Cost Accountant

Description

JOB SUMMARY

The Cost Accountant is responsible for managing the Company's manufacturing cost accounting, inventory valuation, budgeting, forecasting, and operational financial analysis. This role partners closely with Operations, Production, Purchasing, Sales, and Executive Leadership to provide accurate financial information that supports profitability, pricing decisions, cost control, and continuous improvement. The position plays a critical role in maintaining costing integrity across manufacturing operations while delivering financial insights that improve operational performance and support strategic decision-making.

MAIN FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, maintain, and update standard costs for products and manufacturing processes. 
• Maintain cost rolls, Bills of Materials (BOMs), and manufacturing routings to ensure accurate product costing. 
• Manage inventory valuation for raw materials, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods. 
• Analyze manufacturing variances, including material, labor, overhead, and production variances, and recommend corrective actions. 
• Monitor labor absorption, overhead absorption, material usage, scrap, and conversion costs to ensure accurate manufacturing costing. 
• Prepare monthly forecasts and support the annual budgeting process. 
• Develop labor, production, margin, and capital expenditure forecasts. 
• Analyze financial performance against budget and forecast, providing meaningful variance analysis and recommendations. 
• Prepare manufacturing performance reports, financial dashboards, and operational KPI reporting. 
• Monitor key manufacturing metrics including labor efficiency, inventory turns, capacity utilization, throughput, yield, and scrap. 
• Analyze customer, product, and product family profitability to support pricing and margin improvement decisions. 
• Support Sales and Operations by providing cost analysis and pricing recommendations. 
• Improve ERP costing accuracy, standard costing methodologies, financial reporting, and manufacturing reporting processes. 
• Identify opportunities for automation, process improvements, and cost reduction initiatives across manufacturing and finance operations. 
• Partner with Operations, Production, Purchasing, Engineering, and Executive Leadership to support informed financial and operational decision-making. 
• Support audits and internal reporting requirements by providing accurate costing documentation and financial analysis.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. 
• 3–5 years of accounting or cost accounting experience, preferably within a manufacturing environment. 
• Strong knowledge of standard costing, inventory accounting, manufacturing cost accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and variance reporting. 
• Experience with inventory valuation, Bills of Materials (BOMs), manufacturing routings, product costing, profitability analysis, and manufacturing KPIs. 
• ERP experience required; Infor experience preferred. 
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills with the ability to analyze and interpret large data sets. 
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail. 
• Demonstrates ownership, accountability, and the ability to deliver accurate financial information in a deadline-driven environment. 
• Ability to communicate financial information effectively to both finance and operational teams. 
• Ability to lead costing initiatives, drive continuous improvement, and influence operational decision-making. 
• Strong collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across Finance, Operations, Production, Purchasing, Sales, Engineering, and Executive Leadership.