Cost Accounting & Profitability Manager

Noga Foods, Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Noga Foods seeks a Cost Accounting & Profitability Manager to lead costing models, analyze manufacturing costs, and improve financial visibility across multiple segments. This role partners with finance, operations, production, and leadership to identify cost-saving opportunities, enhance margins, and support strategic decisions.

The ideal candidate will have strong manufacturing cost accounting experience, deep understanding of cost structures, and the ability to translate data into actionable

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 7+ years of accounting experience with emphasis on manufacturing cost accounting.
• Experience with costing models in a high-mix manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with financial systems and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain costing models for a high-mix manufacturing environment.
• Analyze manufacturing costs, variances, and inventory valuation.
• Provide profitability analysis across business segments, customers, products, and lines.
• Create and maintain financial reports and dashboards for cost visibility.
• Collaborate with finance, operations, and leadership to identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Monitor KPIs and investigate variances to inform decisions.
• Oversee inventory reconciliation and accurate valuation of materials and goods.
• Suggest process improvements to costing methodologies and controls.
• Communicate findings clearly to both financial and non-financial stakeholders.

Skills

Cost accounting

Profitability analysis

Excel proficiency

QuickBooks

Modeling costing

Variance analysis

Financial reporting

Data interpretation

Cross-functional collaboration

Attention to detail

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

Excel

QuickBooks

Job description

Noga Foods is a family-owned company with a rich heritage dating back to Germany in the 1930s. For generations, our family has been dedicated to crafting high-quality cheese and dairy products while building lasting relationships with our customers, employees, and partners. Today, we are entering an exciting new chapter. As our business continues to grow, we are evolving from a close-knit, family-run operation into a more structured, scalable organization—without losing the entrepreneurial spirit, family values, and commitment to quality that have defined us for decades. This transformation creates an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys building systems, solving problems, and helping a growing organization reach its full potential.

About the Role

Noga Foods is seeking a highly analytical and detail-oriented Cost Accounting & Profitability Manager to lead and enhance our cost accounting function within a dynamic food manufacturing environment. This individual will play a critical role in developing and maintaining accurate costing models, analyzing manufacturing costs, and improving financial visibility across multiple business segments.

The ideal candidate will have strong manufacturing cost accounting experience, a deep understanding of complex cost structures, and the ability to translate financial data into actionable insights. This role will partner closely with finance, operations, production, and executive leadership to identify cost-saving opportunities, improve margins, and support informed business decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Cost Accounting & Modeling: Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive costing models for a high-mix manufacturing environment with complex commodity pricing structures.
• shrinkage, and production variances by product, customer, and production run.
• Profitability Analysis: Evaluate profitability across individual business segments, customers, products, and production lines to provide greater visibility into financial performance beyond consolidated financial statements.
• KPI Monitoring & Variance Analysis: Monitor key financial and operational performance indicators, investigate variances, identify root causes, and communicate findings and recommendations to leadership.
• Cost & Margin Optimization: Compare quoted product costs with actual production costs to identify discrepancies, understand margin erosion, and recommend corrective actions.
• Inventory Accounting & Reconciliation: Oversee inventory reconciliation and ensure accurate valuation and reporting of raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods.
• Financial Reporting & Dashboards: Develop and enhance financial reports, dashboards, and analytical tools to improve visibility into cost drivers, profitability trends, and operational performance.
• Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to improve costing methodologies, reporting accuracy, financial controls, and overall cost management processes.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with finance, operations, production, and executive leadership to provide data-driven recommendations that support cost optimization, operational efficiency, and profitable growth.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 7 years of accounting experience, with a strong emphasis on manufacturing cost accounting.
• Demonstrated experience analyzing manufacturing costs, production variances, inventory valuation, and product-level profitability.
• Experience developing and maintaining costing models in a complex, high-mix manufacturing environment.
• Strong proficiency in financial systems, including QuickBooks, and advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Experience developing financial reports, analyzing KPIs, and translating complex data into actionable business insights.
• Exceptional analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing cost structures, cost allocation, and profitability analysis.
• Ability to identify cost discrepancies, investigate root causes, and recommend practical solutions.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across finance, operations, and production teams.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of responsibilities, manage competing priorities, and work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• High attention to detail, sound judgment, and a commitment to financial accuracy and continuous improvement.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to present financial findings clearly to both financial and non-financial stakeholders.

What Success Looks Like

• Improved accuracy and consistency of product costing and inventory valuation.
• Greater visibility into profitability by product, customer, business segment, and production line.
• Clear identification and explanation of cost variances and margin discrepancies.
• Actionable recommendations that improve cost control, operational efficiency, and overall profitability.
• Reliable financial reporting that supports better business decisions and long-term growth.