Cost Accountant

Description

Steven Lahey with Robert Half is looking for a Senior Cost Accountant to join an organization in Stockton, California. This position focuses on delivering meaningful cost insights, maintaining reliable inventory valuation, and supporting sound financial decisions across manufacturing operations. The role partners closely with finance, production, and supply chain teams to strengthen reporting accuracy, improve margin visibility, and identify opportunities for cost efficiency.

For immediate consideration please reach out to .

Responsibilities:

- Analyze product and manufacturing costs, interpret spending patterns, and highlight variances that affect operational performance and profitability.

- Maintain accurate inventory costing by reviewing valuation methods, monitoring stock activity, and partnering with operations teams to support effective inventory control.

- Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning by providing cost trends, financial modeling support, and impact analysis for key business decisions.

- Prepare cost-related journal entries and reconciliations during the monthly close process, including inventory balances, cost of goods sold, and variance reporting.

- Recommend and support initiatives that reduce waste, improve cost discipline, and enhance overall financial performance within manufacturing processes.

- Work with cross-functional stakeholders on projects that strengthen internal controls, improve data reliability, and streamline cost accounting workflows.

- Provide documentation, analysis, and schedules needed for internal and external audit activities while ensuring alignment with applicable accounting standards.

- Translate cost data into clear management insights that help leaders evaluate pricing, margins, and operational efficiency.

Requirements - Experience in cost accounting within a manufacturing environment, preferably supporting complex production operations.

- Strong knowledge of standard costing principles, variance analysis, and manufacturing cost flows.

- Ability to evaluate inventory valuation, cost of goods sold, and overhead allocation with a high degree of accuracy.

- Working knowledge of GAAP and its application to cost accounting and financial reporting.

- Proficiency in analyzing financial data and turning results into actionable recommendations for business partners.

- Effective collaboration skills with finance, production, procurement, and supply chain teams.

- Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage reconciliations, reporting deadlines, and audit support requirements.

Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions firm that connects highly qualified job seekers to opportunities at great companies. We offer contract, temporary and permanent placement solutions for finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support roles.

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All applicants applying for U.S. job openings must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Benefits are available to contract/temporary professionals, including medical, vision, dental, and life and disability insurance. Hired contract/temporary professionals are also eligible to enroll in our company 401(k) plan. Visit  for more information.

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