Cost Accountant

Position Summary

The Cost Accountant is responsible for accounting and financial operations within a manufacturing facility. This role partners closely with plant leadership to drive financial performance, maintain strong internal controls, support operational decision-making, and ensure accurate financial reporting. The Cost Accountant manages cost accounting, budgeting, forecasting, inventory controls, variance analysis, and month-end close activities while supporting continuous improvement initiatives across the plant.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all cost accounting and financial functions, including general ledger, month-end close, and financial reporting.
• Prepare and analyze monthly financial statements, operational reports, and KPIs.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, company policies, and internal controls.
• Support annual budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning processes.
• Develop financial models and operational analyses to support business decisions.

• Maintain and oversee standard costing methodologies and inventory valuation.
• Analyze manufacturing variances including labor, material, overhead, scrap, and absorption.
• Monitor inventory accuracy and partner with operations on cycle counts and physical inventories.
• Evaluate production costs and identify opportunities for cost reduction and efficiency improvements.
• Support capital expenditure tracking and ROI analysis.

• Ensure strong financial controls over plant operations and inventory processes.
• Coordinate internal and external audit requests.
• Maintain compliance with SOX requirements where applicable.
• Identify process improvement opportunities and implement best practices.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required.

Experience

• 5+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong cost accounting and inventory experience required.
• Experience supporting multi-site or high-volume manufacturing operations is a plus.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of GAAP and manufacturing accounting principles.
• Experience with ERP systems such NetSuite.
• Advanced Excel skills required.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis tools.