Cost Accountant

Description

We are looking for a detail-oriented Sr. Cost Accountant to join a manufacturing organization in Chatsworth, California. This role partners closely with operations, sales, and finance leaders to strengthen inventory oversight, improve cost visibility, and support informed business decisions. The position plays a key part in financial close activities, forecasting, budgeting, and performance analysis within a fast-paced production environment.

Responsibilities:

• Deliver recurring financial and operational performance reporting to help leadership track key manufacturing metrics and business trends.

• Coordinate inventory accounting activities tied to cycle counts or physical inventory events, and prepare the supporting analysis and documentation required for review.

• Monitor inventory balances, scrap activity, and other adjustments to identify issues, explain movements, and promote accurate records.

• Develop product cost estimates and margin insights that support pricing discussions, sales planning, and profitability reviews across product lines.

• Partner with finance leadership to strengthen cost controls, maintain sound accounting practices, and provide analysis that supports business decisions.

• Prepare analysis and reporting for the annual planning cycle and quarterly forecast updates, including cost, margin, and operational assumptions.

• Maintain standard cost structures, labor rates, overhead allocations, and related cost pools for assigned areas of the business.

• Perform revenue, margin, variance, and product cost analysis, and provide additional financial support for special requests as needed.

• Complete settlements for projects and production orders, review work order variances, and follow up with cross-functional teams to resolve discrepancies.

• Assist with internal and external audit requests, including support for financial control and compliance-related reviews.

Requirements • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or a closely related field.

• At least 3 years of relevant experience in cost accounting, business analysis, budgeting, or forecasting, with manufacturing experience required.

• Working knowledge of standard costing principles, cost analysis, account reconciliations, and month-end close processes.

• Experience using ERP systems in a manufacturing setting and the ability to navigate cost and inventory-related data effectively.

• Intermediate Excel skills, with the ability to organize data, build analyses, and support reporting needs.

• Understanding of bills of materials, engineering routings, and cost roll concepts within a production environment.

• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across operations, sales, and finance teams.

• High attention to detail, solid problem-solving ability, and the capacity to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines.

Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized talent solutions firm that connects highly qualified job seekers to opportunities at great companies. We offer contract, temporary and permanent placement solutions for finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support roles.

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All applicants applying for U.S. job openings must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Benefits are available to contract/temporary professionals, including medical, vision, dental, and life and disability insurance. Hired contract/temporary professionals are also eligible to enroll in our company 401(k) plan. Visit roberthalf.gobenefits.net for more information.

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