Senior Cost Accountant

Senior Cost Accountant & Financial Analyst

Our client is looking for a new Senior Cost Accountant & Financial Analyst that is responsible for the company's cost accounting, inventory accounting, management reporting, profitability analysis, and budgeting support activities. This role serves as a key business partner to manufacturing operations by providing accurate product costing, variance analysis, operational reporting, and financial insights that support effective decision-making.

The position works closely with the Vice President of Finance to support the annual budgeting process, periodic forecasting activities, and monthly management reporting requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Cost Accounting & Inventory Management

Maintain standard costs for manufactured products and support periodic cost updates and cost rolls.

Review bills of material (BOMs), routings, labor standards, and overhead allocation methodologies for accuracy and reasonableness.

Analyze and explain material price, material usage, labor rate, labor efficiency, overhead spending, and overhead absorption variances.

Monitor inventory valuation and support compliance with U.S. GAAP.

Assist with the evaluation and documentation of reserves for excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory.

Reconcile inventory subsidiary records to the general ledger.

Prepare month-end journal entries and account reconciliations related to inventory and cost of goods sold.

Support annual physical inventories and ongoing cycle count programs.

Prepare inventory and cost accounting documentation requested by external auditors.

Financial Analysis & Reporting

Prepare and maintain components of the monthly management reporting package.

Perform budget-to-actual, forecast-to-actual, and prior-year variance analysis.

Analyze sales, gross margin, customer, product line, and manufacturing performance.

Develop and maintain financial and operational key performance indicators (KPIs).

Prepare recurring and ad hoc reports that identify trends, risks, and opportunities.

Communicate financial findings in a clear and actionable manner to finance and operational leadership.

Budgeting & Forecasting Support

Assist the Vice President of Finance with the annual budget and periodic forecast processes.

Gather and validate operational assumptions and supporting information from department leaders.

Maintain budget and forecast models, schedules, and supporting documentation.

Analyze trends and variances that may affect projected financial performance.

Provide supporting analysis for revenue, gross margin, operating expenses, inventory, and capital expenditures.

Operations Finance & Business Partnership

Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Sales to improve cost visibility and operational performance.

Analyze labor utilization, production efficiency, machine utilization, scrap, and manufacturing throughput.

Provide cost and margin analysis to support pricing and customer profitability reviews.

Identify opportunities for cost reduction, process improvement, inventory optimization, and margin enhancement.

Provide ad hoc financial analysis and decision support as requested by the Vice President of Finance.

Systems & Process Improvement

Maintain costing structures and related financial reporting within the ERP system.

Support ERP and reporting improvements related to manufacturing finance, inventory, and costing.

Develop and improve reports, dashboards, and data analysis tools.

Assist in strengthening internal controls related to inventory, costing, and financial reporting.

Document and maintain applicable finance and accounting procedures.

Qualifications:

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.

CPA, CMA, or MBA preferred but not required.

Experience

Three to five years of progressive accounting or finance experience.

Minimum of two years of manufacturing cost accounting experience.

Experience with standard costing, inventory accounting, and manufacturing variance analysis.

Experience supporting budgeting, forecasting, or monthly management reporting preferred.

Experience in a discrete manufacturing environment preferred.

Technical Skills

Working knowledge of U.S. GAAP as it relates to inventory and cost accounting.

Advanced Microsoft Excel skills required.

Experience with Infor CSI (SyteLine) preferred but not required.

Experience with Power BI, SQL, or other business intelligence tools preferred.

Key Competencies

Cost accounting and inventory control

Financial analysis and reporting

Analytical problem-solving

Manufacturing operations knowledge

Business partnering

Attention to detail and accuracy

Process improvement

Clear written and verbal communication

Planning, organization, and deadline management