Sr. Cost Accountant [207912]

Aquent; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global enterprise is seeking an experienced financial professional in Houston to implement and manage a comprehensive costing system. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance, at least 5 years of cost accounting experience, and advanced Excel skills. This role involves leading critical projects, providing financial analysis, and ensuring accurate cost reporting to drive efficiency and profitability. A bonus of 10% is included in the compensation package.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of cost accounting experience in the manufacturing industry.
• Proven ability to analyze manufacturing process costing and identify variances.
• Experience leading projects from inception to completion.
• Proven experience leading a project from inception to completion.
• Strong understanding of accounting theory and financial principles.
• Ability to analyze manufacturing process costing and drive adjustments to standards.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Analytical and detail‑oriented with data‑driven mindset.
• Ability to explain and persuade others to implement new costing systems.
• Willingness to travel domestically to local facilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of a financial module within the ERP system.
• Provide financial analysis and decision-making support for operational health.
• Develop and manage processes for job costing standards accuracy.
• Ensure integrity of work order processing, including material issues, labor postings, and variances.
• Provide insights into profitability of functions and products to improve results.
• Review and monitor WIP and outside process clearing accounts and adjust as needed.
• Contribute to annual budget and rolling forecast processes (hours, headcount, production expenses).
• Support operational teams with ad‑hoc inquiries and reporting.
• Collaborate with management to analyze daily/weekly/monthly WIP.
• Review accuracy of operational processes including purchased parts cost verification, router development, overhead cost verification, and labor rate verification.
• Produce and analyze month‑end variance and OEE reports.
• Perform SOX‑related duties including WIP reconciliation and manufacturing segregation of duties.
• Prepare ad‑hoc data analysis and reports for operations management.
• Review balance sheet and P&L accounts with variance explanations.

Skills

Cost accounting experience

Advanced Excel skills

Financial analysis

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Aquent is partnering with a prominent global enterprise renowned for its innovative solutions and significant contributions to the manufacturing sector. This company is at the forefront of driving operational excellence and financial integrity, committed to delivering high-quality products and services worldwide.

Are you ready to be the architect of financial clarity and efficiency within a dynamic manufacturing environment? We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced financial professional to join our client’s team, where you will play a pivotal role in shaping their financial landscape. This is a unique opportunity to lead critical initiatives, drive the implementation of advanced costing systems, and provide strategic insights that directly impact profitability and operational decision‑making. Your expertise will be instrumental in optimizing financial processes and empowering leadership with the data needed to propel the business forward.

In this impactful role, you will be a key driver in transforming financial operations, focusing on the implementation and management of a robust costing system. You will collaborate closely with operational leadership, providing essential financial analysis and strategic guidance to enhance efficiency and profitability. Your contributions will directly influence business performance, ensuring accurate cost reporting, optimizing work‑in‑process, and supporting crucial budgeting and forecasting activities.

You will lead the charge on a significant project to implement and refine a comprehensive costing system, ensuring its seamless integration and ongoing effectiveness. Your analytical prowess will be vital in dissecting complex financial data, identifying trends, and providing actionable recommendations that improve operational health and financial outcomes. By partnering with various teams, you will champion best practices in cost accounting, develop accurate job costing standards, and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.

Primary Duties

• Lead the implementation and ongoing maintenance of a key financial module within the ERP system to enhance cost and margin visibility.
• Partner with operational leadership to provide financial analysis and decision‑making support for facility health.
• Develop, implement, manage, and continually measure processes to ensure the accuracy of job costing standards, including annual and ad‑hoc cost roll exercises.
• Ensure the integrity of work order processing, including material issues, labor postings, and associated variances.
• Provide insights into the profitability of various functions and products to partner with management and improve results.
• Review and monitor work‑in‑process (WIP) and outside process clearing accounts, making necessary adjustments.
• Contribute to annual budget and rolling forecast processes, encompassing hours, headcount, and production expenses (direct and indirect).
• Support operational teams with ad‑hoc inquiries, requests, and reporting.
• Collaborate with management to analyze daily, weekly, and monthly work‑in‑process (WIP).
• Review the accuracy of operational processes, including purchased parts cost verification, router development, overhead cost verification, and labor rate verification.
• Produce and analyze month‑end reports, including variance reporting and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) performance.
• Perform duties associated with SOX compliance, including WIP reconciliation, WIP subledger aging, inventory reconciliation, and manufacturing segregation of duties.
• Prepare ad‑hoc data analysis and reports for operations management.
• Review balance sheet and P&L accounts, providing detailed variance explanations and resolving potential errors.

Qualifications

Must‑Have Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
• Minimum of 5 years of dedicated cost accounting experience.
• Solid background working within the manufacturing industry.
• Advanced Excel skills.
• Proven experience leading a project from inception to completion.
• Strong skills and knowledge of accounting theory and the application of financial principles.
• Ability to analyze manufacturing process costing, identify variances, and drive adjustments to standards.
• Strong experience with ERP systems as they relate to job costing.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Highly analytical and detail‑oriented.
• Ability to explain and persuade others to implement new costing systems.
• Skilled in identifying trends and drawing conclusions from large amounts of data.
• Proactive operating style with high energy and tolerance for tight deadlines.
• Domestic travel may be required to local manufacturing facilities.

Nice‑to‑Have Qualifications:

• Solid costing knowledge.
• Experience with advanced financial reporting and data analysis platforms.
• Potential for team leadership and development in future growth.

Compensation

The target hiring compensation range for this role includes a 10% ICP bonus.