Cost Accountant

Hire Resolve; Strand; On-site; ZAR 500,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

Hire Resolve is looking for a dedicated Cost Accountant to join their finance team in the Strand, Western Cape. This role involves analyzing cost drivers, managing inventory control, and processing financial accounting activities on-site.

The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor's degree in Finance or Accounting, along with a CIMA qualification. Experience in a fast-paced manufacturing or FMCG environment, along with strong Excel skills, is essential for success in this position.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years of relevant cost accounting experience in Manufacturing or FMCG.
• Comfortable conducting regular factory floor visits.

Responsibilities

• Analyze core cost drivers and report on key variances.
• Oversee stock control process across all product types.
• Process general ledger journals and manage asset tracking.
• Track operational KPIs and streamline financial reporting.

Skills

Strong MS Excel skills

Attention to detail

Process discipline

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting

CIMA qualification (Completed or actively in progress)

Tools

Syspro ERP experience

SQL exposure

Job description

Cost Accountant | Strand, Western Cape (Onsite)

A prominent and fast-paced leader in the manufacturing and FMCG sector is seeking a hands‑on, detail-oriented Cost Accountant to join their finance team on‑site in the Strand. Reporting directly to the Financial Manager, this critical role blends standard costing, robust inventory control, and financial accounting processing with active engagement in factory floor operations to drive profitability and strong cost controls.

Key Performance Areas:

• Costing & Profitability: Analyze core cost drivers (materials, labor, overheads, margins, and operating expenses) and report on key variances. Monitor production yields, waste, and material usage against established standards while continuously maintaining and improving Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Inventory Control & Variance Analysis: Oversee the end-to-end stock control process across raw materials, packaging, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods. Lead monthly and year-end physical stock takes, perform root‑cause analysis on variances, and investigate unexplained losses or valuation issues.
• Financial Accounting Processing: Process factory‑related general ledger journals, manage fixed asset tracking and depreciation within production units, and review local and international payment batches, including local banking and wage payment controls.
• Data, Systems & KPI Tracking: Track operational KPIs, safeguard data integrity, and proactively look for ways to streamline and automate financial reporting.

Minimum Requirements:

• Education: A completed Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting.
• Professional Alignment: A CIMA qualification (Completed or actively in progress at the Strategic level or higher) is essential.
• Experience: 2–5 years of relevant cost accounting experience, ideally within a fast‑paced Manufacturing or FMCG (Food Products) environment.
• Technical Skills: Strong MS Excel skills are a non‑negotiable requirement.
• Attributes: High attention to detail, strong process discipline, and comfortability with conducting regular factory floor/production visits.
• Advantageous: CIMA articles, Syspro ERP experience, and SQL exposure.

Our client is offering a highly competitive salary for this role based on experience.