Factory Controller

Who we are and what we do:

LIPTON Teas & Infusions is the world’s leading tea business, home to iconic, purpose‑driven brands like Lipton, Pukka, Tazo, T2, Lyons and PG Tips.

We craft great teas for every occasion, to bring joy and inspire a healthier lifestyle 🍃 Here, you’re trusted to take ownership, learn by doing and make an impact. You’ll have room to explore ideas and shape what’s next, as we support each other along the way to raise the bar.

Job title: Factory Controller – Suffolk

Location: Suffolk, Virginia, USA (at our tea factory)

Type: Full-time, permanent

Our culture and values:

Our values - People First, Ownership, Passion for Excellence, and Consumer and Customer Centricity - shape how we work every day 🤝 We connect with care and respect, take responsibility for our contribution and keep finding better ways to deliver for our consumers and customers.

Bring your ideas and curiosity. You’ll learn through hands-on experience, share knowledge and work with colleagues who support one another. Together, we create an inclusive environment where everyone can contribute and take pride in what we build.

Your role:

As Factory Controller, you will be the finance partner to our Suffolk tea factory, challenging costs and waste, and helping drive efficiency, volume growth and future investment. You will work side by side with Operations, Engineering, Quality and Continuous Improvement, turning numbers into practical actions that improve performance. You will build on strong existing foundations and have the space to make your mark. This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports.

Your key responsibilities:

• Own month-end close, variance analysis and reporting for the factory, finding root causes with operational teams.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and monthly outlooks, turning operational plans into credible financials.
• Drive cost, savings and waste-reduction targets, leading the Cost Pillar of the Lipton Management System (LMS), our World Class Manufacturing system.
• Partner with Engineering and Operations on capital business cases and track delivery of the benefits.
• Strengthen financial control, inventory accuracy and working capital, and support audits.
• Be the trusted finance partner to the Factory Director and site leadership team, and automate reporting where you can.

What we are looking for:

Essential:

• Hands-on manufacturing finance experience in a plant or comparable production environment, with about 5+ years in factory or supply chain finance.
• Strong knowledge of standard costing, absorption and manufacturing variance analysis, plus capital business cases (NPV, IRR, payback).
• Advanced Excel and data skills (Power BI, Power Query); ERP experience, SAP preferred.
• Confidence to challenge assumptions constructively and influence site leaders.
• A degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics or similar; a professional qualification (CPA, CMA, ACCA, CIMA) is preferred.

Nice to have: FMCG or food and beverage experience, and exposure to a World Class Manufacturing system. You will be comfortable in a hands-on manufacturing environment, with a continuous improvement mindset.

🌱 What’s in it for you:

Be part of a changing operational environment where finance adds measurable value:

Trusted to lead - Take ownership, shape ideas and deliver results. Growth through experience - Learn by doing and take on real responsibility, with exposure to costing, waste reduction, efficiency, innovation and major capital investment projects. Pride in what we build together - Make a real impact on well-known brands, with colleagues who support you.

Benefits and perks:

• Comprehensive insurance plans - health, dental + disability and life Insurance
• 401(k) with 5% company matching + an extra 4% after your first year
• Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Accounts
• 20 days paid time off per year, going up to 25 days after 2 YoS and 30 days after 5 YoS
• 10 company holidays per year
• Parental Leave - Primary & Secondary

What to expect from us:

We know recruitment can be stressful, so we promise to keep it as straightforward as possible. Our process usually has 3-4 stages: a screening conversation with Talent Acquisition, an interview with the hiring manager, a stakeholder interview, and a final interview for shortlisted candidates. We aim to review every CV within 2 weeks. If you need any adjustments during the process, let us know.

We are an organization committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. We are interested in every individual bringing their whole self to work and this includes you!