Strategic Cost Analyst — Multi-Plant Manufacturing

Italtile; Vereeniging; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Italtile seeks a detail-oriented Cost Accountant to standardise costing for all manufactured products across seven plants. You will drive pricing and profitability analyses, work with plant managers, procurement, and finance to ensure cost integrity across the value chain.

You will develop standard costing models, perform variance analysis, and track cost-saving initiatives while supporting month-end close and internal controls within SAP CO/MM.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in a Cost Accounting role within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience in multi-site or multi-plant cost management is advantageous.
• Proven track record in product costing, variance analysis, and profitability reporting.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and validate standard cost models per SKU, size, finish, and plant.
• Maintain cost per m²/unit across all product lines in SAP.
• Review BOMs and routings in SAP to reflect production realities.
• Perform periodic cost rolls to update standard costs for material, labour, and overhead inputs.
• Produce monthly variance reports comparing actual vs. standard costs across seven plants.
• Investigate and explain variances in raw materials, direct labour, energy, and overhead absorption.
• Present variance commentary with root cause analysis and corrective action recommendations.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities across materials, energy, labour, maintenance, and process efficiency.
• Maintain a formal savings tracker with measurable outcomes per initiative.
• Partner with procurement and operations to support cost reduction projects.
• Produce monthly gross margin reports by SKU, product range, finish type, and plant.
• Flag low-margin or loss-making SKUs to leadership; support pricing reviews with cost-based modelling.
• Analyse net margin by customer and sales channel, including rebates and service costs.
• Build customer-level P&L views to support strategic accounts decisions.
• Perform monthly inventory valuation, WIP reconciliation, and finished goods cost verification.
• Manage overhead absorption rates and conduct reviews against actual expenditure.
• Support month-end and year-end close processes with cost-related journals.
• Maintain SAP CO/MM module integrity and develop internal cost controls.

Skills

Cost accounting

Variance analysis

Product costing

Profitability reporting

Microsoft Excel

Power BI

ERP reporting

Education

CIMA qualification (part-qualified or fully qualified) or equivalent

Tools

SAP CO/MM/PP modules

Job description

Italtile seeks a detail-oriented Cost Accountant to standardise costing for all manufactured products across seven plants. You will drive pricing and profitability analyses, work with plant managers, procurement, and finance to ensure cost integrity across the value chain.

You will develop standard costing models, perform variance analysis, and track cost-saving initiatives while supporting month-end close and internal controls within SAP CO/MM.