Senior Cost Accountant

Senior Cost Accountant

Sunny Sky Products is seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Senior Cost Accountant to join our Finance & Accounting team. This role owns the full financial reporting cycle for our two primary operating locations (Frostproof, FL and Chicago, IL), including Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss accountability, cost accounting, and inventory control. Additionally, this position carries corporate-level responsibility for fixed assets and lease accounting under ASC 842 across all 6 plant locations. The ideal candidate is based in Frostproof, FL (on-site); candidates based at our Chicago or Houston corporate offices will be considered and expected to travel frequently to Frostproof.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & P&L Ownership

• Own the full P&L and Balance Sheet for both the Frostproof, FL and Chicago, IL locations
• Lead and manage the full month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes, ensuring accuracy and timeliness
• Prepare and review journal entries, accruals, prepaid amortization, and recurring entries
• Perform balance sheet reconciliations and resolve aged reconciling items
• Prepare financial statements and reports with variance analysis and explanatory commentary for management
• Analyze and report on budget-to-actual variances; provide actionable insights to leadership
• Support the preparation of annual budgets and periodic forecasts
• Coordinate with external auditors and support annual audit requirements

Cost Accounting

• Maintain and oversee the standard cost system; update and review standard costs periodically
• Analyze cost of goods sold (COGS), production costs, and manufacturing variances (labor, material, overhead)
• Perform margin analysis by product line, SKU, and customer to identify profitability drivers
• Partner with operations to understand cost drivers and identify cost-reduction opportunities
• Support pricing decisions by providing cost data and profitability modeling
• Review and improve cost allocation methodologies for overhead and shared services

Inventory Control & Management

• Responsible of inventory accounting.
• Reconcile inventory subledger to general ledger monthly; investigate and resolve discrepancies
• Coordinate and oversee physical inventory counts and cycle count programs at both locations
• Analyze inventory obsolescence, slow-moving items, and reserve adequacy
• Work closely with the operations and warehouse teams to ensure accurate inventory tracking and reporting
• Monitor inventory valuation methods (FIFO/weighted average) and ensure compliance with GAAP

Operations Collaboration & Cross-Functional Support

• Serve as a trusted financial partner to the operations team, translating financial data into operational insights
• Collaborate with plant managers and operations leaders on cost performance, labor efficiency, and throughput reporting
• Communicate financial results clearly and effectively to both finance and non-finance stakeholders
• Support ERP/system improvements and process automation initiatives in SAP S/4HANA
• Identify internal control gaps and implement process improvements to strengthen the financial control environment
• Assist with ad-hoc financial analysis, special projects, and due diligence as needed

Lease Accounting – ASC 842 (ROU Assets) – Corporate Level, 6 Plants

• Own the complete lease accounting process under ASC 842 at the corporate level, covering all 6 plant locations
• Maintain the right-of-use (ROU) asset and lease liability schedules for all operating and finance leases across all 6 plants
• Process new leases, modifications, remeasurements, and terminations in accordance with ASC 842
• Prepare required footnote disclosures and ensure completeness and accuracy of lease-related balances
• Liaise with legal, operations, and real estate teams to identify new or modified lease arrangements

Fixed Assets – Corporate Level, 6 Plants

• Manage the fixed asset sub-ledger at the corporate level across all 6 plant locations, including capitalization, depreciation, disposals, and transfers
• Ensure assets are properly classified and depreciated in accordance with company policy and GAAP
• Conduct periodic physical verification of assets across plant locations
• Coordinate with operations on capital expenditure tracking and project cost capitalization
• Prepare fixed asset roll forwards and related disclosures for financial reporting

Qualifications & Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required
• CPA or CMA designation preferred

Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive accounting experience, with a strong emphasis on cost accounting in a manufacturing or distribution environment
• Food and Beverage Industry experience is a plus
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with full-cycle month-end close
• Prior experience managing multi-location or multi-entity accounting preferred
• Solid understanding of ASC 842 lease accounting and practical application experience

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, complex formulas, and data modeling
• Continuous Improvement mind set drive efficiency and accuracy
• Strong proficiency in SAP S/4HANA strongly preferred
• Power BI knowledge strongly preferred
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, including inventory valuation, fixed assets, and lease accounting
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to present financial data to non-finance audiences
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Collaborative mindset with a proven track record of building relationships with operations and cross-functional teams
• Willingness to travel between plant locations as needed; candidates based outside Frostproof should expect frequent travel to the Frostproof facility

Travel Required

Yes. 25%