Cost Accounting Associate Manager - COGS

[Job Summary]
-Support Operations Finance Manager with design standardized & improved plant accounting operations in support of general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, capital assets, raw materials, and finished goods accounting.
-Support Operations Finance Manager with development of consistent and improved activity- based costing metrics and cost allocations for insightful plant performance analysis.
-Support and create streamlined plant financial accounting processes, reporting, and analysis.

[Job Description]
-Partner with Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Procurement to analyze COGS drivers, including raw materials, packaging, ingredients, conversion, labor, overhead, logistics and co-packing costs, and identify impacts to profitability.
-Own monthly COGS and manufacturing variance analysis, including volume, yield, usage, mix, rate and conversion cost variances, explaining deviations vs AOP and forecast.
-Support cost optimization initiatives across internal manufacturing and co-packing operations, including plant efficiency, yield improvement, sourcing decisions and margin improvement opportunities.
-Lead the annual operating plan and forecasting for Operations, COGS and related manufacturing cost drivers, highlighting key risks and opportunities while driving potential mitigating actions.
-Develop driver-based models linking volume, yield, COGS components, co-packing assumptions and operational KPIs to financial outcomes.
-Participate in the month-end close to ensure accuracy of Operations and COGS results, timely understanding of variance drivers and appropriate follow-up with Accounting and Operations teams.
-Lead monthly COGS and plant performance reviews with stakeholders to ensure accountability, alignment on cost targets and timely action plans for performance gaps.
-Support financial evaluation of operational initiatives and manufacturing-related investments, ensuring assumptions, benefits and cost impacts are appropriately reviewed.
-Support capital planning and post-implementation reviews for manufacturing and operations initiatives, with focus on COGS impact, productivity benefits and execution against approved assumptions.
-Partner with operations to evaluate capacity, automation, co-packing and cost reduction initiatives, including make-versus-buy considerations and financial impact on COGS.
-Conduct ad hoc analyses and projects to support Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement and business management decisions related to COGS, plant performance and co-packing economics.

Requirements

-5+ years of experience in operations finance, or cost accounting, plant finance or a similar COGS-focused role
-Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Finance, or related field is required
-Strong understanding of cost drivers (materials, labor, overhead, logistics, etc.)
-Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel required - SAP HANA and Power BI a plus
-Prior work experience in Manufacturing, Food Manufacturing, Consumer Packaged Goods or co-packing environments is preferred
-Analytical, ability to multi-task, attention to detail and self-motivated
-Excellent written and oral communication skills
-Ability to travel domestically and internationally (15 ? 20%) to support plant visits, operational reviews and cross-functional collaboration

Benefits

Comprehensive health insurance, 401K, PTO, Sick days, perks