Cost Accountant

About the role

As an Cost Accountant, Expense Management/Reporting, you will oversee key activities related to expense management deliverables and support the finance expense function, including forecasting, budgeting, and planning processes. This role will partner closely with all areas of the organization, particularly Strategy and Product Management. You will be a steward of initiative governance, including budget, audit, and benefit realization. This position can be based out of our office in Topeka or Overland Park, Kansas, and works a hybrid schedule offering flexibility between remote and on-site work.

Responsibilities

• Supports all aspects of expense governance including intake, prioritization, tracking, budgeting, audit, and cost optimization initiatives.
• Analyze departmental and project expenses against organizational financial goals, ensuring alignment with budget targets, cost efficiency objectives, and financial KPIs.
• Partner with Finance leadership on development of financial business cases and cost-benefit analyses (CBAs).
• Identify, track, and analyze expense drivers, ensuring spending aligns with approved budgets and financial plans.
• Support evaluation and prioritization of spend requests based on financial impact, ROI, and strategic importance.
• Track actuals vs. budget, forecast variances, identify trends, and provide actionable insights to stakeholders.
• Support identification and mitigation of financial risks, including overspending, forecasting inaccuracies, and compliance issues.
• Gather data and perform detailed analysis to deliver accurate, timely reports and dashboards to leadership on expense performance and cost-saving opportunities.
• Support financial review cycles including monthly close, budget reviews, and forecast updates.
• Partner with business units to ensure alignment on expense tracking, coding, and reporting standards.
• Support budgeting processes including annual planning, rolling forecasts, and variance analysis.
• Own day-to-day activities related to expense tracking, reporting, financial analysis, and process improvement initiatives.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and cost management practices.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with business partners and cross-functional teams.
• Support leadership with special projects and ad hoc financial analysis.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of 2–4 years of experience in expense management, FP&A, or related finance roles.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders across multiple levels of the organization.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software suite, especially MS Excel.
• Experience with financial systems such as PeopleSoft, Hyperion, or Oracle preferred.
• Willingness to develop industry-related knowledge.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Solid project management capabilities.

Qualifications

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Data-driven decision making.
• Effective communication and stakeholder engagement.
• Process improvement and change management mindset.
• Attention to detail with strong quantitative skills.
• Ability to anticipate issues, provide recommendations, and escalate appropriately.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing while considering diverse perspectives.

Benefits

Security Benefit offers a competitive salary and annual incentive bonuses, 33 days of paid time off, paid parental leave, comprehensive medical, dental & vision insurance, a 401(k) with company match, profit sharing, and savings plan, short- and long-term disability insurance, flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care, life insurance, educational assistance, and associate assistance programs for personal and professional well-being.