Cost Controller

Who We Are

Fueled by passion, KAYALI was founded in 2018 by beauty mogul and fragrance fanatic, Mona Kattan. Translating to ‘my imagination’ in Arabic, KAYALI provides a modern fragrance experience inspired by Mona’s rich Middle Eastern heritage and the art of layering scents to help you create your mood; where sharing scents is a ritual and smelling good is both an act of goodwill and self-love. Mona collaborates with some of the world’s most renowned perfumers and sources the finest ingredients to create unique juices that are infinitely memorable, long-lasting, and cruelty-free. Each luxurious fragrance is an ode to true craftsmanship and tells a special story, from the addictive notes to the multi-faceted jeweled bottles.

Our Mission

To make everyone feel like the diamond they are! To build a global community of fragrance lovers through the power of scent and by providing them with the most innovative & luxurious fragrances, education and sharing our Middle Eastern fragrance rituals with the world.

Summary

The Cost Controller at Kayali will play a critical role in driving cost transparency, accuracy, and control across the full scope of our COGS, with a particular focus on manufacturing costs, standard cost setting, variance analysis, and purchase price variances. This position will be instrumental in enhancing the profitability of our global fragrance business by ensuring data-driven cost management and supporting key strategic decisions. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with operations, procurement, supply chain, and finance teams to ensure precise cost capture, analysis, and continuous improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Own and maintain the standard cost system for all products, including regular updates based on BOMs, labor, overhead, and material pricing, and ensuring accurate product costing across all SKUs.

• Conduct detailed manufacturing cost analysis, focusing on identifying cost drivers, inefficiencies, and areas for cost improvement in production and packaging.

• Monitor and analyze COGS components, including material, labor, and overhead, to ensure alignment with forecasts and actual performance.

• Perform monthly and quarterly variance analyses, including standard vs. actual cost, purchase price variances, manufacturing variances, and inventory valuation variances, providing insights and root cause analysis.

• Collaborate with procurement to analyze supplier cost fluctuations and the impact of PPV (Purchase Price Variance) on overall margins.

• Oversee the annual standard cost roll process, working cross-functionally to ensure accurate updates and alignment with operational assumptions.

• Partner with operations and supply chain teams to support inventory valuation accuracy, manage obsolescence risk, and validate inventory transactions.

• Support the development of annual budgets and rolling forecasts related to COGS and manufacturing operations; provide timely and actionable insights to aid in strategic planning.

• Prepare, interpret, and present detailed COGS and margin reports, KPI dashboards, and cost analysis summaries to leadership.

• Ensure compliance with relevant accounting standards (GAAP/IFRS) and internal controls related to cost accounting and inventory.

• Assist with month-end and year-end closing activities, ensuring accurate and complete cost-related journal entries and account reconciliations.

• Lead or support internal and external audits concerning inventory, manufacturing costs, and cost control procedures.

• Drive ongoing improvement in ERP system utilization (e.g., cost modules), process automation, and analytics capabilities related to cost tracking and reporting.

• Provide financial support for new product development, pricing decisions, and capital expenditure projects, including cost-benefit analysis and modeling.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (CPA/CMA strongly preferred).

• Proven experience (7+ years) in cost accounting and financial analysis, preferably within CPG or manufacturing sectors.

• Solid knowledge of standard costing, cost accounting, costing methodologies, BOM structures, and inventory management & accounting principles.

• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, with proficiency in financial modeling, budgeting, and forecasting.

• User of ERP systems (Microsoft Dynamics and MRPs an advantage), BI/reporting tools and advanced Excel skills. Knowledge of applied AI to cost accounting disciplines a plus.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and communicate complex financial information to non-finance stakeholders.

• Strong problem-solving abilities and a proactive approach to identifying and implementing cost optimization and process improvement opportunities.

Benefits

• Premium Medical/Dental/Vision coverage

• Find your Magic Days

• Volunteer Day

• Birthday Leave

• Egg Freezing Benefits

• Employee discounts on all Kayali products

• Product gifting

Kayali is committed to building diverse and inclusive teams and upholding an equal employment workplace that is free from discrimination. We hire stellar individuals regardless of their race, color, ancestry, religion, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, medical conditions, disability, or veteran status. If you need reasonable accommodations at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know.