Senior Cost Analyst

BJRC Recruiting; Barrie; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A well-established Canadian manufacturer is seeking a Senior Financial Analyst to bridge finance and operations. This role will provide critical insights into performance and cost efficiency, support strategic decisions, and prepare comprehensive reporting packages for leadership. Candidates should have a degree in finance or accounting, be detail-oriented, and possess strong analytical skills. The position is predominantly in-office with a focus on collaboration across teams.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of progressive experience in financial analysis or cost accounting within a manufacturing environment.
• Ability to connect financial insights to business performance.
• Detail-oriented and proactive with the ability to manage competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provide analysis on plant performance, operational variances, inventory movements.
• Support forecasting and budgeting activities.
• Prepare monthly performance reporting packages for senior leadership.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Excel proficiency

Understanding of financial analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or Economics

CPA designation (completed or in progress)

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Power BI

Job description

Overview

Our client is an established Canadian manufacturer with a strong focus on innovation and continuous improvement. Known for its collaborative culture and commitment to operational excellence, the company provides finance professionals with the opportunity to partner closely with cross-functional teams and make a meaningful impact on business performance.

The Role

The Senior Financial Analyst, Operations Finance is a high-visibility role that sits at the intersection of finance, costing, and operations. Reporting to the Manager of Finance, the analyst will serve as a trusted partner to Operations, R&D, Supply Chain, and IT, delivering insights that improve performance, enhance cost efficiency, and support key strategic decisions.

This 12-month contract requires working primarily from the office, and it combines strong analytical depth with business-facing responsibilities and will be instrumental in supporting new product launches, driving operational KPIs, and strengthening financial processes across the business. Specifically, the Senior Financial Analyst will :

• Partner with cross-functional teams to deliver cost and margin insights that inform pricing, production, and product launch decisions.
• Provide analysis on plant performance, operational variances, inventory movements, and capital expenditures, translating complex data into clear recommendations.
• Support forecasting and budgeting activities, ensuring operational cost drivers and inventory impacts are accurately reflected in financial plans.
• Prepare monthly performance reporting packages for senior leadership, highlighting risks, opportunities, and trends across operations.
• Maintain oversight of KPIs across manufacturing, supply chain, and R&D, ensuring metrics are meaningful, accurate, and actionable.
• Contribute to year-end and audit requirements by preparing supporting schedules and collaborating with finance peers.
• Play an active role in continuous improvement initiatives, helping introduce new tools, refine processes, and strengthen reporting discipline.

This is a hands-on, business-facing role that offers exposure to senior leadership and the opportunity to influence how the company measures and drives operational performance.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or Economics (required).
• CPA designation (completed or in progress) strongly preferred.
• 3–5 years of progressive experience in financial analysis or cost accounting within a manufacturing or operations-driven environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to connect financial insights to business performance.
• Advanced Excel capabilities; experience with ERP systems (Microsoft Dynamics 365 preferred) and BI tools such as Power BI is an asset.
• Excellent communication skills, able to build strong working relationships across finance and operations.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and proactive, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.