Cost Accountant (I or II)
Salary range: Cost Acct I= 55-73k & Cost Acct II= 65-82k
Direct Hire
Hybrid-Pawtucket, RI

Must Haves: 

• Experience in either cost accounting/analysis, inventory, or general accounting from a product environment (manufacturing, distribution, retail, etc)
• Relevant Bachelor's degree
• Strong excel and data skills

Plus:

• Advanced excel
• Power BI, Power Query, Power Automate exposure
• ERP experience
• Multi site 
• Company with some complexity is a plus

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Job Description:

Job Title: Cost Accountant (I / II)
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Position Summary
We are seeking a Cost Accountant to support accurate product costing, inventory valuation, and manufacturing performance analysis across our manufacturing operations. This role may be filled at the Cost Accountant I or Cost Accountant II level depending on the selected candidate's qualifications, experience, and demonstrated capabilities.
The successful candidate will partner closely with Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance to improve cost visibility, strengthen data integrity, and support operational and financial decision-making in a manufacturing environment.
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Core Responsibilities (All Levels)
· Support accurate product costing, inventory valuation, and manufacturing performance reporting for assigned plants or product lines.
· Ensure accurate recording of manufacturing transactions, including material movements, labor, overhead, scrap, yield, and inventory adjustments, in accordance with ERP procedures and internal controls.
· Maintain and support standard costs for raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods using approved costing methodologies.
· Analyze manufacturing variances and cost drivers; investigate trends, identify root causes, and support corrective actions.
· Prepare cost-related journal entries and support inventory and manufacturing account reconciliations.
· Participate in month-end close activities related to inventory and manufacturing accounting.
· Support cycle counts and physical inventories, including variance analysis and documentation.
· Prepare cost reports, dashboards, and operational metrics for plant and finance leadership.
· Support audit and compliance activities, including inventory observations and documentation requests.
· Participate in continuous improvement initiatives related to costing accuracy, systems, and processes.
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Level-Specific Scope & Expectations
Cost Accountant I - Works under supervision with guidance on complex costing matters. - Focuses on transactional accuracy, routine variance analysis, and foundational cost accounting tasks. - Escalates unusual trends or discrepancies for review.
Cost Accountant II - Operates with reduced supervision and applies independent judgment. - Owns standard cost maintenance, variance analysis, and inventory reconciliations for assigned areas. - Supports capacity analysis and development of labor and overhead rates. - Serves as a resource to Cost Accountant I team members and cross-functional partners.
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Qualifications by Level
Education (All Levels) - Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field, or equivalent experience. - CPA or CMA preferred but not required.
Experience -
Cost Accountant I: Up to 3 years of accounting experience; manufacturing or cost accounting experience a plus.
Cost Accountant II: 2-5 years of cost accounting, inventory accounting, or manufacturing finance experience preferred.
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Skills & Competencies
· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills appropriate to level.
· Understanding of manufacturing cost drivers, standard costing, and inventory accounting.
· Proficiency in Excel; experience with data analysis tools such as Power BI preferred.
· Experience with ERP systems (e.g., INFOR M3, SAP, Oracle) preferred.
· Clear communication skills and ability to partner effectively with operations and finance teams.
· Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
· Ability to communicate clearly in person and by telephone.


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