Manufacturing Controller—Finance Leadership
Table of Contents
The Finance Leader: Manufacturing Controller
Manufacturing controllers manage manufacturing financial operations—P&L, cost accounting, financial reporting, budgeting. They earn ₹1,20,000-2,00,000/month, advancing to ₹2,30,000-3,70,000+/month as Finance Director or CFO.
What Manufacturing Controllers Do
Financial Management (35%):
- Manage manufacturing P&L (₹50-500 crore+)
- Develop annual budgets
- Monthly variance analysis and reporting
- Cost management and optimization
- Capital budgeting and ROI analysis
Cost Accounting (25%):
- Manage cost accounting systems
- Calculate product costs
- Analyze cost drivers
- Conduct cost reduction initiatives
- Manage inventory accounting
Financial Strategy (20%):
- Support strategic decision-making with financial analysis
- Evaluate capital investments
- Financial planning and forecasting
- Cost improvement initiatives
- Financial risk management
Team Leadership (20%):
- Lead accounting team
- Manage financial systems
- Develop accounting talent
- Implement financial controls
- Ensure compliance and accuracy
Key Responsibilities
Financial Management (50%):
- P&L responsibility and management
- Budget development and management
- Cost control and optimization
- Capital investment decisions
- Financial forecasting and planning
Accounting (30%):
- Cost accounting systems
- Financial reporting
- Variance analysis
- Internal controls
- Compliance with accounting standards
Strategic (20%):
- Financial analysis for decisions
- Cost reduction initiatives
- Process improvement
- Systems and efficiency improvements
Critical Skills
- Cost accounting expertise
- P&L management
- Financial analysis and modeling
- ERP and accounting systems
- Internal controls and audit
- Financial planning and forecasting
- Leadership and team management
Salary Expectations
Quality Control Engineer (Entry):
₹45,000 – ₹65,000/month
Senior QC Engineer (3-5 years):
₹65,000 – ₹95,000/month
Lead QC Engineer / Quality Engineering Manager:
₹95,000 – ₹1,40,000/month
Salary Expectations
Manufacturing Controller:
₹1,20,000 – ₹2,00,000/month
Senior Controller / Finance Manager:
₹2,00,000 – ₹3,00,000/month
Finance Director / VP Finance:
₹3,00,000 – ₹4,80,000+/month
Chief Financial Officer:
₹4,80,000 – ₹8,00,000+/month
Entry Requirements
- 12-14 years accounting/finance experience
- 7-9 years in senior accounting/controller roles
- CPA or equivalent certification
- P&L management experience (₹30+ crore)
- Cost accounting expertise
- ERP system expertise
- Financial analysis capability
The Bottom Line
Manufacturing controllers ensure financial health of operations. Entry ₹1,20,000-2,00,000 → VP level ₹2,00,000-3,00,000+. Direct P&L responsibility. Executive compensation and benefits. Clear path to Finance Director or CFO.