Cost Accountant - Global Manufacturer - Chicago Heights, IL

Cost Accountant

I'm partnered with the CFO at a multi-million dollar leader in their space located near Chicago Heights, IL. The company is in huge growth mode right now and is even expanding globally. They are now looking to bring on a Cost Accountant to join their team.

Reporting directly into the Senior Director of Finance, you will be responsible for analyzing and controlling manufacturing costs, inventory, month-end duties, and ensuring accurate budgeting to support efficient business operations. In addition, you will partner cross-functionally with the various departments and support any plant needs.

Job Description

Cost Accountant Responsibilities :

• Develop and manage absorption-based production standards for the plant, including estimating standard costs, setting up products, determining activity rates, forming work cells, allocating overheads, and other related costing activities.
• Conduct monthly financial closings in SAP and collaborate with the team on manufacturing-related financial matters.
• Manage process order variance analysis (e.g., throughput, loss sources, downtime), ensure data accuracy, and oversee profitability analysis by customer and product, group P&L, spending trends, and KPI dashboards.
• Lead the annual evaluation of production standards in coordination with plant teams and executive leadership to drive cost control, optimization, and ensure full absorption of fixed and variable costs and healthy product / customer margins.
• Partner with executive leadership in developing forecasts and budgets.
• Facilitate internal financial reviews on a weekly, monthly, and annual basis with key stakeholders.
• Evaluate working capital by maintaining perpetual inventory, overseeing cycle / physical inventory counts, and communicating variances to senior management.
• Perform sales reconciliations, analyze margins, and assess customer order trends (pull rates).
• Forecast business cash flow needs and submit funding requirements to the central treasury team.
• Assist the Tax team by responding to queries and providing necessary financial data.
• Supervise the processes for capital expenditures, fixed assets, spare parts, inventory counts, and the approval flow for invoices, purchase orders, and payments.
• Contribute to the budgeting of the annual production plan, prepare flux reports, and update templates accordingly.
• Support the Finance Record-to-Report team and collaborate on IT projects aimed at improving SAP functionality.
• Generate various financial reports such as inventory status, yield performance, cost sheets, MATS, cost control measures, fair value assessments, and KPIs for management review.
• Handle queries from internal and external audits.
• Review ad hoc analyses and carry out additional responsibilities as assigned.

MPI does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or based on an individual's status in any group or class protected by applicable federal, state or local law. MPI encourages applications from minorities, women, the disabled, protected veterans and all other qualified applicants.

The Successful Applicant

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance, or related field

5+years of relevant accounting experience required

Manufacturing or relative industry experience required

Standard cost accounting experience needed

Proficient skills in Microsoft Office Suite, SAP, BI, Excel4Apps, and other integrated reporting solutions

Excellent teamwork and relationship building

Ability to work with a diverse team across various geographies

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Ability to handle multiple tasks accurately and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Strong attention to detail, strong sense of urgency, and ownership

What's on Offer

Apply now and your resume will be considered within 24 hours!