Cost Accountant

Terry Parris Associates; Hailsham; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Terry Parris Associates is seeking a Cost Accountant in East Sussex to join a full-time, permanent role with a 40-hour week. You will conduct cost roll-ups, BOM reviews, and margin analysis while supporting inventory valuations and ERP data integrity.

The position offers exposure to manufacturing performance, inventory controls, and reporting improvements within a dynamic finance team. Proactive problem solving and ERP proficiency are essential.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years cost or management accounting experience.
• Strong knowledge of cost accounting, inventory, variance analysis and manufacturing drivers.
• ERP experience (AX/Dynamics, SAP or Oracle) with advanced Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Complete quarterly cost roll-ups and BOM reviews, maintain standard and absorption costing and analyse variances.
• Manage inventory valuation, cycle counts and stocktakes and investigate discrepancies.
• Prepare product/customer margin analysis and cost-of-sales journals; perform balance sheet reconciliations.
• Maintain costing data in ERP, develop Excel/BI reporting and support process automation.

Skills

Cost accounting

Variance analysis

Analytical skills

Excel modelling

Data analysis

Financial reporting

Education

CIMA/ACA part-qualified

Accounting qualification

Tools

Microsoft AX/Dynamics

SAP

Oracle

Excel

Job description

Job Title: Cost Accountant

Location: Lower Dicker, East Sussex

Working pattern: Full-time, permanent | 40 hours per week

Key Responsibilities

• Complete quarterly cost roll-ups and BOM reviews, maintain standard and absorption costing, and analyse material, labour and overhead variances.
• Manage inventory valuation and reconciliations, support cycle counts and stocktakes, and investigate inventory discrepancies.
• Prepare product and customer margin analysis, month-end inventory and cost-of-sales journals, labour efficiency reporting, balance sheet reconciliations and fixed asset depreciation.
• Maintain costing data within the ERP system, develop Excel and BI reporting, support systems improvement and automation, and maintain strong accounting controls and audit schedules.

Experience Required

• At least 1-2 years of cost accounting or management accounting experience, ideally within manufacturing or another operational environment.
• Strong knowledge of cost accounting methods, inventory, variance analysis and the financial drivers of manufacturing performance.
• ERP experience such as Microsoft AX/Dynamics, SAP or Oracle, together with advanced Excel skills including modelling, pivot tables and data analysis.
• Professional qualification or part-qualified status such as CIMA, ACA or equivalent, with strong planning, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Why Join This Business

• Full-time, permanent position working 40 hours per week.
• Broad ownership across product costing, inventory, margins, reporting and operational finance.
• Direct exposure to manufacturing activity, with the opportunity to influence efficiency and profitability.
• Scope to improve ERP data, reporting tools, process automation and standardisation.