Cost Accountant

Pillangó Placements; Boksburg; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 620,000; Full time

Job summary

Pillangó Placements is seeking a Cost Accountant for a South African manufacturing operation in Gauteng. You will own costing, analyse variances, review BOMs and cost movements, and partner with production and procurement to drive profitability.

The role emphasizes detailed financial insight, cross-functional collaboration, and improvements in costing processes across the production lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Solid cost accounting experience in manufacturing or production-driven environments.
• Strong understanding of standard costing, inventory, BOMs and variance analysis.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with ERP systems.
• Commercial thinking and ability to challenge numbers rather than only report them.
• Comfortable engaging with finance and non-finance teams.
• Detail-conscious, analytical and curious about how things work.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain product costing, standard costs and cost models.
• Analyse material, labour and production overhead variances.
• Review BOMs, production costs and inventory movements.
• Investigate margin movements and identify opportunities to improve profitability.
• Partner with production, procurement and operations to understand cost drivers.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and month-end reporting.
• Monitor inventory valuation, provisions and stock-related controls.
• Produce meaningful management reports.
• Assist with pricing, scenario modelling and business cases.
• Drive improvements in costing processes, controls and reporting.

Skills

Cost accounting

Manufacturing environment

Standard costing

Inventory & BOM analysis

Variance analysis

Advanced Excel

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Join an established South African manufacturer where costing isn’t just a month-end exercise — it directly influences production, pricing, margins and commercial decisions. The business operates an end-to-end manufacturing environment, producing specialised products for the mining, road construction and related heavy-industry sectors.

What you’ll be doing

• Own and maintain product costing, standard costs and cost models.
• Analyse material, labour and production overhead variances.
• Review BOMs, production costs and inventory movements.
• Investigate margin movements and identify opportunities to improve profitability.
• Partner with production, procurement and operations to understand cost drivers.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and month-end reporting.
• Monitor inventory valuation, provisions and stock-related controls.
• Produce meaningful management reports — not spreadsheets that disappear into a folder forever.
• Assist with pricing, scenario modelling and business cases.
• Drive improvements in costing processes, controls and reporting.

What you’ll need

• Solid Cost Accounting experience, ideally gained in manufacturing, engineering or another production-driven environment.
• Strong understanding of standard costing, inventory, BOMs and variance analysis.
• Advanced Excel skills and confidence working with ERP systems.
• Commercial thinking and the ability to challenge numbers rather than simply report them.
• Comfortable engaging with finance and non-finance teams.
• Detail-conscious, analytical and curious about how things actually work.

Why this role?

This is an opportunity to work close to the engine room of a substantial South African manufacturing operation, with exposure to the full production process and the chance to influence real operational and commercial decisions.

The salary is open for discussion. It will be market related based on qualifications, skills, and experience.