Cost Accounting Manager

Position Summary

The Cost Accounting Manager is responsible for establishing, leading, and continuously improving the cost accounting function for American Leather. This role serves as the Company's subject matter expert for manufacturing costing, inventory valuation, product profitability, margin analysis, and operational financial performance. The position will develop and maintain the processes, controls, methodologies, and reporting necessary to provide accurate product costing, profitability analysis, and meaningful financial insights that support strategic and operational decision-making.

Working closely with Engineering, Operations, Purchasing, Sales, and Finance, the Cost Accounting Manager will own the standard costing process, manufacturing variance analysis, product profitability reporting, inventory reserve assessments, and cost reporting activities. This individual will partner with Engineering to translate product specifications, labor standards, and manufacturing processes into accurate financial cost models while ensuring inventory and manufacturing costs are properly reflected in the Company's financial statements.

This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports. The successful candidate will bring deep manufacturing cost accounting expertise, strong analytical capabilities, and a proven ability to build scalable processes and controls within a manufacturing environment. This position will play a key role in strengthening financial visibility, improving margin performance, and driving data-based decision making throughout the organization.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Cost Accounting Leadership

• Establish, lead, and continuously improve the Company's cost accounting function, including processes, governance, controls, reporting, and performance metrics.
• Own the standard costing system in Oracle ERP for all products, materials, labor, and overhead, including periodic cost reviews and updates to keep standards aligned with actual manufacturing operations.
• Serve as the primary subject matter expert for manufacturing cost accounting, inventory valuation, and product costing.
• Partner with Engineering to review, validate, and maintain bills of material (BOMs), routings, labor standards, and manufacturing assumptions, and to evaluate the cost impact of design changes, engineering change orders, new product introductions, and process improvements.
• Develop and maintain documented methodologies, governance procedures, and internal controls for the development, maintenance, and approval of material, labor, and overhead standards.
• Lead the transition of costing ownership from operational teams to Finance, and evaluate the financial impact of sourcing decisions, process improvements, capital investments, and operational initiatives.

Product Profitability & Margin Analysis

• Develop and maintain profitability and gross margin reporting across product line, collection, customer, channel, and manufacturing process to support business decisions.
• Identify drivers of margin fluctuations and communicate actionable recommendations to leadership.
• Partner with Sales, Operations, Engineering, and Purchasing teams to evaluate opportunities for margin improvement and cost reduction.
• Support pricing decisions through detailed cost and profitability analysis.
• Evaluate the financial impact of material cost changes, labor efficiencies, sourcing decisions, and manufacturing process improvements on product profitability.
• Develop margin reporting tools, dashboards, and KPIs that provide visibility into business performance.
• Assist leadership in identifying and prioritizing initiatives that improve profitability and operational performance.

Manufacturing Cost Analysis & Reporting

• Analyze manufacturing variances (material, labor, overhead, scrap, purchase price, and production), identify root causes, and collaborate with operational leaders to develop corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing cost reports, dashboards, and KPIs.
• Analyze manufacturing performance trends - labor efficiency, material utilization, scrap, rework, and overhead absorption - and identify opportunities for improved efficiency and cost reduction.
• Prepare and present financial analysis and recommendations to management regarding manufacturing performance, cost drivers, and profitability.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning activities related to manufacturing costs and operational performance.

Inventory Accounting & Reserve Analysis

• Own inventory valuation accuracy and ensure compliance with company policies, GAAP, and internal accounting standards.
• Evaluate slow-moving, excess, obsolete, and damaged inventory and recommend appropriate reserve levels, partnering with Operations, Purchasing, and Sales to analyze inventory levels, turnover, and reserve requirements.
• Support physical inventory counts, cycle count programs, and reconciliations; monitor inventory controls and recommend process improvements that enhance accuracy, working capital efficiency, and accountability.

Financial Accounting & Month-End Close

• Prepare and/or review journal entries related to inventory, manufacturing costs, reserves, accruals, and other assigned general ledger accounts.
• Perform monthly account reconciliations and support month-end and year-end close activities, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting.
• Assist with preparation of financial statements, management reporting packages, and ad hoc financial analyses.
• Support annual audits and ensure compliance with GAAP, internal accounting policies, and internal control requirements related to inventory and manufacturing accounting.

Process Improvement & Systems Support

• Identify and implement opportunities to improve costing methodologies, inventory accounting processes, financial reporting, profitability analysis, and internal controls.
• Partner with Finance, IT, Engineering, and Operations to enhance Oracle ERP functionality, support system implementations, and drive process improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain documentation for cost accounting processes, procedures, and controls while supporting continuous improvement efforts focused on operational efficiency, profitability, and financial accuracy.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required.
• CPA, CMA, or other relevant professional certification preferred.

Experience

• 5-10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including significant experience in manufacturing cost accounting.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience supporting standard cost accounting within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience establishing, improving, or leading cost accounting processes and controls.
• Experience owning inventory valuation, manufacturing variance analysis, and product costing methodologies.
• Experience developing profitability models, margin reporting, and financial analysis for manufacturing operations.
• Experience supporting month-end close and general ledger accounting functions.
• Experience with Oracle ERP or similar manufacturing ERP systems required; Oracle experience preferred.
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, SQL, or similar business intelligence and reporting tools preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of standard costing, inventory accounting, manufacturing finance, and product profitability analysis.
• Strong understanding of GAAP and inventory valuation principles.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and root-cause investigation skills.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and experience working with large data sets.
• Ability to translate operational and financial data into meaningful insights and actionable recommendations.
• Strong business acumen and understanding of manufacturing operations.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate complex financial concepts to non-financial audiences.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and drive results in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Key Competencies

• Manufacturing Cost Accounting Expertise
• Product Profitability & Margin Analysis
• Financial Analysis & Decision Support
• Business Partnership
• Process Improvement
• Strategic Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Communication & Influence
• Accountability
• Operational Acumen

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

The physical and environmental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Duties are performed primarily in an office environment at a desk in front of a computer within an office setting, must be able to remain in a stationary position 90 percent of the time, moderate noise levels, and minimal adverse conditions.

It may also require visits to plant production facilities or areas where an employee may be exposed to moving mechanical parts, dust and weather conditions, and standard hazards within a manufacturing plant. Safety precautions and personal protective equipment must always be maintained.