Cost Analyst

Do you have a passion for finance and a knack for problem-solving? Are you interested in working in the exciting world of aerospace manufacturing? Job Title: Cost Analyst Department: Finance / Accounting Location: EURO-COMPOSITES Corporation – Culpeper, VA Employment Type: Full-Time, Salary Exempt Salary Range: $60,000 – $75,000 We're looking for a highly motivated and results-driven Cost Analyst who's excited to build controlling structures, optimize manufacturing costs, and shape the site's long-term profitability. Reporting directly to the Cost Accounting Manager within the Finance team, you will support all plant controlling activities and provide data to drive operational decision-making within a precision-critical aerospace defense government contracting environment. If you enjoy solving complex financial and operational challenges and seeing your insights directly impact decision-making on the production floor, this role is for you! In this role, you will play a vital role in our financial success by: Extract and analyze data from ERP and financial systems to perform inventory valuation, product costing, and price-cost analysis. Calculate production costs, labor costs, and overhead expenses across 5,000+ unique custom products with multi-layer Bill-of-Materials (BOMs) and routings to support these efforts. Conduct variance and margin analyses to identify and monitor root-cause issues, including but not limited to labor and overhead efficiency, scrap trends, yield estimates, purchase price differentials, machine rates, employee utilization, and resource usage. Utilize advanced Microsoft Excel tools, including extensive Power Query use, to perform the above responsibilities and build live reporting tools for use across departments. Support internal and external audits as required, such as year-end audits, customer-mandated price and cost analysis reports (PCARs), in-house physical inventory counts, daily cycle counts, etc. Establish and scale controlling structures to support accurate and effective internal controls across all financial processes, with particular emphasis on inventory. Support capital investment (CapEx) through financial analysis and business case development, to include return-on-investment (ROI)/payback period calculations. Assist in the development and continuous evaluation of annual account/departmental budgeting, forecasting, and long-term financial planning. Prepare and analyze monthly financial reports, including commentary, to support financial closing activities. Establish, monitor, and report key performance indicators (KPIs) regarding operational and financial performance to management. Create and maintain operational dashboards and financial models to provide real-time insights into revenue and cost trends, supporting profitability. Locate opportunities for cost reduction and process improvement through pro-active collaboration with Plant Management, Operations, Sales, Procurement, and Corporate Finance teams. Integrate directly with daily floor operations, building cross-functional relationships to align operational activities with financial outcomes. Assist in cleaning datasets in preparation for group-wide ERP and Accounting software migrations. Ensure compliance with corporate policies, internal controls, and regulatory requirements such as FAR, DFARS, CAS, ITAR, EAR, CUI, and CMMC. To be successful in this role, you will need: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, or a related field. MBA or related advanced degree is a plus. Minimum of 3 years of experience in cost analysis, plant controlling, manufacturing finance, or industrial controlling. Strong knowledge of cost accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis within a complex custom manufacturing environment. Proficiency in ERP systems such as SAP S/4HANA, Sage, or equivalent. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (V/X-lookup, Index/X-Match, Ifs/And/Or/Switch, Text-Split, Filter, Unique/Sort, Sum-Product, X-IRR/X-NPV, and forecast functions; Inquire auditing; pivot tables and chart modeling; regressions; VBA macros; and Power Query) backed by hands-on experience with business intelligence and reporting tools. Proven expertise with Power Query is a must. Experience using SQL to extract and analyze raw data directly from relational databases is a plus. Familiarity with FAR, DFARS, and CAS compliance standards and contract reporting requirements. Understanding of ITAR, EAR, CUI, and CMMC security and compliance requirements. Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and presentation capabilities. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively and manage multiple reporting requirements in a cross-functional and international environment. German language skills are considered an advantage. We believe great people build great products. When you join our team, you can expect: Competitive compensation ($60,000 – $75,000 per year) and comprehensive benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA contributions, and Company-Paid Life Insurance. 401(k) with Company Match, generous PTO, and 10 Paid Holidays. Clear opportunities for professional growth and leadership development in a rapidly growing enterprise. A collaborative, respectful culture where your financial and operational insights directly drive outcomes. Exposure to exciting, high-impact custom manufacturing projects in aerospace and advanced materials. Shape the Future of Composites! If you’re ready to take your manufacturing finance skills to the next level and be a key strategic partner in a forward-thinking plant operations team, we’d love to hear from you! This position is located at an ITAR-regulated facility. Applicants must be U.S. persons as defined by 22 CFR § 120.15 (U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident). #J-18808-Ljbffr