Cost Accountant

Professional Alternatives; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Professional Alternatives is seeking a Cost Accountant in Houston, TX. This role involves analyzing project and operational costs, maintaining cost structures, and evaluating financial variances.

The ideal candidate should have 3-4 years of relevant experience, advanced Excel skills, and a Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance. This position is 100% office-based but may involve interactions in shop and warehouse environments.

Qualifications

• 3-4 years of cost accounting, project accounting, or operational finance experience.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret data.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyze project costs, including labor, materials, and overhead.
• Develop and maintain job cost structures and standard cost assumptions.
• Perform variance analysis on actual versus budgeted costs.
• Prepare and present analytical cost reports to senior leadership.
• Partner with various departments to evaluate cost exposure.

Skills

Cost accounting

Variance analysis

Financial reporting

ERP systems

Advanced Excel skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or related field

Tools

Acumatica ERP

Sage ERP

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Job ID#: 38160

Job Overview

The Cost Accountant is responsible for analyzing project and operational costs, maintaining cost structures, evaluating financial variances, and providing decision-support information to operations and finance leadership. This role requires the regular exercise of independent judgment in interpreting job cost data, identifying financial risks, recommending corrective actions, and supporting operational planning and profitability improvement efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Analyze project costs, including labor, materials, equipment, subcontracted services, and overhead, to evaluate job performance and financial trends.
• Develop, maintain, and refine job cost structures, cost coding practices, and standard cost assumptions to improve reporting accuracy and consistency.
• Perform variance analysis on actual versus budgeted or estimated costs and identify root causes affecting project margins, production efficiency, and operational performance.
• Review project financial activity and recommend corrective actions to management related to cost overruns, coding issues, inefficiencies, and process gaps.
• Prepare and present analytical cost reports, dashboards, and operational metrics to the Controller, Operations Manager, and senior leadership to support business decisions.
• Partner with Sales, Operations, Purchasing, and Logistics to evaluate order status, cost exposure, invoicing readiness, and operational impacts on profitability.
• Monitor labor utilization and timekeeping trends to identify unusual variances, costing issues, or opportunities for improved workforce allocation.
• Review purchasing and vendor activity for cost impact, support accrual-related documentation, and help ensure expenditures are properly aligned with project budgets.
• Evaluate warranty claim data and service trends to identify recurring issues, vendor recovery opportunities, and cost containment actions.
• Recommend improvements to reporting workflows, ERP usage, document controls, and operating procedures that affect financial accuracy and operational efficiency.
• Maintain documentation supporting cost analyses, audit readiness, compliance requirements, and management reporting needs.
• Draft business communications and present findings or recommendations to leadership regarding work in progress, completed tasks, and financial trends.
• Ensure assigned responsibilities are performed in accordance with company policies, internal controls, safety requirements, and quality standards.
• Perform other finance and operations analysis duties consistent with the scope and level of the position.

Qualifications

• 3-4 years of cost accounting, project accounting, job costing, or operational finance experience with demonstrated analytical responsibility.
• Strong experience performing variance analysis, cost tracking, financial reporting, and cross-functional business support.
• Experience using ERP systems such as Acumatica, Sage, or similar platforms to support cost analysis and management reporting.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong proficiency in Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data and make sound recommendations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with leadership and multiple departments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field preferred; equivalent directly related experience may be considered depending on the level of analytical responsibility assigned.

Work Environment

100% Office-based role with periodic exposure to shop and warehouse environments. Requires the ability to sit, stand, and move within the office and operations areas, with occasional handling of files and equipment up to 25 lbs.