Systems / Cost Accountant

Essential Flavours; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Essential Flavours in Carrum Downs, Victoria, is seeking a Systems / Cost Accountant to support our Finance team with costing, inventory, pricing and financial reporting in a dynamic manufacturing environment. You will drive continuous improvement, cost optimisation, and ERP enhancements with visible impact, while ensuring data integrity and accurate month‑end closes.

The role offers a collaborative culture and exposure to pricing strategy and profitability improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Commerce, Business, Accounting or similar qualification.
• Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail.
• Proactive, collaborative team player with effective communication.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and update standard costs for materials, labour and overhead.
• Analyse variances and provide actionable insights to management.
• Support BOMs, routings and WIP accuracy, and monitor inventory valuation.
• Assist pricing decisions through cost and margin analysis.
• Develop cost models for new products and capital investments.
• Ensure ERP costing structures and inventory movements are accurate.
• Prepare month-end close activities related to procurement, inventory and COGS.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Data analysis

ERP / costing systems

Communication

Team player

Attention to detail

Time management

Education

Bachelor of Commerce / Accounting

Tools

Excel

ERP software

Job description

Broad end-to-end role across costing, inventory, pricing, and financial reporting in a dynamic manufacturing environment

Opportunity to drive continuous improvement, cost optimisation, and system ERP enhancements with visible impact

High impact role with direct knowledge of data integrity and profitability, pricing strategy and operational efficiency.

WHO WE ARE

We are an Australian-owned flavour house, with operations in both Australia and Vietnam. Established in 1989 as a family-owned business, Essential is now into the second generation of Nielsen management and continues to cherish the family values entrenched by the founder John. Located in Carrum Downs, Victoria, our facility is purpose-built to our requirements and to further expand our capabilities in local and international markets.

Our business continues to strengthen and grow after 30 years with our focus on partnering with our clients to develop new, unique, and ever-evolving flavours and product solutions. Picture the time when you were a child, savouring the tastes that came with eating your favourite food. These recollections are what drives us to be part of creating “Future Memories.”

WHY WORK FOR US?

We are passionate about what we do and are guided by our core values:

We are our community

We have a learning and evolutionary mindset

We think beyond our borders

We share the love

We have a strong sense of team and supportive culture. We focused on delivering the best products and service for our customers, and we also make time to celebrate our achievements and share our successes.

Our story still has many pages to be written and we are now seeking a Systems / Cost Accountant for to support our Finance team to analyse the data into a meaningful way.

YOUR ROLE

You will be key support to the Finance and Data Manager in providing accurate and timely financial data, analysis and reporting of the company’s accounting activities. Some key tasks include:

• Maintain and update standard costs for raw materials, labour, and overheads
• Analyse manufacturing variances (material, labour, overhead, yield) and provide actionable insights to management
• Support and maintain bills of materials (BOMs), routings, and work-in-process (WIP) accuracy
• Monitor and manage inventory valuation across raw materials, WIP, and finished goods
• Support product pricing decisions through detailed cost and margin analysis
• Develop cost models for new products, process changes, and capital investments
• Maintain and monitor standard costing systems, including variance analysis (price, usage, efficiency, yield) and root cause investigation
• Monitor supplier pricing, contracts, and cost changes; perform 3-way matching of purchase orders, goods receipts, and invoices
• Oversee inventory valuation methodologies (FIFO, moving average, standard costing, batch costing)
• Coordinate and review cycle counts and physical stocktakes; monitor scrap, waste, slow-moving, obsolete, and excess inventory
• Ensure integrity of ERP systems, including item master data, costing structures (BOMs and routings), and inventory movements
• Perform month-end close activities related to procurement, inventory, and cost of goods sold (COGS)
• Prepare CAPEX project reporting and provide variance analysis and commentary
• Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting in line with accounting standards
• Assist with ERP system enhancements and implementations related to costing and inventory

YOUR SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

To be a complimentary fit for this role you will have:

• Bachelor of Commerce, Business, Accounting or similar qualification.
• Be proactive and think ‘outside the square’
• Attention to detail
• Collaborative and effective team player.
• Strong time management and organisational skills.
• Clear, professional, and articulate communication.
• Sound analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High levels of initiative.
• Continuous improvement mindset.
• Positive ‘can do’ attitude.
• Strong alignment to organisational values.

To find out more about us, please visit our website: https://www.essentialflavours.com.au/ or our Essential Flavours LinkedIn page.

Applicants must be eligible to work full time in Australia.