Cost Accountant

Sharp & Carter; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharp & Carter in Melbourne is seeking an experienced cost accountant for a technical, hands-on role at the heart of the manufacturing process. You’ll be the expert who knows product costs, cost drivers, and how costs move through the operation.

You will work closely with Operations and Supply Chain, turning production data into clear insights that help teams take action, and you’ll own cost reporting and cost reduction initiatives with a focus on accuracy and timeliness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field.
• 5+ years’ cost accounting experience in manufacturing.
• Experience with ERP systems and inventory management.

Responsibilities

• Product costing for internal and external customers, including new products and batch sizes.
• Lead annual standard costing and planning; set standards for new products.
• Analyze material usage, variances, and labour/overhead reporting.
• Support month-end close and ad hoc costing analysis.

Skills

Cost accounting

Manufacturing

Advanced Excel

SAP

Financial modelling

ABC costing

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting

Tools

SAP

Job description

The Business

Our client is a well-established multinational manufacturer with a significant Australian operation. Accuracy and accountability matter here, and the finance team is trusted to give the business numbers it can rely on. It’s a stable, structured environment where experienced, detail-minded accountants can deepen their technical expertise and be heard.

The Business

Our client is a well-established multinational manufacturer with a significant Australian operation. Accuracy and accountability matter here, and the finance team is trusted to give the business numbers it can rely on. It’s a stable, structured environment where experienced, detail-minded accountants can deepen their technical expertise and be heard.

The Role

Reporting to the Finance Manager, this is a technical, hands-on cost accounting role at the centre of the manufacturing process. You’ll be the person who knows what products really cost, why those costs move and what that means for the business. You’ll work closely with Operations and Supply Chain, turning production data into clear insights that help people take action. It’s a role for an experienced cost accountant who enjoys getting into the detail, following a cost back to its source and keeping the numbers right.

What You’ll Be Doing

Product costing

• Calculating product costs for internal and external customers, including new products, varying batch sizes and process changes
• Maintaining finished product and component costs in the ERP, and ensuring new items are set up and costs roll correctly
• Reviewing and maintaining costing bill of materials data against production data
• Contributing to cost reduction initiatives

Standards and planning

• Leading the annual standard costing and plan process, and setting standards for new products as they arise
• Working with Procurement to establish standards and material requirements
• Explaining the drivers behind significant cost movements year on year
• Rolling costs at year end and updating labour rates for the new year

Variance analysis and reporting

• Analysing and reporting on material usage and purchase price variances, month and year to date
• Providing forecasts for production variances and supporting the monthly planning cycle
• Reporting on direct labour, overhead recovery and work in progress, with plan versus actual output
• Checking work orders to confirm components and labour are booked correctly, and working with Production and Planning to resolve discrepancies
• Giving senior management and production teams timely variance information they can act on

Month‑end and ad hoc

• Supporting the month‑end close, including inventory reserve
• Performing ad hoc costing analysis as the business needs it

What You’ll Bring

• A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting
• 5+ years’ experience in cost accounting, ideally within a manufacturing environment
• A solid grounding in financial and management accounting, with exposure to inventory management and procurement
• Hands‑on experience with an ERP system (SAP preferred)
• Advanced Excel, strong financial modelling skills and knowledge of ABC costing methodology
• CPA or ICMA qualified, or working towards it, is preferred
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, and the discipline to meet deadlines
• A practical, collaborative style, with the confidence to work with people at all levels of the business
• A mindset of continuous improvement and a willingness to adapt as priorities change

If you’re an experienced cost accountant who wants to own costing end to end in a manufacturing environment, we’d love to hear from you.