Cost Accountant

LevelUP HCS; Eau Claire (WI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Periodic travel between two sites

Job summary

LevelUP HCS is seeking a Cost Accountant to support two manufacturing facilities in Wisconsin. This hands-on role partners with Production, Supply Chain, and plant leadership to analyze costs, explain variances, and provide actionable financial insight to drive improvements on the shop floor.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in cost or manufacturing accounting, strong knowledge of standard costing, GAAP, ERP systems (SAP preferred), and excellent Excel analytics.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in cost accounting or manufacturing accounting.
• Experience with standard costing and inventory valuation.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and IFRS familiarity.
• Experience with ERP systems, SAP preferred.

Responsibilities

• Analyze actual manufacturing costs against standard costs and budgets, identifying drivers, trends and variances.
• Partner with Production, Supply Chain and plant leadership to understand variances and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare monthly manufacturing reports and support month-end and year-end close activities (journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, variance analysis).
• Maintain standard costing, inventory valuation and obsolete inventory reserves.
• Support financial controls related to manufacturing costs, inventory and fixed assets.
• Track capital expenditures and support fixed asset accounting, depreciation and IFRS 16 lease activity.
• Assist with annual budgeting and forecasting activities.
• Support internal and external audits with financial analysis and schedules.
• Identify opportunities to improve reporting, processes and financial controls within manufacturing.

Skills

Manufacturing cost accounting

Financial analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

Tools

SAP

ERP systems

Job description

We are seeking a Cost Accountant to support financial operations across two manufacturing facilities. This is a hands‑on role that works closely with Production, Supply Chain, and plant leadership to analyze manufacturing costs, understand operational performance, and provide financial insight that supports business decisions.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working in a manufacturing environment, enjoys analyzing data, and can clearly connect financial results to what is happening on the production floor.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze actual manufacturing costs against standard costs and budgets, identifying key drivers, trends, and variances.
• Partner with Production, Supply Chain, and plant leadership to understand cost variances and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare monthly manufacturing reports and support month-end and year-end close activities, including journal entries, accruals, reconciliations, and variance analysis.
• Maintain standard costing, inventory valuation, and obsolete inventory reserves.
• Support financial controls related to manufacturing costs, inventory, and fixed assets.
• Track capital expenditures and support fixed asset accounting, depreciation, and IFRS 16 lease activity.
• Assist with annual budgeting and forecasting activities.
• Support internal and external audits by providing financial analysis, documentation, and supporting schedules.
• Identify opportunities to improve reporting, processes, and financial controls within the manufacturing operation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in cost accounting, manufacturing accounting, plant finance, or a similar role.
• Experience with standard costing, inventory accounting, and manufacturing operations.
• Strong understanding of U.S. GAAP and familiarity with IFRS.
• Experience working with ERP systems; SAP experience preferred.
• Strong Excel and data analysis skills.
• Ability to work effectively with both finance and operational teams.

What Success Looks Like

• Clearly explain the drivers behind manufacturing costs and financial results.
• Build strong working relationships with plant and operational teams.
• Identify issues, investigate root causes, and follow through on corrective actions.
• Manage competing priorities across month-end close, reporting, budgeting, and audit activities.
• Bring a practical, analytical, and continuous‑improvement mindset to the role.

Travel: Periodic travel between two sites required