Senior Manager / Associate Director, Cost Accounting

Menlo Park, CA / Sacramento, CAGeneral & Administrative – Accounting /Regular, Full-Time Employee /On-siteMore than one million people in the United States today are fighting blood cancer. While a traditional allogeneic stem cell transplant has been the best hope for many, the transplant itself can prove fatal or lead to serious conditions, such as graft vs. host disease. Orca Bio is a commercial-stage biotechnology company redefining the transplant process by developing next-generation cell therapies with the goal of providing significantly better survival rates with dramatically fewer risks.With our purified, high-precision cell therapies we hope to not only replace patients' blood and immune systems with healthy ones, but also restore their lives.The Senior Manager / Associate Director, Cost Accounting will lead cost accounting activities for manufacturing and operational functions within a biotechnology or pharmaceutical organization. This role is responsible for overseeing product costing, inventory valuation, COGS reporting, and cost-related controls, while supporting business scaling from clinical-stage through commercialization. The position requires strong leadership, cross-functional partnership, and deep expertise in manufacturing cost structures.Essential Duties & Key ResponsibilitiesCost Accounting & AnalysisDevelop, own and oversee standard costing, variance analysis, and cost allocations across manufacturing operationsEstablish and maintain cost accounting policies, procedures, and internal controlsLead and review monthly close activities related to inventory, COGS, and manufacturing variancesSupport cost-of-goods-sold (COGS) analysis for clinical and commercial productsInventory & Manufacturing AccountingMaintain accurate inventory valuation for raw materials, WIP, and finished goodsAccount for complex manufacturing processes, including batch-based and patient-specific production, where applicablePartner with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and R&D to understand cost drivers and improve cost accuracyLead physical inventory counts and cycle count programsEnsure proper capitalization and expensing of manufacturing-related costsFinancial Reporting & ComplianceSupport monthly close activities related to inventory, COGS, and manufacturing variancesEnsure compliance with GAAP, SOX (if applicable), and internal controlsAssist with audit requests related to inventory, cost accounting, and manufacturing transactionsSupport implementation and maintenance of ERP and cost accounting systemsServe as a primary point of contact for auditors on cost accounting and inventory-related mattersBudgeting & ForecastingAssist in manufacturing cost forecasts and annual budgetsMonitor actual costs versus budget and provide variance analysisSupport long-range planning related to scale-up, tech transfer, and commercializationMinimum Experience, Education, Certifications, LicensesBachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or related field5+ years of progressive cost accounting experience in a manufacturing, biotech, or pharmaceutical environmentStrong understanding of standard costing, inventory accounting, and variance analysisExperience working with ERP systems – NetSuite is highly desirableStrong Excel skills and data analysis capabilitiesStrong analytical and problem-solving skillsAbility to work cross-functionally with manufacturing and operations teamsHigh attention to detail and accuracyAbility to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environmentPreferred Qualifications Experience in cell therapy, gene therapy, or biologics manufacturingKnowledge of GMP manufacturing environmentsCPA preferred but not requiredExperience supporting clinical stage to commercial transition$155,000 - $200,000 a yearThe anticipated annual salary range for this job is based on prior experience in the role/industry, education, location, internal equity, and other job-related factors as permitted by law. For remote-based positions, this range may vary based on your local market. Full-time employment positions will also be eligible to receive pre-IPO equity and annual bonus, in addition to competitive medical, dental, and vision benefits, PTO, 401(k) plan, life and accidental death and disability coverage, and parental leave benefits. Other perks include subsidized daily lunches and snacks at our on-site locations.Who we areWe are driven by a passion for science and compassion for patients. We act with urgency to ensure our treatments are one day accessible to all who need them.We live by our core values of passion, courage, and integrity. Excellence in our work means the chance to unlock a better quality of life for our patients, and with that comes tremendous responsibility.We innovate on a path that hasn’t been paved. We embrace an entrepreneurial spirit and take calculated risks to achieve our mission. We aren’t afraid to ask “why not” and challenge the status quo.We maintain a start-up culture of camaraderie and leadership by example, regardless of title.We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and recognize that celebrating our differences creates stronger, lasting solutions that better serve our team, our patients and their healthcare providers.Notice to staffing firmsOrca Bio does not accept resumes from staffing agencies with which we do not have a written agreement and specific engagement for a particular opening. Our employment activities, inquiries and offers are managed through our HR/Talent team, and all candidates are presented through this channel only. We do not accept unsolicited resumes, and we rarely outsource recruitment.We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.