Business Unit Controller

at  Valley Natural Beverages

Valley Natural Beverage is a state-of-the-art Extended Shelf Life (ESL) and Aseptic Ultra High Temperature (UHT) dairy bottling facility located in Bakersfield, California, producing high-quality beverage products in Tetra Pak packaging formats. A division of California Dairies, Inc., the leading dairy cooperative in California. Valley Natural Beverages is co-owned by more than 300 dairy families located in the heart of the Golden State.

JOB SUMMARY

The Business Unit Controller is the senior financial position at the Valley Natural Beverages (VNB) production facility of California Dairies, Inc. This position is responsible for all of the accounting activities at the plant. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, timely and accurate recording of daily production of all finished goods product lines (bottled milk products), ensuring accurate inventories of finished goods, recording of daily receipts of milk and other fluid dairy products, recording of daily sales and transfers of all fluid dairy products, and working with plant management and the FP&A team on development of KPI reporting. Additional responsibilities will include annual budgeting, production forecasting, bills of materials analysis, financial variance analysis, and detailed cost accounting. The Business Unit Controller will also support all sales efforts at VNB through pricing build up and review. The Business Unit Controller reports to the Group Controller – Operations and has direct supervisory responsibility for a staff at the facility.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Experience leading and developing a team of people responsible for accounting activities.
• Excellent data analysis skills with a focus on problem solving.
• Strong computer skills, specifically in Excel and Microsoft Dynamics365.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, including the ability to delegate effectively.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate and work with employees at all levels of the organization as well as our member/owners and external stakeholders.
• Perform tasks with a high level of confidentiality.
• Flexible and positive in a fast-paced and ever changing environment.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business with an emphasis in Accounting or Finance.
• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment, ideally in the dairy industry.
• Previous supervisory experience required.
• Knowledge of GAAP and internal controls.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensure that daily finished goods production is recorded timely and accurately.
• Preparation of daily/weekly/monthly plant performance reports.
• Preparation of monthly Federal & State reporting for dairy manufacturing.
• Provide financial leadership to the Plant Management team.
• Partner with Operations Management to identify and eliminate waste.
• Partner with Corporate Cost Accounting team to develop key standards and cost assumptions for the facility.
• Provide leadership and direction to accounting staff to include development opportunities, performance management, and individual development plans.
• Supervise the recording/reconciliation of daily receipts of milk, cream, and other dairy ingredients.
• Supervise the recording of daily sales of fluid dairy products.
• Maintain accurate inventory records at the plant storage facilities.
• Ensure compliance with CDI’s accounting policies and procedures.
• Supervise, review, and approve invoices submitted through corporate accounts payable.
• Partner with Sales and Operations to develop/evaluate pricing models and product line P&L’s.
• Other duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: THE PHYSICAL DEMANDS DESCRIBED HERE ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THOSE THAT MUST BE MET BY AN EMPLOYEE TO SUCCESSFULLY PERFORM THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THIS JOB. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS MAY BE MADE TO ENABLE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO PERFORM THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS.

ADA/FEHA: The Company will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.
EEO: The Company is an equal employment opportunity employer.