Manufacturing Cost Analyst - Fabrication

About the role

The Manufacturing Cost Analyst reviews and analyzes monthly group production cost reports to identify variances, determine root causes, and recommend corrective actions. This includes benchmarking assembly hours and fabrication costs against lead plants, defining cost and time gaps, and building project-based action plans to close those gaps. The analyst also sets and maintains cost per hour targets for fabrication processes and leads initiatives to hit those targets, while partnering with Controlling each month to review manufacturing overhead calculations and summarize key drivers, changes, and risks.

This person leads monthly cost review meetings with each lead plant, facilitates cross-functional meetings with stakeholders responsible for cost measures and project execution, and supports cost measure investigations from data collection through follow-up. The analyst also provides regular cost and project performance updates to senior leadership across all assigned product lines.

The role also supports project engineers on localization projects, including business case evaluations and financial impact assessments. This includes planning, managing, and executing multiple concurrent improvement, cost-saving, and localization projects, with responsibility for on-time delivery and realized financial benefits. The analyst builds and maintains structured project plans covering scope, timelines, risk analysis, and cost strategy, and reports progress to senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Reviews and analyzes monthly group production cost reports to identify variances, determine root causes, and recommend corrective actions.
• Benchmark assembly hours and fabrication costs against lead plants, define cost and time gaps, and build project-based action plans to close those gaps.
• Set and maintain cost per hour targets for fabrication processes and lead initiatives to hit those targets, while partnering with Controlling each month to review manufacturing overhead calculations and summarize key drivers, changes, and risks.
• Lead monthly cost review meetings with each lead plant, facilitate cross-functional meetings with stakeholders responsible for cost measures and project execution, and support cost measure investigations from data collection through follow-up.
• Provide regular cost and project performance updates to senior leadership across all assigned product lines.
• Support project engineers on localization projects, including business case evaluations and financial impact assessments.
• Plan, manage, and execute multiple concurrent improvement, cost-saving, and localization projects, with responsibility for on-time delivery and realized financial benefits.
• Build and maintain structured project plans covering scope, timelines, risk analysis, and cost strategy, and report progress to senior leadership.

Requirements

• 1 to 3 years of experience in manufacturing cost engineering, production engineering, or process improvement
• Experience in cost benchmarking, variance analysis, and manufacturing KPI management
• Strong project management skills, including experience leading cross-site projects and stakeholder meetings
• Advanced Excel skills, including PivotTables and Power Query
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Business Administration with an operations focus, or a related field
• Willingness to work on the shop floor and travel occasionally

Qualifications

• Experience in a sheet metal fabrication environment
• SAP experience
• Power BI experience
• Experience working across multiple global manufacturing sites

Skills

• Cost benchmarking
• Variance analysis
• Manufacturing KPI management
• Project management
• Advanced Excel skills
• Leadership in cross-functional teams
• Knowledge of sheet metal fabrication processes
• Experience with SAP and Power BI
• Experience working globally

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid time off