Assistant Controller - Memphis Manufacturing

You will play a critical role in translating operational performance into financial insight, helping leaders make informed decisions that improve efficiency, cost performance, and business results. This position offers the opportunity to collaborate across Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, FP&A, Finance Operations, Corporate Controllership, and Audit teams while supporting one of Smith+Nephew's key manufacturing sites.

What will you be doing?

• Partner with the Site Controller to lead the site's monthly financial close process, ensuring timely and accurate reporting.
• Support forecasting, annual operating plans, budgeting activities, and ongoing financial performance reviews.
• Analyze manufacturing performance, operating expenses, and cost center results to identify risks, opportunities, and improvement actions.
• Monitor and explain manufacturing variances including material usage, purchase price variance, labor, overhead, scrap, yield, absorption, productivity, and inventory movements.
• Support standard costing processes, inventory valuation activities, and financial controls related to manufacturing operations.
• Provide financial insight and recommendations to site leadership, helping connect operational activity to financial outcomes.
• Drive compliance with accounting policies, internal controls, SOX requirements, and audit expectations.
• Partner closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, and Finance stakeholders to improve performance and decision-making.
• Support internal and external audits, ensuring readiness and timely resolution of findings.
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes, improve data quality, and enhance reporting and analytics capabilities.

What will you need to be successful?

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required.
• CPA preferred.
• MBA or advanced Finance/Accounting degree preferred.

Experience

• 7+ years of progressive accounting, controllership, cost accounting, and/or finance experience.
• Manufacturing finance, cost accounting, or operational finance experience preferred.
• Prior experience as an Assistant Controller, Accounting Manager, Cost Accounting Manager, Finance Manager, Plant Finance Lead, or similar role preferred.
• Strong knowledge of: Financial close and reporting processes, General ledger accounting, Forecasting and budgeting, OPEX management, Variance analysis, Standard costing, Inventory valuation, Internal controls and audit support.
• Experience analyzing manufacturing variances, including material usage, labor, overhead, productivity, scrap, yield, purchase price variance, absorption, and inventory movements preferred.
• ERP experience required; SAP experience strongly preferred.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling capabilities required.
• Power BI or similar reporting and analytics tools preferred.

What characteristics will make you successful?

• Strong controllership mindset with a commitment to financial accuracy, compliance, and accountability.
• Ability to translate complex financial and operational data into actionable business insights.
• Proven capability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Excellent partnership and communication skills with both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• Sound judgment, strong problem-solving abilities, and a proactive approach to risk identification and resolution.
• Continuous improvement mindset focused on simplifying processes, improving controls, and enhancing business performance.
• Demonstrates the Smith+Nephew Way to Win through ownership, urgency, collaboration, and execution excellence.

Travel

Less than 5% travel.

Physical Demands

Office-based role with regular interaction on the manufacturing site as needed.