Cost Accountant

Position Summary

The Cost Accountant is responsible for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and transparency of manufacturing cost information. This role focuses on analyzing and maintaining product costs, inventory valuation, and manufacturing variances, and partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Purchasing, and Finance to support data-driven decision-making. The Cost Accountant plays a critical role in understanding cost drivers, improving costing processes, and supporting operational and financial performance. This role is responsible for daily operational needs of the plants. You'll be joining a high-performing team where continuous improvement is championed.

Key Responsibilities

Cost Accounting & Analysis

• Collect, analyze, and record cost data related to materials, labor, overhead, and manufacturing activities.
• Maintain and support the standard cost structure, including material standards, labor rates, and overhead/burden rates.
• Participate in annual and interim cost rolls; review and validate cost changes and impacts.
• Perform detailed variance analysis (material, labor, overhead, job-level) and partner with Operations to identify root causes and corrective actions.

Inventory & WIP

• Analyze inventory and work-in-process (WIP) costing and valuation to ensure accuracy and compliance with accounting policies.
• Support physical inventories, cycle counts, and inventory adjustments.
• Evaluate the cost impact of inventory movements, scrap, rework, and process changes.

General Ledger, Month-End Close & Reporting

• Create daily invoicing and reporting
• Prepare and review cost-related journal entries and account reconciliations.
• Support the monthly close process by ensuring cost and inventory accounts are complete, accurate, and properly explained.
• Prepare monthly bank account reconciliations
• Provide cost and margin analysis to Finance and Operations leadership.

Business Partnership & Process Improvement

• Recommend and assist in implementing improvements to costing methods, systems, and internal controls.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by providing financial insight into operational performance.

Audit & Compliance

• Support internal and external audit requirements related to cost accounting and inventory.
• Support adherence to company accounting policies and procedures, including capital expenditure and major expense policies, processes and reporting.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 1-2 years of cost accounting or manufacturing accounting experience, or equivalent progression from a Cost Accountant, Staff Accountant or similar role.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of manufacturing cost accounting principles.
• Experience with standard costing, variance analysis, and inventory accounting.
• ERP system experience (Epicor or similar preferred).
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Robust excel skills to manage, analyze and convert data
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across departments.
• High attention to detail with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.

Career Path

The Cost Accountant role is a specialized position that builds deep manufacturing and cost expertise. It typically serves as a feeder role into Plant Accountant, Senior Plant Accountant, Assistant Controller, or Controller positions for individuals who demonstrate strong technical capability and operational partnership skills.

Work Environment:

• Office and Manufacturing

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

Work Location: - 570 Bluemound Road | Waukesha | WI | 53188 and Secondary - Possible fluctuating between 1040 S. Twelth Street | Watertown | WI | 53094

Benefits Package:

• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Company Paid Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Prescription Drug Benefits
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
• 10 Paid Holidays
• Open PTO
• FSA (Health and/or Dependent Flexible Spending Account)
• And more!