Sr. Cost Analyst

Universal Corporation•Grandview, WA

3d•$95,000 - $130,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Cost Analyst serves as a strategic business partner to Operations, Sales, Procurement, and Executive Leadership. This position is responsible for financial planning and analysis, manufacturing cost accounting, inventory analysis, KPI development, and profitability improvement initiatives throughout the organization. Working closely with the Director of Finance and Controller, the Senior Cost Analyst provides financial insights that drive operational decision-making, improve manufacturing efficiency, optimize product profitability, and support long-term strategic objectives. This role focuses heavily on manufacturing finance, inventory management, standard costing, and operational performance within a food manufacturing environment.

Requirements

4–7+ years of experience in cost analysis, FP&A, operations finance, or similar analytical roles
Solid understanding of cost accounting principles, forecasting, and financial modeling
Ability to build automated reporting tools and dashboards
Experience with ERP systems in a manufacturing environment
Advanced computer skills (Microsoft Office, excel, etc.)
Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and highly organized
Ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced environment
Good communication and coordination skills
Self-motivated with a continuous improvement mindset
Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics, business analytics, or related field is required.
CPA, CMA, or related credentials are required.

Nice To Haves

MBA, Master of Accounting, secondary bachelor’s, or related advanced degrees is preferred.

Responsibilities

Perform detailed cost studies, variance analysis, and cost to serve evaluation to support operation and financial decision making.
Conduct profitability analyses by product, customer, business unit, and production line.
Track cost behavior over time, highlight emerging patterns, and forecast future impacts.
Develop and maintain key performance indicators for manufacturing, inventory, procurement, and financial performance.
Create and maintain costing documentation, procedures, and system controls.
Analyze manufacturing labor, material, packaging, overhead, and freight costs and present findings to departments heads and executive leaders.
Monitor and investigate material, labor, and overhead variances.
Evaluate inventory trends, turnover, aging, and working capital utilization.
Generate clear, actionable cost reports and dashboards for leadership ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
Translate analytical findings into proposed/recommended initiatives, business cases, process improvements and support implementation of those cost-control measures and efficiency improvements.
Partner with operations, supply chain, procurement, and finance team to validate assumptions and align on cost strategies.
Maintain ongoing oversight of cost drivers, market changes, and internal performance metrics.
Analyze production yields, waste, and byproducts to identify improvement opportunities.
Develop benchmarks and performance standards to evaluate operational efficiency.
Promote financial accountability throughout the organization.
Support continuous improvement initiatives and strategic projects.
Perform additional duties as assigned.