Cost Accounting Manager

Northwood Space; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwood Space is seeking its first Cost Accounting Manager to build and lead the cost accounting function as we scale from development to production. You will set policies, processes, and controls for inventory, standard costs, WIP, and COGS, while partnering with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Engineering to drive cost insights and improvements.

In this role you will own month-end close, variances, and reporting in a US GAAP framework, establish standard costing for hardware, and guide

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field with 7+ years of progressive cost/manufacturing accounting experience.
• Strong knowledge of US GAAP and manufacturing cost accounting, including standard costing and COGS.
• Experience leading cost accounting close, policies, controls, and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead cost accounting function, policies, and controls for inventory, standard costs, WIP, COGS, and variances.
• Lead month-end and quarter-end closing activities, journal entries, reconciliations, and supporting schedules.
• Establish standard costing methodologies for hardware, monitor variances, and drive cost reduction.
• Own inventory accounting policies across raw materials, WIP, finished goods, including reserves and obsolescence.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Programs to translate activity into cost insights.
• Lead ERP system improvements, automate workflows, and mentor cost accounting team as needs grow.

Skills

Cost accounting

Inventory accounting

US GAAP

ERP systems

Cross-functional leadership

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

About Northwood:

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company bringing the benefits of space to the masses through advanced communications technology. We are building a global network of phased array ground stations that enable real-time, reliable communication for satellite missions such as national security, global connectivity, and disaster response. With a vertically integrated approach, Northwood designs, builds, and rapidly deploys scalable systems that power the next generation of space missions. If you like solving complex challenges and seeing your work deployed around the world with real impact, Northwood is the place to do it.

Role:

As our first Cost Accounting Manager, you will build and lead the cost accounting function as we scale our space infrastructure products from development into production. You will establish the strategy, policies, processes, and controls that provide accurate visibility into inventory, COGS, and the true cost of building our hardware while maintaining hands-on ownership of core accounting activities. Working closely with Finance, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Program teams, you will guide decisions on product costs, production efficiency, and inventory management while developing the systems and team capabilities needed to support increasingly complex manufacturing operations.

Responsibilities:

• Build and lead the company’s cost accounting function, defining policies, methodologies, controls, reporting, and team development priorities for inventory, standard costs, WIP, COGS, and manufacturing variances as production scales.

• Lead cost accounting activities across month-end and quarter-end close, preparing and reviewing journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, variance analyses, and supporting schedules to ensure accurate, timely financial reporting in accordance with US GAAP.

• Establish and oversee standard costing methodologies for purchased and manufactured hardware, including labor and overhead rates; investigate material variances and guide cross-functional actions to improve cost accuracy, production efficiency, and margins.

• Own inventory accounting policies and valuation across raw materials, WIP, and finished goods, including reserves, excess and obsolete inventory, and physical inventory controls; partner with operational teams to resolve discrepancies and maintain audit readiness.

• Serve as a financial partner to Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Program leadership, translating production activity, BOM changes, procurement trends, and capacity assumptions into product cost insights, cost reduction opportunities, and planning recommendations.

• Lead cost accounting systems and process improvements, setting ERP requirements, strengthening controls, automating workflows, and developing scalable reporting while building and mentoring the cost accounting team as business needs grow.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field with 7+ years of progressive experience in cost accounting, inventory accounting, or manufacturing accounting, including experience leading accounting processes, projects, or teams.

• Strong knowledge of US GAAP and manufacturing cost accounting, including standard costing, inventory valuation and reserves, WIP, COGS, purchase price variances, overhead allocation, absorption, and manufacturing inventory flows within an ERP environment.

• Demonstrated ability to lead cost accounting close and reporting, establish accounting policies and controls, review complex analyses, and resolve discrepancies across financial and operational data.

• Strong analytical, communication, and leadership skills, with advanced Excel proficiency and the ability to build processes, prioritize competing needs, and influence cross-functional decisions in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in aerospace, defense, hardware, automotive, electronics, or another complex manufacturing environment, particularly within a startup or rapidly scaling organization.

• Experience building or scaling a cost accounting function, including establishing standard costing methodologies, inventory controls, management reporting, and team responsibilities.

• Experience partnering with operational leadership to drive measurable improvements in product costs, manufacturing efficiency, inventory management, and financial performance.

• Experience leading ERP implementations or improvements across cost accounting and inventory workflows, including requirements definition, testing, data validation, process automation, and user adoption.

Additional Information:

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Northwood Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Northwood Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.