Job Description
Job Description
Cost Accountant / Financial Analyst - Manufacturing
Location: San Jose, CA | Onsite
Employment Type: Contract
Duration: 11 months, with potential for extension
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Pay: Up to $67.10/hour
Our client, a global food manufacturing organization, is seeking an experienced Cost Accountant / Financial Analyst to support finance and accounting activities within a high-volume manufacturing facility.
This role provides broad exposure to plant finance and cost accounting, including month-end close, budgeting and forecasting, product costing, inventory, fixed assets, financial reporting, variance analysis, internal controls, and operational finance.
You'll work closely with plant Operations and cross-functional teams to analyze financial performance, understand cost and operational drivers, and provide financial insight that supports business decisions.
Key Responsibilities
Perform month-end close, including journal entries, account reconciliations, financial reporting, and variance analysis.
- Prepare and analyze plant financial reports, scorecards, KPIs, and operating results.
- Support budgeting and forecasting for factory spending, production volume, absorption, materials, labor, utilities, depreciation, and capital expenditures.
- Analyze manufacturing costs and operational and financial variances.
- Manage product and material costing, including standard cost changes and costing for new products and SKUs.
- Track and analyze cost-savings initiatives and validate financial impact.
- Support inventory accounting, cycle counts, reconciliations, and inventory analysis.
- Manage financial activities related to fixed assets, capital projects, and construction in progress.
- Identify financial risks, trends, and opportunities and communicate findings to business partners.
- Partner with Operations and plant leadership to provide financial insights and support data-driven decisions.
- Conduct ad hoc financial analysis for plant projects, investments, and business initiatives.
- Maintain accurate financial records in accordance with established accounting policies and procedures.
- Perform financial controls and SOX/404 testing and support internal and external audits.
- Provide backup support for hourly and salaried payroll processing as needed.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field.
- 2+ years of Finance or Accounting experience within a manufacturing, plant, or production environment.
- Experience with cost accounting, financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
- Strong analytical and Excel skills.
- Ability to work effectively with Operations and cross-functional teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- SAP or other ERP system experience.
- Product costing and standard cost experience.
- Inventory accounting experience.
- Fixed asset and capital project accounting experience.
- Exposure to internal controls, SOX compliance, or audit support.
Titles Encouraged to Apply
Candidates with experience as a Financial Analyst, Plant Financial Analyst, Manufacturing Financial Analyst, Cost Analyst, Cost Accountant, Plant Accountant, or Senior Financial Analyst are encouraged to apply.