Senior Cost Accountant

AeroVironment•San Diego, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Cost Accountant oversees and analyzes organizational cost expenditures, process constraints, target costing projects, margins, and costs traced to underlying activities. The role partners with Operations, Planning, and Supply Chain to identify root causes of variances, recommend process improvements, and support accurate financial reporting. It serves as a financial advisor to Operations and drives accounting processes at the plant, including accurate books and records and compliance with key controls such as Sarbanes-Oxley. The position monitors inventory and cost data, investigates variances, and leads perpetual inventory reviews, excess and obsolete reserve analysis, inventory forecasting, operational data analysis, and ERP integrity audits. It develops dashboards, business intelligence reports, and cost models in Oracle, with Oracle Fusion preferred. The accountant must understand how ERP settings affect cost behavior across supply-chain transactions, labor routings, and work-order closure rules. The role requires hands-on understanding of manufacturing operations and a continuous-improvement mindset, including comfort working through ambiguity and evolving processes.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Finance or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
8–12 years of experience in Finance, General Accounting, and/or Cost Accounting in an aerospace manufacturing environment.
Working knowledge of GAAP.
Current expertise with the MS Office Suite, including advanced MS Excel.
Working knowledge of an ERP system and associated reporting tools.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to work in a team environment and shift focus among multiple priorities.
Ability to adapt to changing circumstances, manage time and workflow, meet deadlines, and produce high-quality work and services.
Openness to feedback and motivation to grow beyond one's comfort zone.
Experienced professional with a full understanding of the area of specialization and ability to resolve a wide range of issues creatively and effectively.
Hands-on knowledge of manufacturing operations.
Understanding of how ERP settings affect cost behavior across supply-chain transactions, labor routings, and work-order closure rules.
Ability to work in a hybrid position and meet the stated physical demands.
Applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under ITAR/EAR or be eligible for an export license; some positions may require current U.S. citizenship due to contract requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting a high-tech internal manufacturing environment.
Advanced degree.
Knowledge of Government Cost Accounting Principles (CAS) and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
Oracle Fusion ERP experience.
Good oral and written communication skills and ability to coordinate with various functional organizations.
Ability to work with little instruction on complex issues and to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment where small teams share a broad variety of duties.
Strong initiative, ownership, accountability, and commitment to learning from mistakes and improving individual, team, and company performance.
Effective interpersonal skills and a focus on teamwork, collaboration, and team success.

Responsibilities

Drive plant accounting processes to ensure accurate books and records and compliance with key control requirements, including Sarbanes-Oxley.
Act as a financial advisor to the Operations management team.
Support Operations staff in developing and interpreting financial and non-financial performance measurements.
Collaborate across departments to identify, trace, and resolve inventory and cost anomalies.
Promote cost-control discipline with cross-functional teams.
Lead cross-functional meetings with Operations, Supply Chain Management, and Product Lifecycle Management, focusing on continuous improvement.
Monitor and collect inventory and cost data; review daily, weekly, and monthly reports and investigate variances to ensure proper financial reporting.
Build dashboards, business intelligence reports, and cost models in Oracle; Fusion is preferred.
Lead perpetual inventory reviews, excess and obsolete reserve analysis, inventory forecasting, operational data analysis, and ERP integrity audits.
Perform other duties as assigned.