Cost Accountant

Divergent; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Divergent is seeking a Cost Accountant to own multiple cost accounting workstreams, ensuring accurate close across inventory valuation and COGS reporting. You will reconcile sub-ledgers to GL, manage journal entries, and improve costing methodologies in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Working with Supply Chain, Production, and IT, you will refine standard costing, develop robust controls, and drive data-driven cost improvements.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in cost accounting close processes.
• Ability to own journal entries and account reconciliations end-to-end.
• Strong understanding of standard cost management and inventory valuation.
• Knowledge of ERP-based cost accounting and reporting controls.
• Analytical mindset for PPV, variances, and cost improvements.

Responsibilities

• Own assigned cost accounting close workstreams end-to-end and resolve issues.
• Prepare and post journal entries for close areas (accruals, reclassifications).
• Own reconciliations from sub-ledger to GL and resolve discrepancies.
• Improve close schedules, checklists, and supporting workpapers.
• Identify operational-reporting gaps affecting inventory and COGS.
• Serve as SME for standard costing, inventory valuation, and related practices.
• Maintain standard cost records reflecting processes and changes.
• Perform costing and work order analysis to evaluate valuation.
• Analyze variances (PPV) and drive corrective actions.
• Document and maintain cost accounting templates and controls.
• Lead ERP-related costing enhancements and validations.
• Monitor landed costs and variances; collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Cost accounting

Journal entries

Reconciliations

Inventory valuation

Standard costing

COGS reporting

Tools

ERP systems

Costing analytics

Job description

Divergent is building the new industrial age. Every day, our teams design, manufacture, and assemble advanced systems for some of the world’s most demanding industries. Our integrated engineering and manufacturing platform transforms complex designs into production-ready solutions, helping customers move faster, build smarter, and deliver critical systems when they matter most. Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs and supports leading U.S. aerospace and defense companies.

Join us and help push the boundaries of what can be built.

Purpose

The Cost Accountant serves as a subject-matter expert across cost accounting, owning core cost accounting activities across close, reconciliations, standard cost management, inventory valuation, and financial controls. This role operates with significant autonomy across multiple cost accounting workstreams, independently resolving complex accounting and operational issues, defining scalable practices, and influencing functional decisions that strengthen the accuracy and integrity of inventory and COGS reporting.

Working closely with Supply Chain (Warehouse, Procurement, Planning), Production, Program Management, and IT teams- this position strengthens the Cost Accounting and Finance function by defining and improving cost accounting methodologies, reconciliations, processes, and financial controls that improve the accuracy, reliability, and scalability of inventory and COGS reporting.

The Role

Month-End Close Support

• Own assigned cost accounting close workstreams end-to-end, independently establishing priorities, resolving complex issues, and ensuring accurate and timely completion
• Prepare and post journal entries for assigned close areas, including accruals, reclassifications, and timing corrections
• Own sub-ledger to GL reconciliations for assigned accounts, ensuring alignment between operational data and financial results and independently determining appropriate resolution for complex discrepancies
• Define and continuously improve close schedules, checklists, controls, and supporting workpapers to improve scalability, accuracy, and repeatability
• Identify and resolve discrepancies between operational activity and financial reporting; assess downstream accounting implications and lead cross-functional resolution of issues affecting inventory and COGS

Standard Cost Management

• Serve as a subject-matter expert for standard costing, providing guidance on costing methodology, inventory valuation, and related accounting practices to Finance and cross-functional partners
• Own standard cost records and methodologies, ensuring ERP cost data appropriately reflects approved processes, operational changes, accounting requirements, and cost methodologies
• Perform complex costing and work order analysis to evaluate inventory valuation, identify systemic issues, and determine appropriate accounting treatment and process improvements
• Analyze cost variances including purchase price variance (PPV), identify root causes and interdependencies across operational processes, and drive corrective actions or standard cost updates as appropriate
• Define and improve standard costing practices and controls as manufacturing processes, systems, and business requirements evolve

Reconciliations and Analyses

• Own inventory and cost account reconciliations, including raw materials, WIP, and finished goods, and independently resolve complex or recurring accounting issues
• Develop and maintain PPV analysis, absorption reporting, and other cost variance workpapers that provide actionable insight into manufacturing and financial performance
• Validate inventory movements and production data against ERP records; independently investigate complex breaks, determine root causes, and lead resolution across Finance and Operations
• Identify trends and systemic issues across inventory and cost accounting workstreams and recommend changes to accounting practices, operational processes, or system controls

Policy, Procedures, and Documentation

• Define and maintain reconciliation templates, trackers, standards, and process documentation for recurring close activities and one-time events
• Own documentation of inventory valuation, cost recognition, standard cost assumptions and methodology in a clear, audit-ready format as processes evolve
• Establish and continuously improve cost accounting workflows, standards, and controls to improve repeatability, scalability, and process continuity
• Provide technical guidance to accounting peers and cross-functional partners on cost accounting processes, controls, and methodologies and proactively share knowledge and best practices across the function

Landed Cost, Variances, and ERP Support

• Own tracking and analysis related to freight, duties, and outside processing costs and identify opportunities to improve landed cost accuracy and methodology
• Define and monitor key variances and metrics to ensure inventory and cost inputs are reasonable and accurate; identify trends, risks, and opportunities for process improvement
• Serve as a Finance subject-matter expert for ERP development, reconciliation, and validation activities tied to cost accounting and inventory accounting workflows
• Lead cost accounting requirements, testing, reconciliation, and validation for ERP enhancements affecting cost accounting processes
• Evaluate system and process dependencies across cost accounting workstreams and recommend solutions that balance accounting requirements, operational needs, and system capabilities