Cost Accountant

Applied Pharma; Alberta; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A pharmaceutical company in Alberta seeks a Cost Accountant to enhance their finance team. The ideal candidate will perform reconciliations, variance analysis, and support financial reporting, playing a key role in managing standard costs within a pharmaceutical manufacturing setup. Collaboration with operations and supply chain is crucial to ensure accurate costing and reporting, contributing to overall operational success. The position requires a Bachelor’s degree in accounting and 4-5 years of relevant experience.

Benefits

Comprehensive Health Coverage

Payment in Lieu of Pension

Professional Development Opportunities

Collaborative and Inclusive Environment

Generous Paid Time Off

Green Transit Allowance

Work From Home

Qualifications

• 4-5 years of experience in accounting.
• Strong understanding of financial services and accounting roles.
• Required travel between Edmonton API sites.

Responsibilities

• Perform monthly account reconciliations, including inventory and cost-of-goods accounts.
• Prepare and analyze month-end journal entries for financial closure.
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies to maintain data integrity.
• Maintain and update standard costs for raw materials in manufacturing.
• Monitor and analyze manufacturing variances.
• Collaborate with departments to improve costing accuracy.
• Provide day-to-day coverage for the Finance Manager.

Skills

Accounting

Problem-solving

Attention to detail

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor degree in Accounting, Finance or related field

CPA designation or working towards it

Tools

Microsoft Business Central

Job description

About Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API)

Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API) brings life-saving research to the real world by helping life science innovators bridge the gap between academic research and commercial product development. We are driven, compassionate, and laser focused on making a dramatic positive impact with everything we undertake.

When you join API, you are part of a rapidly growing team that is creating collaborative opportunities to commercialize Canadian life sciences discoveries, increasing the amount of commercial research and development in the country, and supporting Alberta as a key pillar in Canada's life sciences sector.

Cost Accountant – Full‑time on‑site

We are seeking a skilled Cost Accountant to strengthen our Finance team and provide essential support during a period of significant operational growth. The Cost Accountant will perform intermediate‑level accounting duties, including reconciliations, variance analysis, and advanced problem‑solving, to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting. In addition, the role will manage standard costing for inventory within our pharmaceutical manufacturing environment, working closely with operations to maintain strong financial controls and support informed decision‑making. This position is critical to improving departmental capacity and sustaining high‑quality financial processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform monthly account reconciliations, including inventory, accruals, and cost‑of‑goods accounts.
• Prepare and analyze month‑end journal entries to support accurate and timely close.
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies, ensuring data integrity across financial systems.
• Support preparation of financial statements, management reports, and analyses as needed.

• Maintain and update standard costs for raw materials, WIP, and finished goods in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.
• Monitor and analyze manufacturing variances (purchase price, labour, overhead, yield, scrap, etc.).
• Conduct inventory valuation and assist with cycle counts, physical counts, and reconciliation of variances.
• Partner with Operations to ensure accurate bill of materials (BOMs), routings, and cost drivers.

• Collaborate with Production, Supply Chain, and Quality to improve costing accuracy and strengthen financial controls.
• Support decision‑making with cost analyses, margin analysis, and operational insights.
• Identify and recommend improvements to costing models, processes, and internal controls.

• Provide reliable day‑to‑day coverage so the Finance Manager can focus on ERP implementation.
• Participate in ERP data validation, testing, and documentation related to inventory and costing modules.
• Flag system gaps, process risks, or data issues that may affect financial reporting or operational workflows.

• Investigate root causes of recurring financial discrepancies and propose sustainable solutions.
• Enhance reporting tools, templates, and workflows to improve accuracy, efficiency, and transparency.
• Support the development and documentation of SOPs for finance and operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Accounting, Finance or related field.
• CPA designation or working towards it, is preferred.
• 4‑5 years of experience in accounting.
• Proven experience in accounting roles with a strong understanding of financial services.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Business Central is preferred.

• Strong oral and written communication.
• Strong attention to detail and problem‑solving skill.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with people at all levels with sensitivity and tact.

• Required travel between Edmonton API sites.
• The position requires to be on site.

• Applications submitted without a resume AND cover letter will not be reviewed.
• Attach CPA certifications or designations document.

Perks and Benefits

• Comprehensive Health Coverage – 100% premium coverage for you and dependents.
• Payment in Lieu of Pension – 15% of your annual base salary.
• Professional Development Opportunities – training programs, workshops, conferences, and certifications.
• Collaborative and Inclusive Environment – teamwork, open communication, and a supportive atmosphere.
• Generous Paid Time Off – vacation days, medical/personal days, and holidays.
• Green Transit Allowance – eligible for the green transit program to promote environmentally friendly modes of transportation.
• Work From Home – 20 work‑from‑home days subject to job function, company needs, and manager approval.

How to Apply

Interested applicants must submit a resume and cover letter expressing their interest in the position and why they believe they are a strong candidate.

We appreciate all applicants' interest and will only contact those selected for interviews.

If you have any questions about the application process or require accommodations during the hiring process, please contact [e-mail].

Our team, clients, and stakeholders come from a variety of backgrounds. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that all people bring to the workplace in terms of varied lived experiences, education, culture, gender, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background, neurodiversity, and cognitive and physical ability.

Before employment, successful candidates will be required to meet the requirements of a pre‑employment screening, which includes background reference checks, educational credential verification, and criminal reference checks.

Application Deadline: December 12, 2025