Manufacturing Cost Analyst

PDI•Orangeburg, NY

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manufacturing Cost Analyst supports the manufacturing finance function by ensuring accurate product costing, inventory valuation, and analysis of material, labor, and overhead costs. Reporting to the Director of Cost Accounting, this individual contributor role is responsible for maintaining standard cost integrity, performing detailed variance analysis, and providing actionable financial insights to operations and leadership. The position partners closely with manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement to identify cost drivers, investigate variances, and support continuous improvement initiatives. The Cost Analyst delivers timely and reliable financial analysis to support month-end close, budgeting, forecasting, and operational decision-making.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required.
3–5 years of cost accounting or cost analysis experience, preferably within a manufacturing environment.
Strong understanding of standard costing methodologies, absorption costing, variance analysis, and GAAP inventory valuation principles.
Knowledge of manufacturing processes and cost drivers.
Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups, data modeling)
Experience with ERP systems
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
High attention to detail and accuracy
Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment
Effective communication skills with cross-functional partners

Nice To Haves

CPA or CMA certification (or progress toward certification) preferred
Microsoft Dynamics 365 experience preferred
Experience with data visualization tools such as Power BI is a plus

Responsibilities

Maintain and analyze standard costs for raw materials, work-in-process (WIP), and finished goods within the ERP system (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics 365), ensuring accuracy and data integrity.
Support monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes by preparing journal entries related to cost of goods sold, inventory adjustments, and manufacturing variances.
Perform detailed variance analysis including material usage, purchase price, labor efficiency, overhead absorption, scrap, and yield variances.
Partner with manufacturing and supply chain teams to investigate root causes of variances and provide data-driven recommendations for corrective action.
Lead cost roll-ups and support new item setup, bill of material (BOM) validation, routing reviews, and annual standard cost updates.
Reconcile WIP, inventory valuation, and production order data between systems to ensure financial accuracy and compliance with GAAP.
Develop, track, and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as cost per unit, absorption rates, scrap percentages, and production yield to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
Assist in annual budgeting and periodic forecasting processes by preparing cost estimates, evaluating production plans, and modeling financial impact of cost changes.
Participate in cycle counts and physical inventory audits; provide cost validation, reconciliation support, and documentation for internal and external auditors.
Provide analytical support for capital expenditure (CAPEX) analysis, make-versus-buy decisions, margin analysis, and cost optimization initiatives.
Support internal control compliance related to inventory and cost accounting processes.