Sr. Cost Analyst

Marzetti Company; Kentucky; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Marzetti Company is seeking a Senior Cost Analyst to partner with plant Value Streams and Operations leadership in Kentucky. You will deliver financial analysis, cost management, forecasting, and decision support to drive improved performance on the production floor.

You will own materials usage variance, BOM, and ABC processes, support annual planning and month-end close, and collaborate across Operations, Corporate Accounting, and Supply Chain to drive continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field required.
• Relevant experience in finance, accounting, cost accounting, or financial analysis; manufacturing experience preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate financial and operational data into actionable business insights.
• Strong communication and business-partnering skills with the ability to work effectively across functions and organizational levels.
• Knowledge of manufacturing costing, financial planning, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience with ERP and financial reporting systems.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and maintain an active presence on the production floor.
• Demonstrated leadership potential and interest in continued growth within plant Finance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary Finance Business Partner to assigned Value Streams, including regular production floor engagement, spend reviews, forecasting, financial analysis, and decision support.
• Partner with Value Stream leaders to identify and drive cost improvement opportunities from ideation through implementation and savings tracking.
• Improve financial awareness within the Value Streams by communicating financial results, variances, cost drivers, risks, and opportunities to operational leaders.
• Lead the plant Material Usage Variance (MUV) process, partnering cross-functionally to identify and stratify losses, determine root causes, develop corrective actions, and track results.
• Own site Bill of Materials (BOM) and Activity-Based Costing (ABC) processes for new and existing items, including standards, scrap rates, and Value Stream/work center activities. Establish regular reviews to ensure costing accuracy.
• Prepare and support financial forecasts and assist with development of the Annual Operating Plan (AOP), including Value Stream spending.

Skills

Financial analysis

Cross-functional partnering

Excel

Strategic thinking

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

Financial reporting systems

Job description

Overview

The Senior Cost Analyst serves as a key Finance Business Partner to plant Value Streams and Operations leadership, providing financial analysis, cost management, forecasting, and decision support to drive improved business performance. This role maintains a visible presence on the production floor to develop a strong understanding of operations, identify cost improvement opportunities, and increase financial awareness across the Value Streams.

The position owns key plant costing processes, including Material Usage Variance (MUV), Bill of Materials (BOM), and Activity-Based Costing (ABC), while supporting forecasting, annual planning, month-end close, and continuous improvement initiatives. This role also provides developmental experience for potential future progression into a Plant Controller position within The Marzetti Company network.

Responsibilities → What You'll Do

• Serve as the primary Finance Business Partner to assigned Value Streams, including regular production floor engagement, spend reviews, forecasting, financial analysis, and decision support.
• Partner with Value Stream leaders to identify and drive cost improvement opportunities from ideation through implementation and savings tracking.
• Improve financial awareness within the Value Streams by communicating financial results, variances, cost drivers, risks, and opportunities to operational leaders.
• Lead the plant Material Usage Variance (MUV) process, partnering cross-functionally to identify and stratify losses, determine root causes, develop corrective actions, and track results.
• Own site Bill of Materials (BOM) and Activity-Based Costing (ABC) processes for new and existing items, including standards, scrap rates, and Value Stream/work center activities. Establish regular reviews to ensure costing accuracy.
• Prepare and support financial forecasts and assist with development of the Annual Operating Plan (AOP), including Value Stream spending.
• Support month-end close activities, including financial analysis, journal entries, reconciliations, and variance explanations.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Corporate Accounting, Supply Chain, Maintenance, Operational Excellence, and other teams to support business initiatives and continuous improvement efforts.
• Maintain a visible Finance leadership presence throughout the facility and provide financial support for additional plant initiatives and projects as needed.
• Develop broader plant Finance and leadership capabilities in preparation for potential future Plant Controller opportunities within The Marzetti Company network.
• Other duties as requested by management

Qualifications → What You'll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field required.
• Relevant experience in finance, accounting, cost accounting, or financial analysis; manufacturing experience preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate financial and operational data into actionable business insights.
• Strong communication and business-partnering skills with the ability to work effectively across functions and organizational levels.
• Knowledge of manufacturing costing, financial planning, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience with ERP and financial reporting systems.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and maintain an active presence on the production floor.
• Demonstrated leadership potential and interest in continued growth within plant Finance.

Working Conditions/Environment

Works in a normal office environment where the employee is regularly required to speak, see, hear, sit, stand, talk, type, walk and bend while moving about the facility. The noise level in the office is quiet. Travel to outside locations may be required.

About Us

The Marzetti Company (Nasdaq: MZTI) manufactures and sells specialty food products. Our retail brands include Marzetti® dressings and dips, New York Bakery™ garlic breads, and Sister Schubert’s® dinner rolls, in addition to exclusive license agreements for Olive Garden® dressings, Chick-fil-A® sauces and dressings, Buffalo Wild Wings® sauces, Arby’s® sauces, Subway® sauces, and Texas Roadhouse® steak sauces and frozen rolls. Our foodservice business supplies sauces, dressings, breads, and pasta to many of the top restaurant chains in the United States.

At Marzetti, our mission is to make every meal better through high-quality, flavorful food. Led by our purpose, to nourish growth with all that we do, our team members are dedicated to creating great tasting food and cultivating deep and lasting relationships.