Position Summary:

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Cost Accountant with 15+ years of hands-on manufacturing cost accounting experience to support our engineered manufacturing operations. This role reports to the Corporate Controller and has global responsibility for ensuring accurate product costing, inventory integrity, and effective partnership with Operations.

The ideal candidate is someone who can communicate clearly and precisely, earn credibility on the plant floor, and execute solutions effectively, someone who can “talk the talk and walk the walk.”

Key Responsibilities:

Cost Accounting & Analysis

• Own standard product costing, including cost rolls, BOMs, labor, overhead, and routings

• Perform material, labor, and overhead variance analysis against standard and budgeted costs
• Investigate price, usage, rate, efficiency, spending, and volume variances and identify root causes
• Deliver monthly variance reporting with clear, executive-level explanations
• Translate variances into actionable cost control and efficiency initiatives
• Review and approve cost changes, new product costings, and process improvements
• Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities, including reconciliation of inventory and cost of goods sold.

Inventory Management & Controls

• Ensure accurate inventory valuation in compliance with GAAP and internal control policies.
• Partner closely with Operations and Supply Chain to plan and execute annual physical inventories.
• Lead cycle counts, investigate discrepancies, and recommend resolutions.
• Monitor excess and obsolete inventory and drive continuous improvement in inventory accuracy.

Systems & Reporting

• Act as a subject matter expert in ERP systems (JD Edwards preferred; other major ERPs acceptable) for costing and inventory processes.
• Develop, maintain, and deliver advanced Excel analyses, reports, and dashboards for decision-making.
• Support ERP system enhancements, process improvements, and potential global system integrations.

Business Partnership & Communication

• Serve as a trusted finance partner to plant leadership, Operations, Supply Chain, and Corporate Finance.
• Communicate complex financial and operational information clearly and concisely to stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrate credibility by providing actionable solutions and following through on commitments.
• Support internal and external audits related to cost and inventory matters.

Qualifications & Experience
Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 12 to 15 years of hands-on cost accounting experience in a manufacturing environment (engineered or complex manufacturing preferred).
• Deep knowledge of standard costing, cost roll processes, inventory accounting, and variance analysis.
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, advanced formulas, lookups; Power Query/Power BI a plus).
• ERP experience required; JD Edwards strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to partner with Operations and influence cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication skills with credibility to engage at plant and corporate levels.

Preferred:

• Experience supporting multi-site or global manufacturing operations.
• Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or operational excellence initiatives.
• Experience managing annual physical inventories and related controls.

Key Competencies & Attributes

• Hands-on, practical, and execution-focused
• High attention to detail and data integrity
• Clear, precise, and credible communicator
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work effectively across functions and levels
• Comfortable balancing plant floor realities with corporate requirements

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