Cost/Inventory Accountant

Job Description

Job Description

Robert Half is looking for a Cost/Inventory Accountant to join a manufacturing organization in the western suburbs. This position plays an important role in maintaining accurate product costing, inventory valuation, and financial reporting for manufacturing operations. The ideal candidate will combine strong analytical ability with hands-on accounting experience to support operational decisions, strengthen controls, and provide clear insight into production costs and profitability.

Responsibilities:

• Produce monthly accounting reports, supporting schedules, and journal entries tied to inventory, work in process, and capital-related activity.

• Reconcile inventory-related general ledger accounts and review production variance balances to ensure financial accuracy.

• Examine manufacturing cost fluctuations across materials, labor, overhead, productivity, and inventory, and identify underlying drivers.

• Build and maintain bills of materials, unit cost data, and annual standard cost calculations used for product costing and pricing support.

• Update standard cost information as product designs, engineering specifications, or manufacturing processes change.

• Assist with physical inventory activities and cycle count programs by validating adjustments and researching quantity or valuation discrepancies.

• Review inventory movements and valuation methods to confirm compliance with company guidelines and U.S. accounting standards.

• Prepare recurring manufacturing cost and margin analysis and reconcile production information within the ERP environment.

• Partner with production and cross-functional teams to evaluate operational performance, labor reporting, cost center accuracy, and internal controls across inventory and warehouse processes.

• Support audit and general accounting needs by completing reconciliations, assembling documentation, and contributing to special projects as needed.

This position offers a salary range of $80,000-$110,000 and comes with a full benefits package including:

• Medical (two plan options)
• Dental
• Vision
• FSA
• Group Term, Dependent, Additional, Voluntary Spousal, Voluntary Dependent Life Insurance
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
• Short-term / Long-term Disability
• 401(k) with Safe Harbor match
• Paid Holidays
• PTO
• Section 529 College Savings Plan
• Educational Assistance Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program 

If interested, please contact Brian Keating at View phone number on ziprecruiter.com.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.
• At least 5 years of accounting experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of cost accounting, inventory valuation, standard costing, and manufacturing variance analysis.
• Experience working with bills of materials, cost centers, inventory controls, and product cost structures.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and prior use of an ERP system; Sage 100 experience is preferred.
• Solid understanding of U.S. GAAP and its application to inventory and manufacturing accounting.
• Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills with the ability to collaborate across Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Finance.
• Comfortable working in a paperless environment and managing detailed financial information with accuracy.