Cost Accounting Manager
Cost & Plant Accounting Manager
Location: Selah, WA
Industry: Manufacturing
A leading manufacturing company is seeking a Cost & Plant Accounting Manager to provide strategic leadership across its manufacturing operations in Selah, WA. This role is ideal for a results‑driven accounting leader who enjoys building structure, standardizing processes, and partnering closely with operations to drive financial insight and long‑term value.
Do you have a strong background in manufacturing cost accounting, enjoy leading teams, and thrive in environments where accuracy, ownership, and continuous improvement matter? If so, this is an opportunity to make a significant impact within a growing, performance‑focused organization.
Summary
The Cost & Plant Accounting Manager is responsible for leading cost and plant accounting activities across manufacturing operations, ensuring a consistent, forward‑looking cost accounting framework enterprise‑wide. This role owns the governance and execution of standard costing methodologies, budgeting, forecasting, and plant‑level financial reporting.
As a key financial partner to the Controller, plant leadership, and operations teams, this position delivers accurate financial information, disciplined cost control, and actionable insights that support informed decision‑making and operational efficiency.
The Cost & Plant Accounting Manager Will:
- Own and lead the enterprise standard costing process as part of the annual budgeting cycle, including defining methodologies, timelines, and inputs across all manufacturing locations.
- Partner with operations, plant leadership, and accounting teams to develop, review, and confirm standard costs aligned with budgeted plant spend.
- Ensure detailed reconciliations are performed and cost variances are fully analyzed and clearly communicated to both plant and executive leadership.
- Serve as the organization's primary authority on standard costing principles and application.
- Lead, develop, and mentor cost and plant accounting teams, establishing clear roles, responsibilities, and accountability across site‑based and centralized resources.
- Drive budgeting and forecasting activities to ensure alignment with approved financial plans and delivery of financial commitments.
- Oversee plant‑level month‑end close, forecasting, and financial reporting across manufacturing operations.
- Provide forward‑looking analysis of commodity and raw material costs and translate insights into recommendations that support cost reduction and operational improvement.
- Manage cost development for new products, evaluating material, packaging, labor, and overhead assumptions and comparing projected versus actual results.
- Drive enterprise‑wide standardization of cost and plant accounting processes, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, data integrity, reporting, and automation.
Preferred Qualifications & Experience
- 8+ years of relevant accounting experience, with required manufacturing experience
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting or a related field
- Experience leading or overseeing accounting teams
- Strong understanding of standard costing, variance analysis, budgeting, and forecasting
- Experience with ERP systems
- Proven ability to partner with operations and senior leadership in a multi‑site manufacturing environment
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