Senior Cost Accountant

Nielsen Associates; New York (NY); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading manufacturing organization in New York is seeking an experienced Cost Accountant to analyze costs, oversee inventory reconciliation, and support operational decision-making. You'll partner with manufacturing leadership and play a vital role in improving cost transparency and efficiency. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, strong cost accounting and manufacturing experience, and over 5 years in a progressive accounting role. This position is essential for maintaining quality and precision in operations.

Qualifications

• Candidate must have cost accounting experience.
• Manufacturing experience is mandatory.
• 5+ years of progressive accounting experience required.

Responsibilities

• Analyze manufacturing costs and compare actual results to standard costs.
• Own inventory reconciliation and investigate variances between systems.
• Lead standard cost updates and maintain accurate cost structures.
• Oversee cycle counts, research discrepancies, and monitor inventory accuracy.

Skills

Cost accounting experience

Strong Excel skills

Ability to analyze complex data

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

Job description

Join a well-established, highly respected manufacturing organization with decades of stability, long employee tenure, and a strong reputation for quality and precision. This is a hands‑on, high‑impact role where your work directly supports production, inventory accuracy, and operational decision‑making. You’ll partner closely with manufacturing leadership, gain deep visibility into the business, and play a key role in improving cost transparency and efficiency.

If you enjoy being close to operations, digging into the numbers, and influencing how a business runs, this is a role where you can truly make your mark.

Note: Candidates must be a U.S. Person or able to qualify for required government licensing.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Analyze manufacturing costs and compare actual results to standard costs
• Own inventory reconciliation and investigate variances between inventory systems and the general ledger
• Lead standard cost updates and maintain accurate cost structures
• Oversee cycle counts, research discrepancies, and monitor inventory accuracy
• Review purchase price variances and recommend cost updates as needed
• Monitor and evaluate overhead rates, including trend analysis and recommendations
• Partner with manufacturing and cross‑functional teams to explain results and support corrective actions
• Support costing related to engineering, R&D, and non‑recurring programs
• Contribute to a compliant, safety‑focused operating environment

Must‑Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting
• Cost accounting experience is a must
• Manufacturing experience is a must
• 5+ years of progressive accounting experience in a manufacturing environment
• Strong Excel skills and working knowledge of GAAP
• Ability to analyze complex data, manage multiple priorities, and communicate clearly