Cost Accountant

Creative Financial Staffing, LLC; Michigan City (IN); On-site; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Creative Financial Staffing, LLC is seeking a hands-on Cost Accountant for a manufacturing company in Michigan City, IN. This fully onsite role focuses on cost analysis, profitability initiatives, and supporting financial reporting.

The successful candidate will manage manufacturing costs, perform margin analysis, and collaborate with operations and leadership to drive cost reductions and better pricing decisions.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of accounting experience.
• Minimum 1 year of manufacturing accounting experience.
• Experience with cost accounting, financial reporting, variance analysis, and margin analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with attention to detail.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with operations and manufacturing leadership.

Responsibilities

• Manage and analyze manufacturing costs, including labor, materials, overhead, and production variances.
• Prepare and analyze monthly financial reports, ensuring accuracy and timely reporting.
• Perform detailed cost and margin analysis to identify trends and profitability opportunities.
• Analyze budget-to-actual and standard-to-actual variances with explanations and recommendations.
• Partner with operations, production, purchasing, and leadership to understand cost drivers.
• Assist with month-end close, reconciliations, journal entries, and financial reporting.
• Monitor inventory and costing standards and support costing improvements.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities to reduce costs and improve margins.

Skills

Cost accounting

Financial reporting

Variance analysis

Excel

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

Job description

Cost Accountant

Michigan City, IN | Fully Onsite | $80,000–$95,000

We are seeking an experienced Cost Accountant to join a growing manufacturing organization in a highly visible role supporting financial reporting, cost analysis, and profitability initiatives.

The Opportunity

This position will play a key role in understanding and improving the company’s cost structure, providing financial insight to operations, and helping leadership make informed decisions around costs, margins, pricing, and overall profitability.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and analyze manufacturing costs, including labor, materials, overhead, and production variances.
• Prepare and analyze monthly financial reports, ensuring accuracy and timely reporting.
• Perform detailed cost and margin analysis to identify trends, profitability opportunities, and areas for improvement.
• Analyze budget-to-actual and standard-to-actual variances, providing explanations and recommendations to management.
• Partner closely with operations, production, purchasing, and leadership to understand cost drivers and improve financial performance.
• Assist with month-end close, reconciliations, journal entries, and financial reporting.
• Monitor inventory and manufacturing costs and assist with maintaining accurate costing standards.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities.Identify opportunities for cost reduction, process improvement, and margin enhancement.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of accounting experience required.
• Minimum 1 year of manufacturing accounting experience required.
• Strong experience with cost accounting, financial reporting, variance analysis, and margin analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with operations and manufacturing leadership.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field preferred.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on, analytical accounting professional who understands how manufacturing operations impact financial results. Someone who can go beyond simply reporting the numbers and help leadership understand why costs and margins are moving and what can be done to improve profitability.

Salary: $80,000–$95,000
Location: Michigan City, IN
Fully Onsite