Senior Cost Accountant

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Cost Accountant to own the cost accounting function end to end in a make-to-order and make-to-stock manufacturing environment. As the primary owner of standard costing, inventory valuation, and manufacturing variance analysis, you will provide the operations and leadership teams with the cost insight they need to price competitively and improve margins.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain standard costs, including material, labor, and overhead rates; lead the annual standard cost roll and periodic cost updates.
• Maintain the integrity of bills of material (BOMs) and routings in partnership with Engineering and Operations; investigate and resolve cost discrepancies.
• Own month-end close activities for inventory and cost of goods sold, including journal entries, reconciliations, and account analysis.
• Analyze and report on manufacturing variances (purchase price, material usage, labor efficiency, and overhead absorption); identify root causes and recommend corrective actions.
• Value and reconcile raw material, work-in-process, and finished goods inventory; ensure proper accounting treatment and reserve analysis for excess and obsolete (E&O) inventory.
• Support and audit physical inventories and cycle count programs; investigate variances and help strengthen inventory controls.
• Prepare product-line and job-level margin analysis, including gross margin bridge and trend analysis, to support pricing, quoting, and profitability decisions.
• Model cost scenarios for engineering changes and sourcing or supplier shifts; quantify the financial and margin impact to support commercial and procurement decisions.
• Partner with Operations to identify cost-reduction opportunities and quantify the financial impact of process improvements and engineering changes.
• Serve as the finance point of contact for Operations, Supply Chain, and Sourcing on cost-related matters.
• Provide cost data and support for internal and external audits.
• Develop and maintain reporting and dashboards that give leadership timely visibility into cost and margin performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 5+ years of accounting experience, including cost accounting in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong working knowledge of standard costing, inventory valuation, and manufacturing variance analysis.
• Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP as it applies to inventory and cost of goods sold.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (SAP or other similar platforms) and advanced Excel skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and own the cost accounting function end to end with minimal oversight.
• Strong analytical skills with high attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-financial partners in engineering, production, and operations.

Qualifications

• Preferred Qualifications: Experience in engineer-to-order / make-to-order manufacturing, familiarity with BOM and routing structures and shop-floor data collection, experience accounting for duty, tariffs, and import costs on purchased components and materials, ERP implementation or system migration experience (e.g., SAP S/4HANA), CPA, CMA, or progress toward certification.

Skills

• Standard costing
• Inventory valuation
• Manufacturing variance analysis
• U.S. GAAP
• ERP/MRP systems
• Advanced Excel skills
• Cost reduction opportunities
• Financial modeling
• Internal and external audits
• Reporting and dashboards

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match.
• Generous paid time off, paid holidays, and company-paid life and disability insurance.
• Professional development and CPA/CMA continuing education.
• Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates.

Pay

Competitive base salary with annual performance-based bonus eligibility.

Schedule

This position is based on-site at our Chattanooga, TN facility and includes regular time on the manufacturing floor to understand production processes and validate costs.