Plant Finance Manager

You may not know our name, but you know our products. What we make is part the places where we live, work and play – all day, everyday. Zekelman is a family of companies — 100% domestic manufacturers — with a legacy dating back to 1877. We’re proud to be the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer in North America and the leading innovator in multi-family housing development. We believe in what we build and what we build, builds the world around us. Hospitals, hotels, schools, bridges, airports and more. Come build a career you believe in. Position Summary We are seeking a strategic, hands-on finance leader to oversee the financial operations of our new conduit manufacturing facility in Rochelle, Illinois. This position will serve as a key member of the plant leadership team, providing financial insight, operational support, and disciplined financial management to drive plant performance and long-term growth. The one-million-square-foot facility is designed for high-volume, precision manufacturing and includes four in-line galvanizing tube mills, a fully automated Matter warehouse system, and annual steel tube production capacity exceeding 300,000 tons. The facility specializes in the production of Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT) and Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC) and also operates an automated hot-dip galvanizing line with annual capacity of 110,000 tons. The successful candidate will be a proactive business partner who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and can translate operational and financial information into actionable business strategies. Key Responsibilities Financial Planning & Business Partnership Lead the annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning processes for the facility. Serve as a strategic advisor to plant leadership by providing timely financial analysis and recommendations. Identify business risks and opportunities and develop action plans to improve profitability, cash flow, and operational performance. Support capital investment decisions through financial modeling, return-on-investment analysis, and post-investment reviews. Develop and monitor key financial and operational performance metrics. Cost Accounting & Operational Performance Lead all plant cost accounting activities, including standard costing, variance analysis, inventory valuation, and cost-of-goods-sold reporting. Monitor and analyze material, labor, conversion, overhead, inventory, and capital expenditures. Partner with operations, engineering, maintenance, and supply chain leaders to drive productivity and cost-reduction initiatives. Ensure accurate product costing and provide financial insight to support pricing and commercial decisions. Analyze plant performance against budget, forecast, and operational targets. Support physical inventories and working capital improvement initiatives. Reporting, Controls & Compliance Prepare timely, accurate, and actionable financial reporting for plant and corporate leadership. Ensure compliance with company policies, internal controls, accounting standards, and regulatory requirements. Maintain strong financial controls and documentation across plant processes. Coordinate internal and external audits and ensure timely resolution of audit findings. Safeguard the integrity and accuracy of financial and operational data. Leadership & Continuous Improvement Build strong partnerships across finance, operations, supply chain, engineering, and commercial teams. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, financial discipline, and continuous improvement. Develop scalable financial processes and reporting capabilities to support the continued growth of the facility. Lead, coach, and develop finance team members. Champion improvements in systems, reporting tools, analytics, and decision-support capabilities. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required; MBA, CPA, or CMA preferred. Seven or more years of progressive finance or accounting experience, including at least three years supporting manufacturing operations. Demonstrated experience in plant finance, cost accounting, financial planning and analysis, or controllership. Strong knowledge of standard costing, inventory accounting, manufacturing variance analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and capital investment analysis. Experience with enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platforms. Advanced analytical, financial modeling, and problem-solving skills. Proven ability to influence cross-functional leaders and drive business results through financial insight. Strong communication, organizational, and leadership skills. Experience supporting facility startups, major expansions, or large-scale operational transformations is preferred. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, production-driven environment. Compensation for this role is $125,000 - $145,000 plus bonus Zekelman Industries offers competitive compensation and excellent benefits, including low-cost, high-quality medical and dental benefits. In addition, we have an amazing tuition assistance program, a bonus plan, a 401(k) plan with a generous company match, immediate vesting, and much more. M/F/D/V We are Zekelman Industries. We manufacture superior quality tubular and related products, and provide outstanding service for our valued customers. We seek to continuously advance the skills and opportunities of our employees, utilizing the latest technology and management tools available to consistently increase profitability and the enterprise value of Zekelman Industries and of our customers.