Cost Accountant

Job Summary

The Cost Accountant is responsible for analyzing, monitoring, and controlling costs across out-sourced manufacturing, operations, and supply chain activities. This role supports financial planning, budgeting, inventory valuation, product costing, profitability analysis, and continuous process improvement. The Cost Accountant works closely with operations, supply chain, product management, engineering/design, and finance teams to ensure accurate cost reporting and identify opportunities for cost reduction and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Cost Accounting & Analysis

• Review and allocate freight and duty expenses.
• Monitor actual production costs and investigate variances against expected costs.
• Perform monthly cost accounting close activities, including cost allocations, journal entries and account reconciliations.
• Analyze manufacturing, inventory, labor, and overhead costs to identify trends and improvement opportunities.

Inventory Management

• Maintain accurate inventory costing and valuation records.
• Reconcile inventory balances and investigate discrepancies.
• Participate in physical inventory counts.

Budgeting & Forecasting

• Assist in developing annual budgets and periodic forecasts.
• Analyze cost drivers and support operational planning initiatives.
• Monitor spending against budgets and provide variance explanations.

Financial Reporting

• Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closing processes.
• Develop cost-related financial reports, cost of avoidable loss, and management dashboards.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, IFRS, and company accounting policies, as applicable.
• Assist external auditors with inventory and cost accounting audits.

Process Improvement

• Validate that all costs associated with a custom build are allocated to the correct project, (aka job). Perform job audits to ensure anticipated gross margin is attained.
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with project management and supply chain teams to optimize processes.
• Develop and maintain internal controls related to inventory and cost accounting.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.

Experience

• 3+ years of cost accounting experience, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with costing, inventory management, and variance analysis.
• Experience using ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, or similar platforms.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of cost accounting principles and financial reporting.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, lookups, and financial modeling.
• Experience with financial systems and reporting tools.
• Knowledge of inventory valuation methods and manufacturing processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), or equivalent certification.
• Experience in lean manufacturing or continuous improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of business intelligence tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar analytics platforms.

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong business acumen and financial understanding.
• Collaborative and team-oriented mindset.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.