Cost Accounting Manager

Cost Accounting Manager

We are looking for an experienced Cost Accounting Manager to lead plant-focused financial analysis and cost oversight for a multi-site manufacturing environment in Charleston, Illinois. This role partners closely with operations leadership to improve cost visibility, strengthen inventory accuracy, and support sound business decisions across production facilities. The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of manufacturing accounting, a strong command of standard costing, and the ability to translate complex financial data into practical operational insight.

Responsibilities:

• Direct cost accounting activities for multiple manufacturing locations, ensuring consistent practices, accurate reporting, and alignment with company financial policies.
• Act as a key business partner to plant and operations leaders by interpreting cost trends, explaining variances, and identifying opportunities to improve financial performance.
• Travel to operating sites to review plant results, confirm inventory records, and build strong coordination between finance and manufacturing teams.
• Maintain and refine standard costing structures, including product costing inputs, bills of materials accuracy, labor assumptions, overhead calculations, and cost rollups.
• Lead recurring month-end cost reviews by evaluating manufacturing variances related to material usage, labor performance, and overhead absorption.
• Work with operations, supply chain, and production teams to assess scrap, yield, cycle time, and other drivers that influence manufacturing efficiency and profitability.
• Oversee inventory valuation and control processes, including cycle count programs and physical inventory activities, while reinforcing strong controls over raw materials, work in process, and finished goods.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, capital analysis, product profitability reviews, and reporting improvements, including data quality and system-related enhancements tied to manufacturing finance.
• Partner with engineering and product development teams to estimate costs for new products and evaluate the financial effects of production methods, energy usage, batch variation, and kiln performance within refractory manufacturing.