Cost Accountant

COMPANY SUMMARY:
CDI Products, a Michelin Group Company, is a global leader in high-performance polymer products, wear components, and functional parts. With locations across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, we deliver fully integrated solutions from raw materials to finished products through in-house engineering and material development capabilities. Serving industries such as Aerospace, Automotive, Energy, Medical, Semiconductor, and Water Treatment, our materials and products are expertly engineered and tested on-site. Our team is committed to innovation and excellence in delivering cutting-edge solutions around the globe.

JOB SUMMARY:

This role is responsible for maintaining accurate product costing, inventory valuation, and manufacturing cost analysis to support financial reporting and operational decision-making. This position works closely with Accounting, Operations, Supply Chain, and other functional teams to ensure manufacturing costs are accurately recorded, analyzed, and reported. The Cost Accountant will play a key role in month-end close, inventory accounting, standard cost maintenance, variance analysis, and continuous improvement of cost accounting processes and internal controls.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Cost Accounting & Analysis:

• Maintain and analyze standard costs for materials, labor, and manufacturing overhead.
• Review and work with engineering to update product costs, bills of material (BOMs), routings, labor rates, and overhead rates as appropriate.
• Analyze actual manufacturing costs compared to standard costs and investigate significant variances.
• Prepare and analyze purchase price, material usage, labor, overhead, and manufacturing variances.
• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to identify the drivers of unfavorable cost variances and opportunities for improvement.
• Complete annual standard cost updates, Work center rates, and periodic cost roll processes.
• Review new and existing product costing to ensure costs are complete, reasonable, and properly supported.
• Provide cost and margin analysis to support management decision-making.

Inventory Accounting:

• Maintain accurate inventory valuation in accordance with company accounting policies and applicable accounting standards.
• Reconcile inventory-related general ledger accounts to supporting subledgers and reports.
• Review inventory transactions for accuracy and investigate unusual or incorrect activity.
• Monitor inventory adjustments, scrap, cycle count variances, and other inventory movements.
• Support physical inventories and cycle count programs, including reconciliation and investigation of variances.
• Assist with analysis of excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory and calculation of related reserves.
• Review inventory ageing and trends and communicate potential financial risks to management.

Month-End Close & Audit Support:

• Prepare and post monthly journal entries related to inventory, cost of goods sold, manufacturing variances, accruals, and other cost accounting activities.
• Prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations for assigned accounts.
• Complete month-end cost accounting activities in accordance with the established close calendar.
• Analyze monthly cost of goods sold and gross margin results and explain significant fluctuations.
• Prepare supporting schedules and analysis for monthly financial reporting.
• Assist with forecasting and budgeting for manufacturing costs, inventory, and cost of goods sold.
• Provide financial analysis and reporting to management as requested.

Internal Controls & Audit Support:

• Maintain appropriate internal controls over inventory and cost accounting processes.
• Ensure cost accounting activities comply with established company policies, procedures, and approval requirements.
• Maintain supporting documentation for journal entries, reconciliations, costing changes, and inventory adjustments.
• Support internal and external audits by preparing schedules, documentation, and explanations related to inventory and cost accounting.
• Identify control gaps and recommend improvements to strengthen financial processes and data integrity.

Other Responsibilities:

• Assist in documenting and maintaining internal controls and procedures.
• Identify process improvement opportunities within accounting operations.
• Perform other accounting and finance duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

• 5+ years of cost accounting experience, preferably in a manufacturing or distribution environment
• Experience working with ERP systems required; Oracle experience is preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and financial data analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and investigate financial variances.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with Accounting, Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and other departments.
• Ability to understand manufacturing processes and translate operational activity into financial results.
• Strong communication skills for internal and external interactions.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Experience in working in a manufacturing environment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & POTENTIAL HAZARDS:

• Office environment with potential exposure to the manufacturing floor.
• Some exposure to possible shop hazards including high noise and heavy machinery.
• Manufacturing facility with heavy equipment and machinery

EEO STATEMENT:
CDI is committed to the equal employment opportunity of its employees and prohibits discrimination against any employee or qualified applicant based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status or veteran status, or other non-work-related characteristics that may be protected under the law of the Federal Government or specific state employment laws.