Senior Cost Accountant

The Forum Group PNW
-Eugene, OR, United States

Jennie Joiner with Forum Group PNW is working with a growing and highly successful local Eugene food manufacturing company seeking a Plant Controller / Senior Cost Accountant to support a $100M manufacturing operation. This is a highly visible, hands‑on role focused heavily on cost accounting, variance analysis, inventory controls, and manufacturing performance insights
.

While the title is Plant Controller, this position is best suited for a candidate with deep Senior Cost Accounting experience who can operate as a strategic financial partner to plant leadership. The company is open to individuals coming from a Sr. Cost Accountant background who have the confidence, leadership presence, and drive to expand into a broader plant finance leadership role.

This is not a traditional “reporting-only” accounting role. The company is specifically looking for someone who can create a breakthrough in cost structure, costing accuracy, and process discipline
, helping uncover inefficiencies, close gaps, and improve the way production and inventory activity is recorded.

• Own plant‑level cost accounting processes including standard costing, absorption costing, and variance analysis
  .
• Lead ongoing analysis of material, labor, overhead, and yield variances to determine plant performance.
• Identify root causes of cost variances and partner with operations to drive corrective action.
• Ensure costing methods align with GAAP and support accurate financial reporting.
• Maintain and validate accurate Bills of Materials (BOMs), routings, and production standards
  .
• Lead annual standard cost updates and periodic recosting initiatives.

• Oversee accounting and control processes related to raw materials, WIP, finished goods, and spare parts inventory
  .
• Review inventory counts, reconciliations, and adjustments to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Ensure processes are followed and identify where breakdowns occur (recording issues, consumption errors, miscounts, etc.).
• Develop stronger internal controls and ensure compliance with company policies.
• Provide oversight and guidance to potential future inventory support staff (inventory coordinators).
• Develop plant‑level performance reporting, dashboards, and forecasts.
• Create and maintain regular reporting on production metrics, cost drivers, and financial results.
• Support month‑end close, including journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations.
• Deliver clear and actionable plant performance updates to leadership.
• Identify new reporting opportunities to improve visibility into cost performance.

• Work cross‑functionally with Production, Maintenance, Supply Chain, HR/People Ops, Warehouse, and Quality.
• Partner with plant leadership to identify opportunities for cost savings, waste reduction, and process improvement.
• Serve as a strong financial voice within the plant—asking tough questions, raising concerns, and driving accountability.
• Participate in capital project analysis, ROI evaluations, and investment reviews.

• Ensure ERP data integrity related to costing, inventory, and production transactions.
• Identify gaps in how data is captured and recorded; implement process improvements.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and participate in system upgrades/implementations.

The person in this role will be successful by:

• Strengthening cost accounting accuracy and credibility across the plant.
• Creating measurable improvements in cost structure, waste visibility, and process consistency.
• Identifying where inventory and production recording breaks down—and fixing it.
• Becoming a trusted business partner who can influence plant leaders and challenge assumptions when needed.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in cost accounting within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong hands‑on experience with:
• Standard costing
• BOMs and routings
• Inventory accounting
• Variance analysis
• Advanced Excel skills.
• Strong…