Schneider Electric has an onsite opportunity (5 days a week) for a SeniorPlant Business Finance Analyst in Columbia, SC. The role requires an on-site, in-plant presence - remote work will be allowed situationally and on an as needed basis, but the expectation of this position is that your on-site in plant presence will be required 5 days per week.
This role is ideal for an experienced finance professional who wants to directly influence plant performance, drive financial governance, and partner closely with operations. The position emphasizes ownership, business impact, and leadership across controlling, compliance, and operational finance activities.
Position Summary
The Plant Business Finance Senior Analyst serves as a key finance partner to plant leadership, driving financial performance, governance, and decision support across the Columbia facility.
This role focuses on:
• Leading internal controls and compliance for the plant
• Driving performance through deep financial and operational analysis
• Owning key controlling processes (plant, inventory, and projects, where applicable)
• Enabling data-driven decision making and influencing outcomes
• Participating in special projects and ad hoc financial requests
Key Responsibilities
Governance, Controls & Compliance
- Lead monthly governance and compliance activities for the Columbia plant
- Own and continuously improve internal controls aligned with company policy and SOX requirements
- Act as primary support for internal and external audits, including issue resolution
- Ensure financial controls are embedded within plant and supply chain processes
- Serve as the finance point of contact for audit, tax, and accounting topics
Plant Controlling & Performance Leadership
- Own month-end close coordination with shared services and ensure accuracy of financial results
- Lead cost center reviews, variance analysis, and forecasting processes
- Analyze manufacturing performance, including labor, overhead, and productivity drivers
- Translate financial data into clear insights and recommendations for plant leadership
- Drive accountability and performance visibility across the site
Operational & Project Controlling
- Lead project- or order-level financial analysis (where applicable), including actual vs. plan, forecasts, and margin tracking
- Develop and enhance controlling processes to improve cost visibility and decision making
- Partner with operations and engineering to identify risks, opportunities, and corrective actions
- Support end-to-end performance reviews and continuous feedback loops
Capital Expenditure & Investment Control
- Own CapEx tracking, reporting, and governance for the site
- Partner with stakeholders on investment justification and financial evaluation
- Monitor spend vs. approved budgets and proactively manage risks
- Lead post-investment reviews to ensure value realization and accountability
Inventory & Manufacturing Finance
- Own inventory controlling processes, including WIP, excess and obsolete, and cycle count governance
- Analyze material flow and supply chain impacts on financial performance
- Ensure accuracy, compliance, and transparency of inventory-related financials
Business Partnership & Continuous Improvement
- Act as a trusted advisor to plant leadership, influencing business decisions
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on cost, productivity, and efficiency
- Lead or contribute to cross-functional and site-level projects
- Mentor or guide others less experienced in the financial perspective
- Promote a strong culture of financial discipline and operational excellence
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field
- 3-5 years of experience in manufacturing finance or other analytical roles
- Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills
- SAP S/4 experience preferred
- Fluent in English
Skills & Abilities
- Strong business acumen with the ability to connect financial results to operational performance
- Strong communication skills; ability to extract and "tell the financial story" to leadership
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority
- Advanced analytical skills with the ability to synthesize large data sets into actionable insights
- High ownership, accountability, and ability to manage competing priorities
- Adaptability, curiosity, and a continuous improvement mindset
- Willingness to be coached and openness to candid feedback
- Ability to work collaboratively across teams, including plant project controlling, shared services, other analysts, and plant operations
Preferred Qualifications
- CPA, CFA, or relevant Master's degree
- Experience in manufacturing or supply chain environments
- Advanced data capabilities (data visualization, large data sets, or SQL familiarity)
- French or Spanish language skills
- Ability to adapt to new systems as finance tools and business priorities evolve
Let us learn about you! Apply today.
Looking to make an IMPACT with your career?
When you are thinking about joining a new team, culture matters. At Schneider Electric, our values and behaviors are the foundation for creating a great culture to support business success. We believe that our IMPACT values - Inclusion, Mastery, Purpose, Action, Curiosity, Teamwork - starts with us.
IMPACT is also your invitation to join Schneider Electric where you can contribute to turning sustainability ambition into actions, no matter what role you play. It is a call to connect your career with the ambition of achieving a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable world.
We are looking for IMPACT Makers; exceptional people who turn sustainability ambitions into actions at the intersection of automation, electrification, and digitization. We celebrate IMPACT Makers and believe everyone has the potential to be one.
Become an IMPACT Maker with Schneider Electric - apply today!
40 billion global revenue
+9% organic growth
150 000+ employees in 100+ countries
You must submit an online application to be considered for any position with us. This position will be posted until filled.
Schneider Electric aspires to be the most inclusive and caring company in the world, by providing equitable opportunities to everyone, everywhere, and ensuring all employees feel uniquely valued and safe to contribute their best. We mirror the diversity of the communities in which we operate, and 'inclusion' is one of our core values. We believe our differences make us stronger as a company and as individuals and we are committed to championing inclusivity in everything we do.
At Schneider Electric, we uphold the highest standards of ethics and compliance, and we believe that trust is a foundational value. Our Trust Charter is our Code of Conduct and demonstrates our commitment to ethics, safety, sustainability, quality and cybersecurity, underpinning every aspect of our business and our willingness to behave and respond respectfully and in good faith to all our stakeholders. You can find out more about our Trust Charter here
Schneider Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities in the areas of recruiting, hiring, training, transferring, and promoting all qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, color, gender, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic or conduct.
