Cost Accounting Lead

Panasonic • Bridgeton, MO

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Cost Accountant is responsible for end-to-end cost accounting, inventory control, and operational financial reporting across multiple business units, with direct support for Performance Parts manufacturing (sheet metal) and distribution (warehouse operations). This role serves as a strategic finance partner to operations, providing insight into cost drivers, labor productivity, and margin performance. The position blends technical cost accounting expertise with ownership of inventory processes, multi-entity P&L consolidation, and leadership of billing and transactional accounting staff.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 5–10+ years of experience in cost accounting, inventory accounting, or operations finance
• Strong understanding of standard costing, variance analysis, and inventory controls
• Experience supporting multiple business units or P&Ls
• Ability to effectively partner with operations and communicate financial information clearly
• Prior experience leading or supervising staff
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to translate financial data into operational insights
• Proactive, ownership-oriented mindset
• Effective communication with both finance and non-finance stakeholders
• Leadership and team development capabilities

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Oracle EBS or similar ERP system
• Experience in both manufacturing and distribution environments
• Exposure to union labor environments and labor cost modeling

Responsibilities

• Maintain and update standard costs for labor, materials, and overhead within the ERP system (Oracle EBS preferred)
• Analyze and explain key variances, including labor, overhead, purchase price, and usage
• Support cost rollups and ensure accuracy of frozen standard costs
• Provide ongoing analysis of cost drivers and margin performance
• Own inventory accuracy, valuation, and reporting across sheet metal manufacturing and parts warehouse operations (including picking and distribution)
• Lead physical inventory counts and cycle count programs across manufacturing and warehouse locations
• Investigate and resolve inventory discrepancies in partnership with operations
• Strengthen inventory controls, processes, and data integrity across both manufacturing and distribution environments
• Partner with manufacturing and warehouse operations to analyze labor productivity, picking efficiency, and labor-to-sales ratios
• Provide visibility into cost drivers across production and distribution workflows
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and cost structure
• Serve as a primary financial liaison between accounting and operations teams
• Manage and support revenue accruals and related financial entries
• Consolidate and report financial results across multiple P&Ls/business units
• Provide clear, actionable reporting on margins, cost trends, and financial performance
• Support leadership with insights to drive informed business decisions
• Supervise billing clerks and transactional accounting staff
• Ensure accuracy, timeliness, and consistency in billing processes
• Provide coaching, performance direction, and oversight of daily activities
• Drive process improvements and strengthen internal controls

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, prescription plans
• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options
• Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance
• 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting
• Paid time off
• Stewardship leave
• Parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service
• EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, and tobacco cessation programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level