Cost & Inventory Accounting Consultant

Our client is an established, consumer products manufacturer based in Los Angeles. They are seeking a senior cost accounting leader to elevate the output and capability of their cost accounting function. The business operates in a high-SKU, low-volume manufacturing environment, launching thousands of new items each month, which makes for a uniquely complex and engaging costing environment.

• Partner with accounting leadership to elevate the cost accounting function, moving the team beyond transactional work and into higher-value strategic deliverables
• Own and improve standard cost processes across material, labor, and overhead; evaluate and resolve unusual variances and reconcile standards to actual costs
• Lead the monthly cost accounting close and support overall month-end close activities
• Analyze inventory valuations, identify and correct misstatements, and reconcile detailed inventory reports to the general ledger
• Oversee the annual physical inventory and develop corrective action processes that reduce inventory errors going forward
• Evaluate and create product cost updates for new inventory items in a high-volume SKU environment with significant configuration complexity
• Support annual audit preparation and resolve findings, discrepancies, and compliance issues
• Drive process improvement across the costing and inventory function, including defining roles, responsibilities, and deliverables in partnership with operations
• Build strong cross-functional relationships with operations and department managers, communicating financial information clearly at all levels of the organization

• Deep cost accounting experience in a manufacturing environment; backgrounds in consumer products, heavy manufacturing, and aerospace and defense are all welcome
• Hands-on standard costing expertise across material, labor, and overhead, including variance analysis
• Senior-level experience operating at the Controller or Senior Director level, with the ability to elevate deliverables and bring a strategic perspective;
  Controllers with strong hands-on manufacturing and costing backgrounds are encouraged to apply
• Strong inventory accounting fundamentals, including perpetual inventory, inventory valuation, physical inventory oversight, and reconciliation of inventory detail to the general ledger
• A collaborative leadership style and the ability to partner effectively with an established team and leadership
• Ability to work fully on-site in Los Angeles

• Microsoft Dynamics 365 experience
• CPA or CMA
• Background in luxury goods, consumer products, or apparel manufacturing
• Experience building or redesigning cost accounting processes, not just maintaining them
• Experience partnering with operations to define the scope and deliverables of an inventory accounting function
• High-SKU, low-volume manufacturing experience