Senior Manager, Cost Accounting

Aston Carter; United States; Remote; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous time off

Comprehensive benefits

Life insurance & short-term disability

Educational reimbursement

401(k) with match

Job summary

Aston Carter is seeking a Sr. Manager, Cost Accounting to oversee cost, inventory, fixed assets, and capital expenditure accounting. You will lead a team, enhance internal controls, and coordinate with finance and operations for timely, accurate reporting.

This remote-friendly role requires extensive experience with standard costing, COGS, and month-end close in a manufacturing setting, leveraging SAP or similar ERP systems and advanced Excel skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance is required.
• 8+ years in standard costing, inventory valuation, and variance analysis.
• 8+ years in fixed asset accounting, capitalization, depreciation, and reconciliations.
• 8+ years of month-end close activities tied to cost accounting.
• 8+ years in capital expenditure accounting.
• Experience in a publicly traded manufacturing company is preferred.
• Experience managing a team of at least three direct reports.
• Proficient in pivot tables and VLOOKUP in Excel; ERP experience required.
• Strong understanding of inventory accounting, standard cost, and COGS.

Responsibilities

• Oversee cost accounting, standard costing, inventory valuation, COGS, and variance analysis.
• Manage inventory accounting processes, reserves, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Lead fixed asset accounting: capitalization, depreciation, disposals, reconciliations.
• Oversee capital expenditure accounting with policy alignment.
• Direct month-end close activities with journal entries and reconciliations.
• Maintain strong internal controls over cost accounting, inventory, and assets.
• Collaborate with finance and operations to improve costing processes.
• Analyze cost and variance trends; provide leadership with insights and recommendations.
• Lead and mentor a cost accounting team (≥3 direct reports).
• Utilize a large ERP system to improve cost, inventory, and asset processes.
• Use Excel advanced features to support reporting and decision making.
• Drive continuous improvement in cost and inventory accounting.

Skills

Cost accounting

Inventory valuation

COGS

Variance analysis

Fixed asset accounting

Capital expenditure

Month-end close

Team leadership

ERP systems

Excel Pivot Tables

VLOOKUP

Internal controls

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance

Tools

SAP

ERP software

Job description

Sr. Manager, Cost Accounting

Job Description

The Sr. Manager, Cost Accounting oversees all cost and inventory accounting activities, fixed assets, capital expenditure accounting, and related financial controls. This role drives accurate financial reporting, supports inventory valuation and costing processes, maintains strong internal controls, and leads a high-performing accounting team. The position works closely with finance and operational stakeholders to enhance processes, support business initiatives, ensure compliance, and deliver timely, accurate financial information that supports strategic decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all aspects of cost accounting, including standard costing, inventory valuation, cost of goods sold (COGS), and variance analysis.
• Manage inventory accounting processes, including inventory reserves, reconciliations, and related financial reporting.
• Lead fixed asset accounting, including capitalization, depreciation, disposals, and fixed asset reconciliations.
• Oversee capital expenditure accounting, ensuring accurate tracking, reporting, and alignment with financial policies and controls.
• Direct month-end close activities tied to cost accounting, ensuring accurate and timely completion of journal entries, reconciliations, and financial statements.
• Ensure strong internal controls over cost accounting, inventory, fixed assets, and capital projects, and support compliance with corporate policies and external reporting requirements.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with finance, operations, and other stakeholders to improve costing processes and support business initiatives.
• Analyze cost and variance trends, identify issues and opportunities, and provide insights and recommendations to leadership.
• Lead, develop, and mentor a cost accounting team, including managing a team of at least three direct reports.
• Leverage a large-scale ERP system to manage and improve cost accounting, inventory, and fixed asset processes.
• Use advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables and VLOOKUPs, to analyze data and support reporting and decision-making.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by identifying process efficiencies and implementing best practices in cost and inventory accounting.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in accounting or finance.
• 8+ years of standard costing experience, including inventory valuation, COGS, and variance analysis.
• 8+ years of fixed asset accounting experience, including capitalization, depreciation, and reconciliations.
• 8+ years of experience managing month-end close activities tied specifically to cost accounting.
• 8+ years of capital expenditure accounting experience.
• Experience working in a publicly traded manufacturing company.
• Experience managing a team of at least three direct reports.
• Proficiency in creating pivot tables and using VLOOKUPs in Excel.
• Proficiency working within a large-scale ERP system.
• Strong understanding of inventory accounting, standard cost, fixed assets, reconciliations, COGS, and variance analysis.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with SAP or similar enterprise resource planning systems.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams in finance and operations.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex financial data and provide actionable insights.
• Proven track record of improving processes and strengthening internal controls in cost and inventory accounting.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present financial information clearly to stakeholders at various levels.

Work Environment

This is a remote position that requires working Eastern Standard Time (EST) hours. The role operates in a professional, collaborative environment with significant interaction across finance, operations, and other corporate functions. You will work extensively with a large-scale ERP system and Excel to manage and analyze cost, inventory, and fixed asset data. The organization offers an innovative culture that values excellence, teamwork, and long-term relationships with stakeholders, colleagues, and customers. Employees benefit from generous time off, including more than three weeks of paid time off and 11 paid holidays, as well as comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents at a discounted rate. Additional benefits include life insurance, short-term disability, educational reimbursement, flexible spending accounts, an employee stock purchase plan, and a 401(k) plan with a 100% match at a 6% contribution level. The company invests in employees skills and career development through innovative technology and ongoing training.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Reading, PA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $140000.00 - $160000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

• Generous Time Off 3+ weeks of paid time off, plus 11 paid holidays
• Comprehensive Benefits Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents at a discounted rate
• Financial & Career Growth Life insurance, short-term disability, educational reimbursement, flexible spending accounts, and an employee stock purchase plan
• 401(k) Matching 100% match at a 6% contribution level
• Innovative Culture We value excellence, teamwork, and long-term relationships with stakeholders, colleagues, and customers. Through innovative technology and ongoing training, we invest in our employees skills and career development.

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 9, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.