Cost Accountant

Cost Accountant

The Cost Accountant will be responsible for analyzing, recording, and reporting financial activity related to inventory, production costs, fixed assets, and other high-value assets. This position will play a critical role in ensuring accurate inventory valuation, cost allocation, financial reporting, and internal controls.

The Cost Accountant will combine traditional accounting responsibilities with cost accounting, financial modeling, variance analysis, and forensic accounting. This individual will investigate discrepancies, analyze unusual transactions, identify root causes, and provide meaningful financial insights to support operational and business decisions.

Day-to-Day

• Prepare reconciliations of sales, purchases, inventory, and accruals.
• Perform cost accounting analysis, including inventory costing, purchase price variances, production costs, and cost fluctuations.
• Analyze inventory movements and investigate discrepancies between physical inventory, subsidiary records, and the General Ledger.
• Create financial models to investigate discrepancies, identify trends, and strengthen internal controls.
• Conduct forensic reviews of financial transactions, tracing activity through the General Ledger and subsidiary ledgers to identify errors, unusual transactions, or control deficiencies.
• Monitor reserves and controls over high-value inventory and assets.
• Record wire transfers into the General Ledger and ensure transactions are properly classified and supported.
• Maintain the perpetual inventory ledger.
• Update reports and post transactions for operating bank accounts.
• Review purchase orders for accuracy and proper accounting treatment.
• Review daily transactions and post non-operating payments.
• Analyze transaction-level data to identify discrepancies, anomalies, duplicate transactions, and posting errors.
• Assist with developing and improving accounting procedures, controls, and reporting processes.
• Coordinate and prepare month-end closing journal entries.
• Maintain accurate inventory records and ensure subledger-to-General Ledger reconciliations are complete and accurate.
• Perform monthly inventory valuation and cost accounting analysis.
• Analyze purchase price, production, inventory, and other cost variances and investigate significant fluctuations.
• Assist with monthly financial reporting and analysis.
• Prepare monthly bank and balance sheet account reconciliations.
• Research unusual or unsupported balance sheet activity and document findings.
• Track and account for outside vendor settlements and charges, including related monthly journal entries.
• Prepare monthly compliance and management reports.
• Work with operations and production personnel during monthly inventory counts and utilize root-cause analysis to resolve discrepancies.
• Reconcile monthly physical inventory to the General Ledger.
• Maintain subsidiary ledgers for multiple affiliates.
• Analyze inventory adjustments, production variances, scrap, purchase variances, and other cost-related activity.
• Prepare explanations for significant cost and inventory fluctuations.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost controls, reporting accuracy, and accounting processes.

As Needed

• Assist with audit requests and Prepared by Client (PBC) schedules.
• Assist with annual audit documentation and requirements.
• Provide audit schedules and supporting documentation related to inventory, fixed assets, and other high-value assets.
• Perform detailed forensic accounting and transaction research as requested by management.
• Investigate accounting discrepancies, inventory variances, unusual transactions, and potential internal control deficiencies.
• Trace financial transactions and document findings for management review.
• Provide reporting as required by government agencies.
• Reconcile subsidiary ledgers and file sales tax.
• Assist with processing customer refunds and payments.
• Assist with AP/AR functions and cross-train with AP/AR team members.
• Support special projects involving cost analysis, financial modeling, inventory valuation, internal controls, and process improvement.

What We're Looking For

• Minimum of 35 years of accounting experience, with strong preference for experience in cost accounting, inventory accounting, manufacturing, or production environments.
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field preferred.
• Experience with cost accounting, inventory valuation, variance analysis, financial modeling, and account reconciliations strongly preferred.
• Exposure to forensic accounting, investigative accounting, internal controls, or financial transaction analysis is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of General Ledger accounting, journal entries, month-end close, inventory accounting, and financial reporting.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including financial modeling, pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis.
• Strong analytical and investigative skills with the ability to identify trends, anomalies, discrepancies, and potential control issues.
• Ability to follow the numbers, trace transactions, determine root causes, and clearly communicate findings.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy when working with high-value financial and inventory transactions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently and meet deadlines.
• Self-starter with the ability to take projects from problem identification through solution implementation.
• Excellent communication, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with accounting, operations, production, and management teams in a fast-paced environment.
• All candidates must pass an extensive background check, credit check, criminal background check, and drug screen.