Senior Cost Accountant (SAP)
Location: [Minneapolis, MN / Hybrid]
Department: Finance & Accounting
Salary: $115-125K + bonus
Job Overview
We are seeking a highly analytical and detail-oriented Senior Cost Accountant with deep SAP proficiency to join our finance team. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing our product costing, inventory valuation, variance analysis, and manufacturing cost controls.
The ideal candidate will not only possess a strong foundation in cost accounting principles but will also serve as our subject matter expert for SAP CO (Controlling) and FI (Financial Accounting) modules, driving process improvements and ensuring data integrity across our financial systems.
Key Responsibilities
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SAP Master Data & System Management: Maintain and optimize SAP cost accounting structures, including profit centers, cost centers, cost elements, and activity types. Ensure accurate setup of Bill of Materials (BOMs) and routings in SAP.
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Costing & Inventory Valuation: Standard cost development for new and existing products within SAP. Oversee periodic cost rollups and manage standard cost estimates. Monitor inventory valuations, obsolescence reserves, and lower-of-cost-or-market (LCM) adjustments.
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Variance Analysis: Perform deep-dive analysis on manufacturing variances (purchase price variance, production quantity variance, labor efficiency, and overhead absorption). Partner with operations to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
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Month-End & Year-End Close: Lead the cost accounting month-end close process in SAP, including executing assessment/distribution cycles, settling production orders, and reconciling inventory sub-ledgers to the general ledger.
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Margin & Profitability Reporting: Prepare and analyze gross margin reports by product line, customer, and plant location. Provide actionable insights to leadership to improve profitability.
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Process Improvement: Identify gaps in current SAP utilization and lead initiatives to streamline costing workflows, improve data accuracy, and automate reporting.
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Audit & Compliance: Support internal and external audits by preparing inventory and cost-of-goods-sold (COGS) schedules, ensuring strict compliance with GAAP/IFRS and SOX controls.
Qualifications & Skills
Required Experience & Education:
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Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
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Experience: 12 + years of progressive cost accounting experience, ideally within a manufacturing, distribution, or industrial environment.
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SAP Expertise: Minimum of 3 years of hands-on experience utilizing SAP ERP (ECC or S/4HANA), specifically within the CO (Product Costing, Cost Center Accounting) and MM/PP integration areas.
Technical & Soft Skills:
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Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (Power Query, VLOOKUPs, Pivot Tables).
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Strong understanding of GAAP/IFRS regarding inventory and revenue recognition.
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Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
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Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (Operations, Supply Chain, and IT).
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Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex financial data to non-financial stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications:
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CPA, CMA, or MBA is a strong plus.
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Experience with SAP S/4HANA migration or implementation.
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Experience using business intelligence tools (e.g., SAP Analytics Cloud, Power BI, or Tableau).
What We Offer
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Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
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Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
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401(k) matching program.
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Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays.
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Professional development and tuition reimbursement opportunities.
How to apply.
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