Cost Accountant

Position Title: Cost Accountant Wage: Based on Experience Are you a detail-oriented accounting professional with experience in perishable goods or food manufacturing? Our client, a growing and innovative manufacturing company in Madison, WI, is seeking a Cost Accountant to play a key role in driving operational efficiency, analyzing production costs, and supporting strategic business decisions. This highly visible position works closely with plant leadership, operations teams, and finance to identify cost-saving opportunities and improve profitability. If you thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and enjoy turning data into actionable insights, we'd love to hear from you. This is a full-time, on-site, direct hire position that offers a very competitive compensation and benefits package. Cost Accountant Responsibilities: Develop, maintain, and analyze standard costs for materials, labor, packaging, and manufacturing overhead Monitor production costs, investigate variances, and provide actionable recommendations to improve profitability Prepare monthly cost reports, margin analyses, and management reporting by product, customer, and production line Maintain accurate inventory valuation, reconcile inventory accounts, and investigate discrepancies Coordinate physical inventory counts and cycle counts while ensuring accurate tracking of raw materials, WIP, and finished goods Partner with plant leadership and operations teams to evaluate labor, material, overhead costs, and production efficiency Support new product costing, pricing decisions, and analysis of process, recipe, and packaging changes Prepare inventory and manufacturing-related journal entries and support month-end and year-end close activities Ensure compliance with GAAP, company accounting policies, and audit requirements Assist with budgeting, forecasting, cost modeling, and variance analysis to support strategic planning Requirements for Cost Accountant: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field 3-5 years of cost accounting experience within a food or perishable goods manufacturing environment Strong understanding of standard costing, inventory accounting, and variance analysis Experience working with ERP systems and inventory management software Advanced Microsoft Excel skills Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities Excellent communication skills and attention to detail #J-18808-Ljbffr Monroechamber