JUNIOR COST ACCOUNTANT â MANUFACTURING & INVENTORY

West Coast Personnel; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 360,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

West Coast Personnel is seeking a skilled Cost Accountant to join their Western Cape team. The role focuses on manufacturing costing, standard costs and profitability analysis, collaborating with production and finance to drive accuracy.

Responsibilities include stock reconciliations, inventory control, variance analysis and monthly stock counts, with a strong emphasis on data integrity and cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• A completed qualification in Accounting, Cost Accounting, Management Accounting or Finance.
• Experience in cost accounting, inventory accounting or manufacturing finance.
• Understanding of BOMs, standard costing, production costs, stock reconciliations or manufacturing variances.
• Strong Excel skills, particularly reconciliations and numerical analysis.
• Experience with ERP, stock management or manufacturing systems.

Responsibilities

• Calculate and analyse manufacturing costs, standard costs and product profitability.
• Reconcile raw materials used, production quantities, finished goods and ERP records.
• Investigate stock variances, inventory movements and discrepancies between physical stock and ERP records.
• Identify production losses, material wastage and differences between expected and actual yields.
• Analyse manufacturing costs, gross margins and cost variances.
• Coordinate monthly stock counts, investigate variances and ensure accurate inventory reporting.
• Work closely with production managers, warehouse teams and finance to improve costing accuracy and stock controls.

Skills

Cost accounting

Inventory accounting

Manufacturing finance

BOMs understanding

Variance analysis

Excel

ERP systems

Analytical mindset

Detail oriented

Education

Accounting / Cost Accounting / Management Accounting / Finance

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

Job description

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

• Product Costing: Calculate and analyse manufacturing costs, standard costs and product profitability.
• Production Reconciliations: Reconcile raw materials used, production quantities, finished goods and system records.
• Stock & Inventory Control: Investigate stock variances, inventory movements and discrepancies between physical stock and ERP records.
• Wastage & Yield Analysis: Identify production losses, material wastage and differences between expected and actual yields.
• Margin Analysis: Analyse manufacturing costs, gross margins and cost variances.
• Stocktakes: Coordinate monthly stock counts, investigate variances and ensure accurate inventory reporting.
• Operational Finance: Work closely with production managers, warehouse teams and finance to improve costing accuracy and stock controls.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

• A completed qualification in Accounting, Cost Accounting, Management Accounting or Finance.
• Practical experience in cost accounting, inventory accounting or manufacturing finance.
• Understanding of BOMs (Bills of Materials), standard costing, production costs, stock reconciliations or manufacturing variances.
• Strong Excel skills, particularly reconciliations and numerical analysis.
• Experience working with ERP, stock management or manufacturing systems.
• Someone who is analytical, detail-oriented and confident investigating discrepancies.
• Comfortable working with both finance and production teams.
• Experience in manufacturing, FMCG, food production or a similar production environment will be a strong advantage.