Senior Accountant - Manufacturing & Operations

Whisker; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Parental leave

Pet insurance discount

401K match

On-site gym

Pet-friendly office

Pawternity leave

Continuing education

Job summary

Whisker in Auburn Hills, MI, is seeking a Senior Cost Accountant to partner with Operations and Supply Chain. You will drive plant-level profitability through rigorous cost accounting, BOM integrity, and inventory controls.

You\'ll analyze variances, lead budgeting and forecasting, and provide monthly financial reporting to corporate finance. Our manufacturing-focused role rewards initiative and cross-functional collaboration in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 4+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience in manufacturing.
• Strong cost accounting including moving average, standard costing, and variance analysis.
• Proven ability to manage and analyze BOM and production cost structures.
• Experience partnering closely with operations leadership.
• Expert-level ERP knowledge, preferably with SAP Business One.
• Experience implementing or improving cost accounting systems and processes.

Responsibilities

• Owns financial oversight of the Whisker Manufacturing assembly facility, including P&L, COGS, and inventory.
• Partners with the Senior Director of Plant Operations, Site Leaders, Supply Chain & Logistics to drive plant profitability and operational efficiency.
• Translates financial data into actionable insights to improve throughput, reduce waste, and optimize labor utilization.
• Leads all cost accounting activities, including landed cost, cost roll-ups, and inventory valuation.
• Ensures accuracy and integrity of bills of materials (BOMs), routings, and cost structures for key products.
• Analyzes and explains cost variances (material, labor, overhead), and partners with operations to drive corrective actions.
• Oversees physical inventory processes, cycle counts, and inventory controls.
• Monitors and reports on production variances, identifying root causes and recommending corrective actions.
• Develops KPIs and dashboards focused on labor efficiency, scrap, yield, and overall production.
• Drives continuous improvement initiatives focused on cost reduction and process optimization.
• Leads the plant-level budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Provides monthly financial reporting and analysis to corporate finance, including variance explanations.
• Supports strategic initiatives with financial modeling and ROI analysis.
• Maintains strong internal controls over inventory, manufacturing costs, and plant financial processes.
• Ensures compliance with corporate accounting policies and GAAP.

Skills

Cost accounting

BOM analysis

Variance analysis

SAP Business One

Manufacturing finance

Operations partnership

Internal controls

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

Job description

Description Whisker is redefining what it means to live with cats—designing intelligent systems that remove friction, elevate the everyday, and celebrate the quiet brilliance of feline companionship. Today, Litter-Robot leads the category. Tomorrow, an entire ecosystem that expands what’s possible for cats and the people who love them. We believe the future is feline. And we’re imagining that future today.

We work onsite 4+ days a week with our team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and Juneau, Wisconsin. Our team of 700+ passionate pet people thrives on collaboration, innovation, and the occasional office cameo from a four-legged friend.

The Senior Cost Accountant will serve as a key business partner to Operations and Supply Chain, providing actionable insights that influence decision-making and operational performance.

What You’ll Do

The Senior Cost Accountant is the key finance partner for Whisker’s manufacturing and supply chain operations, responsible for driving plant-level financial performance through rigorous cost accounting, operational insight, and cross-functional partnership. This role plays a critical part in improving profitability by analyzing labor and production efficiencies, managing bill of materials (BOM) accuracy, inventory integrity, and ensuring disciplined execution against profitability targets.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as deemed necessary.

• Owns financial oversight of the Whisker Manufacturing assembly facility, including P&L, cost of goods sold (COGS), and inventory
• Partners with the Senior Director of Plant Operations, Site Leaders, Supply Chain & Logistics to drive plant profitability and operational efficiency
• Translates financial data into actionable insights to improve throughput, reduce waste, and optimize labor utilization
• Leads all cost accounting activities, including landed cost, cost roll-ups, and inventory valuation
• Ensures accuracy and integrity of bills of materials (BOMs), routings, and cost structures for key products
• Analyzes and explains cost variances (material, labor, overhead), and partners with operations to drive corrective actions
• Oversees physical inventory processes, cycle counts, and inventory controls
• Monitors and reports on production variances, identifying root causes and recommending corrective actions
• Develops KPIs and dashboards focused on labor efficiency, scrap, yield, and overall production
• Drives continuous improvement initiatives focused on cost reduction and process optimization
• Leads the plant-level budgeting and forecasting processes
• Provides monthly financial reporting and analysis to corporate finance, including variance explanations
• Supports strategic initiatives with financial modeling and ROI analysis
• Maintains strong internal controls over inventory, manufacturing costs, and plant financial processes
• Ensures compliance with corporate accounting policies and GAAP
• Supports internal and external audit requirements
• Performs additional responsibilities when required

Requirements

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 4+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, with significant exposure to manufacturing environments
• Strong cost accounting experience, including moving average, standard costing, and variance analysis
• Proven ability to manage and analyze BOM and production cost structures
• Experience partnering closely with operations leadership
• Expert-level ERP knowledge, preferably with SAP Business One
• Experience implementing or improving cost accounting systems and processes
• Maintains confidentiality of proprietary information
• Ability to maintain a professional atmosphere in a fast-paced environment with numerous interactions and interruptions
• A high degree of initiative, self-motivation, and ability to motivate others
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with Team Members and colleagues
• Comfortable with office pets (cats, dogs)

Not Required but Nice to Have!

• CPA, CMA, or MBA preferred

Benefits & Purrks

Join a tenacious, inventive company that empowers team members to chart their own path, lead by grounding decisions in the “why”, and has a strong sense of empathy and openness to new perspectives. Be a part of exciting growth, work with incredible people, and create tomorrow’s pet products—plus a whole lot of extras. You will also be provided with:

• Premium Medical/Dental/Vision insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Whisker Parents Program
• 1 day "pawternity" leave for new pet adoption
• Pet Insurance discount
• 401K match
• Flexible spending accounts
• Company-paid short-term disability and life insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Generous paid time off
• 14 Paid Holidays
• Top of the line equipment
• Pet-friendly office
• Whisker products and swag
• Continuing education Support
• On-site gym with Peloton
• Referral program

Statement of Inclusivity

We believe different perspectives make Whisker better and strive to create a place where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.

Please ensure to regularly check your email spam folder for any communication from Whisker to avoid missing important updates regarding your application status.

Whisker will not ask you to interview with an AI chat bot. We ask that all interviewees refrain from using any AI tools during interviews with Whisker team members.

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