Junior Cost Accountant: Costing & Manufacturing Analytics

Sa Metal Group (Pty) Ltd; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 550,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health insurance and a/p

Pension fund benefits

Professional development opportunities

Supportive team environment

Employee wellness programs

Cape Town-based role

Job summary

Sa Metal Group (Pty) Ltd is seeking an experienced Cost Accountant to optimise production costs and profitability. The role focuses on building robust costing systems, performing variance analyses, and delivering critical financial insights to manufacturing operations.

The position requires developing costing methodologies, maintaining BOM accuracy, and collaborating with production and engineering to drive cost reductions in a busy Cape Town facility.

Qualifications

• Completed qualification in Accounting or Finance.
• Experience in cost accounting and inventory accounting within manufacturing.
• Knowledge of BOMs, standard costing, production costs and stock reconciliations.
• Strong Excel skills, especially for reconciliations and numerical analysis.
• Experience with ERP/stock management or manufacturing systems.
• Analytical, detail-oriented and able to investigate discrepancies.
• Comfortable collaborating with finance and production teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain cost accounting systems and methodologies.
• Analyze manufacturing costs: direct materials, direct labour, overhead.
• Perform variance analysis with explanations for deviations.
• Prepare cost and profitability reports including inventory valuation.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities with production/engineering teams.
• Support budgeting/forecasting for manufacturing operations.
• Maintain BOM and routing accuracy in ERP.
• Evaluate financial impact of new product introductions and process changes.
• Assist audits related to cost accounting and ensure costing standards compliance.
• Collaborate with departments to improve costing accuracy and stock controls.

Skills

Cost accounting

Inventory accounting

Manufacturing finance

BOMs knowledge

Excel skills

ERP systems

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Accounting/Finance qualification

CIMA certification (advantage)

Tools

SAP

Oracle

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.

About the Role

Our client, a prominent manufacturing company headquartered in the vibrant city of Cape Town, Western Cape, is actively seeking an experienced Cost Accountant to join their esteemed finance department. This role is crucial for optimizing production costs, enhancing profitability, and providing critical financial insights to manufacturing operations. The successful candidate will be instrumental in developing and implementing robust costing systems, performing variance analysis, and contributing to strategic cost management initiatives. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a tangible impact within a well-established entity in the competitive Cape Town market, offering stability and professional growth within a dedicated finance team. The position is based at our client's main facility, requiring full-time presence on-site.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain cost accounting systems and methodologies.
• Analyze manufacturing costs, including direct materials, direct labor, and overhead.
• Conduct variance analysis (budget vs. actual) and provide detailed explanations for deviations.
• Prepare accurate cost reports, including product costing, inventory valuation and profitability analysis.
• Collaborate with production and engineering teams to identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Assist in the annual budgeting and forecasting process for manufacturing operations.
• Maintain the bill of materials (BOM) and routing accuracy in the ERP system.
• Evaluate the financial impact of new product introductions and process changes.
• Support internal and external audits related to cost accounting.
• Ensure compliance with relevant costing standards and regulations.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.
• Professional certification such as CIMA or equivalent is a significant advantage.
• A minimum of 4 years of experience in cost accounting, preferably within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of costing principles, inventory valuation methods (FIFO, LIFO), and overhead allocation.
• Proficiency with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and advanced Excel skills.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate across departments.
• Detail-oriented with a strong commitment to data accuracy.
• Ability to work efficiently in a demanding manufacturing setting in Cape Town.
• Proven track record of identifying and implementing cost reduction initiatives.

Benefits

• An attractive annual salary of R per annum .
• Comprehensive health insurance coverage and pension fund benefits.
• Opportunities for professional development and further qualifications.
• A supportive and collaborative team environment.
• Direct impact on operational efficiency and company profitability.
• Employee wellness programs and benefits.
• Be part of a leading manufacturing entity in Cape Town.