Cost Accountant

Sammons Recruitment Ltd; Eastbourne; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Job summary

Sammons Recruitment Ltd. is seeking a Cost Accountant in Eastbourne to analyse costs across ERP and finance systems, improving reporting and driving cost-control initiatives.

This hands-on role requires working with data to link financial performance to operations, with a focus on inventory, cost of sales, and process improvements. Ideal candidates have 1–2 years in cost or management accounting within manufacturing, strong Excel and ERP experience, and a collaborative approach to

Qualifications

• 1–2 years' relevant experience in cost accounting or management accounting.
• Experience in a manufacturing/production/operational environment.
• Strong understanding of product costing, standard costing and absorption costing.
• Experience with an ERP or finance system.
• Advanced Excel skills with pivot tables and data modelling.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to investigate variances.
• Knowledge of process improvement methodologies.
• Excellent attention to detail and deadline delivery.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.

Responsibilities

• Perform periodic cost roll-ups and review bills of materials.
• Analyse variances across materials, labour and overheads.
• Monitor inventory valuation and reconcile inventory accounts.
• Support stock counts and stocktakes; investigate discrepancies.
• Review inventory movements for accuracy, valuation, or obsolescence.
• Prepare margin analysis by product and customer.
• Record month-end journals related to inventory and cost of sales.
• Develop costing reporting tools and BI dashboards for finance.
• Maintain internal controls around costing and inventory.

Skills

Cost accounting

Management accounting

Advanced Excel

ERP experience

Data analysis

Variance investigation

Inventory control

Financial reporting

Education

CIMA/ACA

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics

SAP

Oracle

Sage HR/payroll

Job description

Permanent Opportunity | Competitive Salary

The Role

As Cost Accountant, you will be responsible for analysing and monitoring costs within the organisation's ERP and finance systems, ensuring accurate costing and inventory information is available to support effective commercial and operational decision-making. You will work across finance and the wider business, investigating variances, improving reporting and identifying opportunities to strengthen processes and cost control. This is a hands‑on role that would suit someone who enjoys working with data, solving problems and understanding how financial performance connects to day‑to‑day operations.

Key Responsibilities

Costing & Inventory

• Perform periodic cost roll‑ups and review bills of materials.
• Analyse variances across materials, labour and overheads.
• Monitor inventory valuation and reconcile inventory‑related accounts.
• Support and oversee periodic stock counts, cycle counts and stocktakes.
• Investigate and resolve inventory discrepancies.
• Review inventory movements and identify potential issues with accuracy, valuation or obsolescence.

Financial Analysis & Reporting

• Prepare margin analysis by product and customer.
• Prepare month‑end journals relating to inventory and cost of sales.
• Support calculations and journals relating to inventory provisions, labour and overhead allocation and absorption.
• Produce regular labour efficiency reporting.
• Prepare balance sheet reconciliations.
• Maintain and control the fixed asset register and prepare monthly depreciation journals.
• Produce management information and reporting around inventory ageing and inventory segmentation.
• Provide clear analysis and commentary to support financial and operational decision‑making.

Systems, Data & Process Improvement

• Maintain and develop costing information within the organisation’s ERP and finance systems.
• Ensure the integrity and accuracy of cost data.
• Develop and enhance reporting tools, including advanced Excel models and BI dashboards.
• Support finance‑system upgrades, automation and process improvement projects.
• Identify opportunities to standardise and improve costing and reporting processes.

Controls & Compliance

• Ensure costing and inventory processes operate in accordance with relevant accounting standards and company policies.
• Maintain strong internal controls around inventory and costing.
• Prepare year‑end schedules and supporting information for external audit.
• Maintain clear and robust process documentation.
• Work with colleagues across the business to resolve issues and strengthen financial controls.

You may also be required to support the wider finance team with additional accounting duties as required.

About You

We are looking for an analytical and commercially minded finance professional with experience in cost accounting or management accounting, ideally gained within a manufacturing or operational environment.

Requirements

• 1–2 years' relevant experience in cost accounting or management accounting.
• Experience working within a manufacturing, production or operational environment.
• A strong understanding of product costing, standard costing and absorption costing.
• Experience working with an ERP or finance system.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, modelling and data analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to investigate variances and identify their underlying causes.
• An understanding of process improvement and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to deliver accurate work to agreed deadlines.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.

Desirable Experience

• Experience with a major ERP system such as Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Oracle or similar.
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics AX.
• Experience using Sage HR and/or payroll systems.
• Previous experience in an accountancy practice before moving into industry.

Qualifications

You will ideally be professionally qualified or part‑qualified, such as CIMA, ACA or an equivalent accounting qualification. However, relevant practical experience and technical capability will also be considered.

Why Apply?

This is a great opportunity for an ambitious finance professional looking to develop their career within a commercially focused manufacturing environment. You will gain broad exposure across cost accounting, inventory, management reporting, financial analysis and process improvement, while working closely with both finance and operational stakeholders. The role would particularly suit someone who is naturally curious, enjoys getting into the detail behind the numbers and wants to make a visible contribution to business performance.

Recruiting on the basis of Talent, we are committed to supporting and promoting diversity in the workplace and consider all applications. Any salary advertised is for search purposes only.