Cost Accounting Associate Manager, COGS

Cesna Recruitment•Reston, VA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role supports the Operations Finance Manager in designing and improving plant accounting operations, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, capital assets, raw materials, and finished goods accounting. The position also involves developing consistent activity-based costing metrics and cost allocations for insightful plant performance analysis, and creating streamlined plant financial accounting processes, reporting, and analysis.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in operations finance, or cost accounting, plant finance or a similar COGS-focused role
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Finance, or related field is required
Strong understanding of cost drivers (materials, labor, overhead, logistics, etc.)
Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel required
Analytical, ability to multi-task, attention to detail and self-motivated
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Ability to travel domestically and internationally (15 ? 20%) to support plant visits, operational reviews and cross-functional collaboration

Nice To Haves

SAP HANA and Power BI a plus
Prior work experience in Manufacturing, Food Manufacturing, Consumer Packaged Goods or co-packing environments is preferred

Responsibilities

Partner with Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Procurement to analyze COGS drivers, including raw materials, packaging, ingredients, conversion, labor, overhead, logistics and co-packing costs, and identify impacts to profitability.
Own monthly COGS and manufacturing variance analysis, including volume, yield, usage, mix, rate and conversion cost variances, explaining deviations vs AOP and forecast.
Support cost optimization initiatives across internal manufacturing and co-packing operations, including plant efficiency, yield improvement, sourcing decisions and margin improvement opportunities.
Lead the annual operating plan and forecasting for Operations, COGS and related manufacturing cost drivers, highlighting key risks and opportunities while driving potential mitigating actions.
Develop driver-based models linking volume, yield, COGS components, co-packing assumptions and operational KPIs to financial outcomes.
Participate in the month-end close to ensure accuracy of Operations and COGS results, timely understanding of variance drivers and appropriate follow-up with Accounting and Operations teams.
Lead monthly COGS and plant performance reviews with stakeholders to ensure accountability, alignment on cost targets and timely action plans for performance gaps.
Support financial evaluation of operational initiatives and manufacturing-related investments, ensuring assumptions, benefits and cost impacts are appropriately reviewed.
Support capital planning and post-implementation reviews for manufacturing and operations initiatives, with focus on COGS impact, productivity benefits and execution against approved assumptions.
Partner with operations to evaluate capacity, automation, co-packing and cost reduction initiatives, including make-versus-buy considerations and financial impact on COGS.
Conduct ad hoc analyses and projects to support Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement and business management decisions related to COGS, plant performance and co-packing economics.