Senior Cost Accountant

Senior Cost Accountant Job DescriptionPosition Summary

The Senior Cost Accountant is responsible for analyzing, monitoring, and reporting on product and operational costs to support accurate financial reporting and informed business decisions. This role partners closely with operations, supply chain, manufacturing, and finance teams to maintain cost accounting systems, improve profitability, and strengthen internal controls.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and analyze standard costs for products, materials, labor, and overhead.
• Prepare and review monthly cost accounting reports, journal entries, and account reconciliations.
• Analyze manufacturing variances, inventory transactions, and production costs, providing actionable recommendations.
• Support month-end and year-end closing activities related to inventory and cost accounting.
• Perform inventory valuation, reserve analysis, and cost roll updates.
• Coordinate and participate in physical inventory counts and cycle count programs.
• Investigate inventory discrepancies and recommend corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain bills of materials (BOMs), routing structures, and cost models as applicable.
• Prepare profitability analyses by product, customer, or business unit.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and annual standard cost updates.
• Support internal and external audits by providing documentation and explanations related to inventory and costing.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, company accounting policies, and internal controls.
• Identify opportunities to improve costing processes, reporting efficiency, and financial controls.
• Mentor junior accounting staff and provide guidance on cost accounting principles.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 5–8+ years of progressive accounting experience, including cost accounting.
• Strong knowledge of cost accounting principles, inventory accounting, and financial reporting.
• Experience in manufacturing or production environments preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, or similar.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), or equivalent certification preferred.
• Experience with business intelligence and reporting tools such as Power BI or Tableau.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, standard costing, and variance analysis.
• Experience supporting process improvement initiatives.

Key Competencies

• Financial analysis
• Cost management
• Inventory accounting
• Attention to detail
• Critical thinking
• Business partnering
• Process improvement
• Time management
• Leadership and mentoring
• Cross-functional collaboration

Work Environment

This position typically operates in a corporate office or hybrid environment and may require periodic visits to manufacturing or warehouse facilities. Occasional travel may be required depending on business needs.

 

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