Senior Cost Accountant

Senior Cost Accountant

Job Summary

The Senior Cost Accountant plays a critical role in ensuring accurate product costing, financial analysis, and operational insight across trailer manufacturing operations. This position partners closely with Manufacturing, Procurement, Operations, Engineering, and Finance to maintain cost integrity, improve profitability, and optimize the overall cost structure. The ideal candidate brings strong manufacturing cost accounting expertise, analytical rigor, and the ability to drive cross-functional improvements.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Maintain and update standard costs for products, materials, labor, and overhead.
• Analyze manufacturing variances, including material usage, labor efficiency, and overhead absorption, and provide actionable insights.
• Prepare cost rollups, margin analyses, and cost impact assessments for new and existing product models.
• Perform weekly work-in-process (WIP), inventory valuation, and cost of goods sold (COGS) reconciliations.
• Support annual budgeting and forecasting processes, including cost modeling and cost center analysis.
• Forecast manufacturing costs, overhead allocations, and inventory trends.
• Analyze cost deviations and support leadership with cost-related strategic planning initiatives.
• Lead physical inventory counts and oversee cycle count processes.
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies related to materials, production orders, and finished goods.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Engineering teams to improve costing accuracy and operational efficiency.
• Enhance costing methodologies, reporting tools, and ERP system workflows.
• Prepare and present cost reports, dashboards, and variance explanations to senior management.
• Ensure compliance with internal controls, accounting standards, and audit requirements.
• Support internal and external audits by providing cost and inventory documentation.
• Assist with month-end and year-end close activities, including journal entries related to COGS, WIP, scrap, labor, overhead, and finished goods inventory by plant and product line.

Skills, Qualifications, and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of manufacturing cost accounting experience.
• Strong understanding of standard costing, bill of materials (BOM) structures, and inventory accounting.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel; experience with ERP systems in a manufacturing environment preferred.
• Strong analytical skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate complex financial concepts to non-financial stakeholders.
• Experience working in multi-site or complex manufacturing environments preferred.
• Exposure to cost optimization, lean manufacturing, or process improvement initiatives.

Core Competencies

• Financial and Analytical Rigor
• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Process Orientation and Continuous Improvement
• Strong Communication Skills
• High Integrity and Accountability