Cost Accounting Manager
About The Position
The Cost Accounting Manager is responsible for leading all cost accounting and manufacturing finance activities for a multi-site North American manufacturing operation specializing in connector assemblies, cable assemblies, and solar junction box products. This role owns product costing, inventory accounting, manufacturing performance analysis, fixed asset accounting, accounts payable oversight, and operational financial support. The Cost Accounting Manager serves as a key business partner to Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Product Management, and Commercial teams by providing accurate product costs, analyzing manufacturing performance, supporting pricing and profitability initiatives, and ensuring strong financial controls across the organization. This position manages a Cost Analyst and an AP Analyst/Accountant and plays a critical role in maintaining financial integrity while driving continuous improvement throughout the manufacturing and accounting processes.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field required.
- 7+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience within a manufacturing environment.
- 3+ years of leadership or supervisory experience.
- Strong experience with standard costing, inventory accounting, and manufacturing finance.
- Experience with ERP systems in a manufacturing environment.
- Deep understanding of standard costing methodologies and product cost structures.
- Strong knowledge of inventory accounting, variance analysis, and manufacturing operations.
- Understanding of accounts payable, fixed asset accounting, and month-end close processes.
- Ability to analyze large volumes of financial and operational data and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
- Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills.
- Strong ERP proficiency (SAP, Oracle, Epicor, QAD, Plex, Infor, Macola, or similar).
- Excellent communication, business partnering, and leadership skills.
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Nice To Haves
- CPA, CMA, or MBA preferred.
- Experience supporting complex manufacturing operations involving assembly, electromechanical products, wire and cable products, or industrial components preferred.
Responsibilities
- Own and maintain standard costing systems for connector assemblies, cable assemblies, solar junction box assemblies, and related products.
- Develop, validate, and maintain bills of materials, labor routings, overhead allocation methodologies, and manufacturing cost structures.
- Lead annual standard cost roll activities and periodic cost updates.
- Analyze material, labor, overhead, purchase price, and manufacturing variances, identifying drivers and corrective actions.
- Partner with Engineering, Supply Chain, and Operations to evaluate the financial impact of product design changes, sourcing decisions, and manufacturing process improvements.
- Support product profitability analysis and pricing decisions through detailed cost modeling.
- Ensure accurate cost capitalization and inventory valuation in accordance with U.S. GAAP and company policies.
- Serve as the primary finance partner to Operations and Plant Leadership.
- Analyze manufacturing performance metrics including labor utilization, material yield, scrap, inventory turns, productivity, and absorption.
- Develop reporting and KPIs to improve operational decision-making.
- Support monthly business reviews by providing financial analysis of manufacturing performance and operational trends.
- Participate in capital investment evaluations, return-on-investment analyses, and operational improvement initiatives.
- Provide financial guidance for new product introductions, process transfers, and manufacturing footprint optimization efforts.
- Own inventory accounting and reconciliation processes.
- Ensure timely and accurate inventory valuation and reserve methodologies.
- Lead physical inventory counts and cycle count programs.
- Investigate inventory adjustments, aging trends, excess and obsolete inventory, and inventory-related variances.
- Strengthen inventory controls and collaborate with Operations and Supply Chain teams to improve inventory accuracy.
- Manage fixed asset accounting activities, including capitalization, depreciation, transfers, disposals, and asset verification.
- Partner with Operations on capital project tracking and capital expenditure reporting.
- Maintain compliance with company capitalization policies and audit requirements.
- Partner with manufacturing teams to ensure robust and repeatable material and process implementation.
- Support sourcing teams in evaluating new suppliers, qualifying alternate materials, and managing material changes.
- Support ECNs, cost‑reduction initiatives, and global product transfers involving material or process changes.
- Provide oversight of the Accounts Payable functions.
- Support monthly, quarterly, and annual close process.
- Assist with budget, forecast, and strategic planning processes.
- Lead, mentor, and develop the Cost Accountant and AP Specialist.
- Drive continuous improvement and automation initiatives across accounting and finance processes.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
