JobsGenerac

Plant Controller C&I

Generac · Beaver Dam, WI

Posted Sep 10, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

Apply at Generac

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through a time you found a significant labor efficiency or material variance and traced it back to its root cause. What did you do with that information?

whether the candidate can actually diagnose manufacturing variances rather than just report them

Tell me about a time you had to present a complicated cost issue to someone with no financial background. How did you adjust your explanation?

ability to translate financial detail for non-finance stakeholders

Tell me about developing someone on your team, maybe the Senior Financial Analyst type of role. What did you do specifically to grow their skills?

genuine coaching experience versus a title with no substance behind it

Describe a time your forecast turned out to be wrong. What caused the miss and what did you change afterward?

intellectual honesty and process improvement instinct rather than defensiveness

Tell me about a time you had to influence a decision where you had no direct authority over the people involved.

actual influence skills with senior stakeholders, a core demand of this highly visible role

Technical

How do you build a make-versus-buy financial model, and what assumptions tend to make or break the analysis?

depth of hands-on modeling skill versus surface familiarity with the concept

What's your experience with standard costing, and can you describe a time a standard cost update caused unexpected variances you had to explain?

real depth in cost accounting versus general finance experience

How have you used SAP or another ERP system day to day in your current or past role, and where does Excel take over from the ERP output?

practical fluency with the actual systems named in the posting

What KPIs do you consider most telling for manufacturing performance, and how would you build a monthly reporting package around them for executive leadership?

understanding of which metrics actually drive decisions versus reciting textbook KPIs

Situational

Say a plant manager pushes back hard on a spending variance you flagged, insisting the number is wrong. How do you handle that conversation?

comfort challenging operational leaders and defending analysis under pushback

Imagine you're asked to build a capacity planning model for a production transfer between two plants. What data would you need and what would you be most worried about getting wrong?

structured thinking on cross-plant financial modeling and risk awareness

If Operations identifies a recurring transaction error that's skewing your cost data, what steps do you take to get it fixed for good, not just patched this month?

partnership approach and follow-through on process issues versus one-off firefighting

You're juggling monthly close, a quarterly forecast, and a footprint optimization analysis all due the same week. How do you prioritize?

ability to manage competing high-stakes deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Generac from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Generac.

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most. For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future. Ready to Power a Smarter World with us? The Plant Controller is a key strategic business partner responsible for driving financial performance across multiple U.S. manufacturing facilities. In this highly visible role, you'll work closely with executive and operations leaders to deliver insights that influence cost management, capacity planning, make-versus-buy decisions, and manufacturing footprint optimization. You'll lead forecasting and cost modeling initiatives, provide actionable recommendations to improve profitability and operational efficiency, and develop a Senior Financial Analyst while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who combines strong financial expertise with the ability to influence stakeholders and drive business results. Major Responsibilities: • Partner with plant and executive leadership to analyze and improve manufacturing cost performance. • Prepare and present monthly manufacturing KPIs, including labor efficiencies, material variances, spending variances, and cost of goods produced. • Deliver clear analysis of manufacturing variances and recommend actions to improve performance. • Monitor spending against budget and provide insights into key drivers and deviations. • Develop financial models and "what-if" scenarios to support production transfers, capacity planning, and make-versus-buy decisions. • Lead, coach, and develop a Senior Financial Analyst while fostering team growth and engagement. • Support annual budgeting and quarterly forecasting processes. • Build and maintain labor and overhead forecasts that support strategic planning. • Partner with Operations to identify transaction or process issues and implement corrective actions. Minimum Job Requirements: Education • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field. Work Experience • 5+ years of experience in manufacturing finance, plant accounting, or a similar environment. • Experience leading projects, initiatives, or cross-functional teams. • Experience working with ERP systems. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities • Advanced Excel skills with the ability to build and maintain complex financial models. • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and business partnering skills. • Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization. • Excellent communication skills with the ability to present complex financial data to non-financial audiences. • Proven ability to translate metrics into meaningful business insights and recommendations. • Self-starter who can successfully manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. • Strong leadership, coaching, and team development capabilities. Preferred Qualifications: Work Experience • SAP and Business Intelligence (BI) experience. • Cost accounting and manufacturing finance experience. • Experience within a global manufacturing organization. • Knowledge of standard costing and manufacturing variance analysis. Why Join Us? • Serve as a trusted advisor to executive and plant leadership. • Make a direct impact on strategic manufacturing decisions and business performance. • Lead high-visibility financial initiatives with enterprise-wide influence. • Develop people, drive continuous improvement, and help shape the future of manufacturing operations. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear; and use hands to manipulate objects or controls.  The employee is regularly required to stand and walk.  On occasion, the incumbent may be required to stoop, bend, or reach above the shoulders.  The employee must occasionally lift up to 25 pounds. Specific conditions of this job are typical of frequent and continuous computer-based work requiring periods of sitting, close vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Occasional travel. “We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”

Apply at Generac

Related jobs

New Product Sourcing Specialist - Purchasing

Generac · Waukesha, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Intern Engineering - Advanced Manufacturing

Generac · Waukesha, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Mechanical Engineer II

Generac · Sussex, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Material Handler - Weekend Shift

Generac · Whitewater, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Inside Sales Representative Residential

Generac · Pewaukee, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Industrial Engineer I

Generac · Beaver Dam, WI

Posted Sep 16 · Verified Sep 20