Cost Accountant, Senior

Senior Cost Accountant

The Senior Cost Accountant is responsible for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial analysis related to product costing, inventory valuation, gross margin performance, operating expenses, and cost optimization opportunities. This role partners closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Accounting, and Finance leadership to analyze cost drivers, explain variances, support budgeting and forecasting activities, and provide insights that improve profitability and business performance.

In this role, you are expected to think strategically by identifying emerging risks, anticipating cost and margin issues, investigating root causes, recommending practical solutions, and influencing cross-functional stakeholders to take corrective action. The role serves as a key business partner supporting financial decision-making and operational excellence.

What You Will Do

• Maintain and analyze standard costs, including materials, labor, overhead, freight, and other cost components.
• Analyze product costs, actual costs, standard costs, and gross margin performance to identify trends, variances, and improvement opportunities.
• Prepare monthly cost, inventory, margin, and variance reporting with clear explanations of business drivers and financial impacts.
• Perform variance analysis related to inventory, cost of goods sold, labor, overhead, freight, operating expenses, and purchase price variances.
• Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Accounting, and Finance to identify cost reduction opportunities and improve operational efficiency.
• Support inventory valuation processes, reserves, reconciliations, accruals, journal entries, and month-end close activities.
• Develop financial models to support pricing decisions, sourcing initiatives, make-versus-buy analyses, product profitability evaluations, and operational improvements.
• Monitor cost trends, margin performance, and inventory exposure to proactively identify risks and recommend corrective actions.
• Support annual budgets, long-range planning, forecasting, and financial modeling activities.
• Assist with internal and external audit requests by providing documentation, analysis, and supporting schedules.
• Continuously improve reporting processes, analytical tools, controls, and decision-support capabilities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure alignment between financial objectives and operational execution.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of cost accounting principles, inventory valuation methodologies, standard costing, variance analysis, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Ability to analyze large data sets, identify trends, interpret results, and communicate findings effectively.
• Knowledge of financial statements and the operational impact of cost accounting decisions.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, including advanced analytical and modeling capabilities.
• Experience with ERP systems, financial reporting tools, and business intelligence platforms.
• Ability to build strong partnerships with both financial and non-financial stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and project management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking and proactive approach to identifying and resolving business issues.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in accounting with at least 3 years in cost accounting, financial analysis, manufacturing finance, inventory accounting, FP&A, or a related finance function.
• Strong understanding of cost accounting, inventory valuation, forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Experience working with ERP systems and financial reporting platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing, distribution, apparel, consumer products, or other inventory-intensive industries.
• Experience with standard costing, bills of materials, routings, purchase price variances, freight analysis, and inventory reserves.
• CPA, CMA, or progress toward professional certification preferred.
• Experience developing dashboards, automated reports, or analytical tools.
• Prior experience supporting audits, SOX compliance, or internal controls.

Success Indicators

• Accurate and timely completion of cost, inventory, margin, and variance reporting.
• Clear identification and communication of key cost drivers, opportunities, and financial risks.
• Measurable contribution to cost reduction, margin expansion, and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Effective collaboration and business partnership across Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Accounting, and Finance.
• Proactive identification, escalation, and resolution of financial and operational issues.
• Continuous improvement of reporting processes, controls, documentation, and analytical tools.
• High-quality financial analysis that supports business…