Senior Plant Cost Accountant / Interim Controller

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Plant Cost Accountant / Interim Controller to join the leadership team at Travis Body & Trailer in Houston, Texas (77041). This critical role will oversee plant accounting, cost accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, inventory controls, and compliance activities while serving as a key business partner to operations leadership.

The successful candidate will bring strong manufacturing accounting experience in a standard costing environment and play a key role in driving financial accuracy, operational excellence, and continuous improvement initiatives across the organization.

As a trusted financial leader, you will support strategic decision-making through insightful analysis of manufacturing costs, inventory performance, financial results, and operational metrics.

This position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by partnering with plant leadership to improve processes, control costs, strengthen financial controls, and contribute to the continued success of our manufacturing operations.

Job Purpose

The purpose of the Senior Plant Cost Accountant / Interim Controller is to lead and oversee plant accounting, cost accounting, financial reporting, month-end and quarter-end close activities, budgeting, and compliance functions while supporting the overall success of the manufacturing operation.

This individual is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of financial information, maintaining compliance with GAAP, regulatory requirements, and company policies, and providing timely financial and operational analysis to support business decisions.

The role serves as a key business partner to operations leadership, with a strong focus on inventory management, standard costing, manufacturing variances, margin analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.

This position will communicate effectively across all levels of the organization, develop meaningful performance metrics, support operational decision-making, and contribute to company goals through strong financial stewardship, cost control, and operational excellence

Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Oversight of local accounting functions, analyses of financial data, maintenance of supporting documentation, and preparation of financial reporting requirements in accordance with GAAP;
• Leading month end financial close process including but not limited to the preparation or review of journal entries and balance sheet reconciliations;
• Manage fixed assets and capital documentation to ensure compliance with company policies and assist in documentation of AFE acquisition of new assets in terms of creation, analysis, and tracking;
• Preparation and effective communication of data which summarizes and forecasts company business activity and position in areas of income, expenses, and earnings based on past, present and expected operations, including the budgeting process, supporting documentation and justification;
• Active engagement with management to drive improvements in operational performance, including identification of opportunities, development of strategies and tactics, support and monitoring of cost savings or process improvement initiatives;
• Ensure documentation and procedures are in accordance with standard Company policies, including SOX documentation;
• Leadership of weekly and monthly performance meetings with other key members of management to effectively communicate current operating performance using key metrics, pipeline (future planned) spending, cost savings initiatives, process improvements, and estimates of monthly results;
• Leadership and ownership of inventory and the inventory process while assisting other leaders in refinement and improvements.This includes inventory events, negative inventory, E&O, cycle count program, etc.
• Refinement and development of key performance metrics, including effective communication of performance and countermeasures, challenging the status quo, as applicable;
• Coordination and preparation for internal and external audits of company accounts, ensuring integrity of financial information;
• Ensure accuracy of cost accounting methods
• Assistance with and participation in continuous improvement events;
• Training and coaching other leaders to ensure consistent understanding of financial and operational performance basics;
• Compliance with and up-to-date knowledge of all industry-applicable federal, state, and local regulatory requirements including management of the adherence process(es), including preparation or supervision of preparation of any regulatory reporting requirements, and communication of any changes and/or updates to management;
• Key contact with state and local representatives regarding personal property tax assessments and any state/local income and sales taxes;
• Key and contributing member of consolidated group’s finance team; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Essential Skills, Experience and Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or equivalent, CPA or CMA preferred;
• Five (5) or more years of progressive manufacturing accounting experience in a standard costing environment;
• Excellent communication and management skills with the ability to lead a team to achieve site and business demands;
• Ability to identify and address discrepancies, to continuously question and evaluate systems, processes and procedures for the most efficient uses. Ability to define and set a direction or solution along with the identification of performance issues.
• Experience with enterprise resource planning systems, business software and PC literacy, must be extremely proficient in Microsoft Office;
• Ability to understand and work well with other areas and all levels to meet company goals, to understand protocol when interacting with management while maintaining a high degree of sensitivity and confidentiality;
• Ability to establish and meet deadlines and work without supervision, to see the big picture while focusing on the process and procedures necessary to produce deliverables;
• Knowledge of Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) requirements;
• Proactive and positive attitude

Required Work Hours and Schedules:

• Must be able to work a standard 8-hour shift between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM
• Must be able to work onsite Monday - Friday
• Occasional overtime as needed

Key Competencies:

Behaviors and skills essential to the specific position or work environment that are measured through the approach and results achieved for the position.

Consistently Achieves Results - Effectively manages budgets; meets planned financial targets; achieves both top and bottom line growth objectives; readily produces strategies for reducing or avoiding costs without compromising quality; meets the Customer’s satisfaction level; meets or exceeds the standards set for the position specific responsibilities.

Analytical Abilities - Makes recommendations based on solid assumptions when solving complex problems; analyzes data to obtain meaningful information; identifies conflicting or inaccurate information.

Problem Solving - Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at first answers.

Interpersonal Skills - Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the company; builds appropriate rapport; listens; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; truly values people; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.

Customer Focus - Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external Customers; gets Customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; considers Customers in all business practices; establishes and maintains effective relationships with Customers.

About us

The founders of Travis® Body & Trailer, Inc. began operations in 1989 after purchasing the facilities of CMC Trailers, Inc. in Houston, Texas. During the first year, Travis manufactured only the classic aluminum end dump trailer. These trailers were little changed from the older CMC designs from the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Travis has grown rapidly in size and national market share since those early days. This growth was stimulated by both overall industry demand as well as by the determination of the Travis team to become number 1 in quality through both expert fabrication and innovation.

Federal Signal Corporation (NYSE

FSS) builds and delivers equipment of unmatched quality that moves material, cleans infrastructure, and protects the communities where we work and live. Founded in 1901, Federal Signal is a leading global designer and manufacturer of products and total solutions that serve municipal, governmental, industrial and commercial customers.

Headquartered in Downers Grove, IL, with manufacturing facilities worldwide, the Company operates two groups: Environmental Solutions and Safety and Security Systems. For more information on Federal Signal, visit: www.federalsignal.com.

The Company is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of, and will receive consideration for employment without regard to, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category, characteristic, or trait under applicable law.

If you require reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resources at (713) 466-5888. All other applications must be submitted online.

Pay: $135,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• How many employees have you directly supervised in accounting or finance roles?
• How many years of experience do you have in accounting or finance?
• Do you have direct experience with cost accounting, including standard costing and variance analysis?
• Have you had direct responsibility for inventory accounting and inventory controls (cycle counts, physical inventory, E&O, etc.)?
• How many years of experience do you have managing month-end and year-end financial close processes?
• Do you have experience preparing GAAP-compliant financial statements and financial reporting packages?
• Do you have experience leading internal audits, external audits, or SOX compliance activities?
• Do you have experience developing annual budgets, forecasts, and financial models for a manufacturing operation?
• How many years of experience do you have in a Controller or Accounting Manager role?

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• working in a manufacturing environment: 6 years (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Houston, TX 77041 (Required)

Work Location: In person