accounting, plant controlling, FP&A, or operations finance experience required.
- Experience with ERP systems, standard costing, inventory valuation, capital controls, budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis preferred.
- Ability to communicate financial concepts to operational leaders and influence decisions through data.
Technical Requirements
- Deep understanding of manufacturing finance, cost accounting, budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, inventory valuation, capital tracking, and financial controls.
- Ability to analyze labor, overhead, scrap, productivity, purchase price variance, inventory, capital spending, standard cost, and manufacturing cost drivers.
- Experience preparing financial reports, operating review materials, forecasts, annual plans, business cases, payback analysis, and post-completion reviews.
- Working knowledge of financial systems, internal controls, cost center management, standard costing, and compliance requirements.
- Ability to partner with site leadership to translate operational performance into financial impact and support business decision-making.
What You'll Get from Us
- We promote from within and support your learning with mentoring, training, and access to global opportunities.
- You’ll have flexibility, autonomy, and support to do your best work while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Your well-being matters to us.
- We strive to create an inclusive work environment where people of all backgrounds are respected, and valued for who they are.
- You’ll receive benefits like annual bonus, paid vacation, retirement plan, personal insurance, and more. These vary by country and contract, but they’re worth asking about—we think they’re pretty great.
Ready to Make a Difference?
If this role excites you, we’d love to hear from you! Apply now to start the conversation and learn more about where your career can go with us.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other protected category.