Senior Cost Manager

Senior Cost Manager

The Senior Cost Manager is responsible for leading and managing the cost accounting function, including standard costing, inventory valuation, manufacturing variance analysis, cost reporting, controls support, and business partnership with Operations and Supply Chain. This role provides leadership in ensuring accurate product costing and inventory reporting, developing cost accounting processes, supporting financial close activities, and delivering actionable insights to improve manufacturing performance and business decision-making.

The Costing Manager serves as a key finance partner to Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Engineering, and Finance leadership. The role is expected to manage cost accounting priorities, support team development, strengthen internal controls, and drive continuous improvement in reporting, analytics, and costing processes.

Responsibilities

Cost Accounting Leadership

· Lead and manage the cost accounting function for manufacturing operations, ensuring accurate and timely reporting of inventory and product costs.

· Provide day-to-day guidance, coaching, and review support to cost accounting team members.

· Support the annual standard cost roll process, including planning, validation, coordination, review, and post-roll analysis.

· Oversee standard cost maintenance, cost updates, item cost reviews, and product costing exceptions.

· Review cost structures for materials, labor, overhead, routings, bills of material, and related manufacturing cost elements.

· Support new product introductions, engineering changes, sourcing changes, and manufacturing changes through financial and cost impact analysis.

· Ensure product costing activities are aligned with company policy, and financial reporting requirements.

Manufacturing Variance and Cost Analysis

· Analyze and explain manufacturing performance, including material usage, labor, overhead, purchase price variance, and work order variance.

· Identify trends, risks, opportunities, and root causes of cost variances and provide actionable recommendations to management.

· Analyze the standard margin and gross margin performance across product lines to explain variances versus forecast.

· Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to drive cost visibility, accountability, and corrective action.

Financial Close, Controls, and Compliance

· Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities related to cost accounting and inventory.

· Review and approve journal entries, reclassifications, inventory reconciliations, and supporting schedules.

· Ensure cost accounting and inventory accounting activities comply with company policies and accounting standards.

· Support internal and external audit requests related to inventory, costing, standard costs, and manufacturing variances.

· Identify control gaps, recommend corrective actions, and support implementation of sustainable process improvements.

Required Qualifications

· Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.

· Minimum of 10 years of progressive accounting or finance experience.

· Strong experience in manufacturing cost accounting, inventory accounting, standard costing, variance analysis, and financial reporting.

· Strong understanding of the interrelationship between the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement, particularly as it relates to inventory, cost of goods sold, reserves, and manufacturing variances.

· Experience leveraging AI-enabled productivity tools such as Microsoft Copilot, advanced analytics platforms, or similar technologies to improve reporting efficiency, automate routine analysis, and support decision-making.

· People management, supervisory, or team leadership experience.

· Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and strong proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

· Experience with ERP systems, such as Oracle or a similar enterprise platform.

· Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and presentation skills.

· Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

· MBA, CPA, CMA, or equivalent…