Senior Cost Accountant
Listed on 2026-08-12
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Accounting
Cost Accountant, Financial Reporting, Senior Accountant, Accounting Manager
Senior Cost Accountant
Elwood, IL, US, 60421
Job DescriptionStepan Company’s Millsdale Plant (Elwood, IL; Joliet area) has a job opening for a Sr. Cost Accountant. This position reports to the Millsdale Sr. Finance Manager and is responsible for overseeing inventory integrity & controls at the site and ensuring the accuracy of our standard costs. Working closely with Operations, this position will lead inventory cycle counting and production variance reporting (material, OH, shrink, & scrap), as well as champion identified corrective actions and recommended process changes.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills will be utilized daily.
- Perform monthly cycle counts, investigate variances, and post adjustments.
- Ensure effective controls & accuracy over inventory movements, inventory reporting, and production order close-out.
- Correct or follow-up on SAP inventory errors as reported by Operations, or as identified throughout other duties.
- Review & report on area production variances (material, shrink, & scrap);
Determine root causes and potential corrective actions;
Work to adjust standards as necessary. - Prepare consigned inventory reconciliations.
- Perform bill of material and overhead standard cost reviews to ensure product standard cost accuracy;
Recommend updates, as necessary. - Review monthly cost explosion for reasonableness and manage exceptions.
- Analyze plant absorption and identify necessary corrections;
Work with Operations to implement changes.
- Prepare closing journal entries including accruals, reclasses for cost accounting & other reporting purposes, corrections.
- Review and analyze monthly expenses to ensure alignment with expectations.
- Complete assigned General Ledger Account reconciliations.
- Be an active leader in looking for ways to bring value through continual improvement to the organization as it pertains to inventory and expense reporting processes.
- Work as a site change agent to streamline and improve processes in cooperation with plant staff.
- 3-6 years of Cost Accounting experience in a manufacturing environment
- SAP and cost management experience
- Highly focused on problem identification and solving;
Takes a critical look at issues and challenges and engages in proactive problem solving;
Utilizes facts and innovation to build reasoned arguments and leverages innovative thinking to promote decisions - Ability to own complex processes and deliverables and work with minimal supervision
- High level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel
- Ability to develop and implement continual improvements to systems and processes through self-motivation, identifying waste loops and correcting through standardization
- Demonstrated ownership of functional responsibilities and action-oriented towards those responsibilities
- Ability to adapt to changing needs and prioritize to meet deadlines
- Experience working with manufacturing personnel on various accounting topics
- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting;
Advanced certification (CPA/CMA) preferred
The salary range for this position is $77,000 - $100,000. The salary range for this position is determined by considering a variety of factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, and the location of the position.
At Stepan Company Our Comprehensive Benefits Package Includes- Discretionary Bonus
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- 401K with Match
- Profit Sharing
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Short-Term and Long-Term Disability (STD / LTD)
- Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Health Savings Account (HSA)
- Paid Parental Leave
- Adoption Assistance
- Reactions – Recognition Program
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Stepan Company does not accept or retain unsolicited resumes or phone calls and/or respond to them or to any third party representing job seekers.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
Established in 1932, Stepan Company is a major manufacturer of basic and intermediate chemicals including surfactants, polymers, as well as specialty ingredients…
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