Cost Accountant

Northern Engraving; Sparta (WI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Engraving is seeking a Cost Accountant to analyze inventory, production costs, and margins, linking costs to activities and driving pricing decisions.

The role focuses on developing absorption rates by plant and work center, maintaining standard costs, and providing leadership with actionable data for continuous improvement. Strong bilingual abilities are valued for cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Minimum of an Associate's Degree in Accounting or related field; Bachelor's preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of manufacturing cost accounting experience.
• Bilingual Chinese and English; strong analytical and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyze inventory, production costs, margins, and cost drivers.
• Develop and maintain cost data accumulation systems and absorption rates.
• Perform GAAP-based variance analysis and maintain standard costs.
• Coordinate physical inventories and cycle counts; investigate variances.
• Prepare reporting packages for leadership to guide production, inventory, and pricing decisions.
• Execute month-end tasks for inventory, material costs, and plant financial analysis.

Skills

Advanced analytical thinking

Bilingual Chinese and English

GAAP knowledge

Strong communication skills

Team oriented

Education

Associate's Degree in Accounting or related field

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Sparta Division - Sparta, WI 54656

Position Type: Full Time

Overall Purpose of Position

The Cost Accountant provides ongoing analysis of inventory, costs associated with production, margin analysis, and associating costs to related activities. Provides current and accurate information required to make solid business decisions related to production, inventory management, and product pricing.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Ongoing analysis of inventory, production costs, margin, and tracing costs back to underlying activities and drivers
• Constructs and monitors cost-effective data accumulation systems
• Develops and reviews the controls necessary for data accumulation and reporting systems
• Develops and maintains absorption rates by plant and work center including labor and overhead costs
• Coordinates physical inventory and cycle counts, investigating variances and resolving associated issues
• Maintains standard costs and reviews standard and actual costs for inaccuracies including variance analysis, treating these in accordance with GAAP
• Develops meaningful and comprehensive reporting packages to provide current and accurate information to provide leadership with data necessary to make solid business decisions related to production, inventory management, and pricing
• Performs month end tasks associated with inventory, material costs, margin analysis, and plant financial analysis including adjustment, summary schedules, and reconciliation
• Locates, manages, and disposes of obsolete inventory
• Performs production walks at manufacturing facilities to understand processes, variances, reporting errors, and interpretation of cost build-ups
• Assists with general accounting tasks and other duties/projects as assigned

QualificationsSkills and Qualifications

• Minimum of Associate's Degree in Accounting or related field, Bachelor's preferred
• Minimum of five (5) years of manufacturing cost accounting experience
• Bilingual Chinese and English
• Advanced critical thinking and analysis skills to develop recommendations and solutions
• Knowledge of standard costing and associated rates with the ability to develop a cost accounting system with verifiable and accurate reporting
• Ability to work well with varying skill levels in multiple functions/departments (plant floor to upper management)
• Desire to work in a team oriented environment with excellent verbal and written communication skills

#NEIND1