Cost Accountant

Job Title: Cost AccountantJob Description

The Cost Accountant provides comprehensive cost and general accounting support, with a strong focus on inventory management, accounts receivable, and revenue recognition. This role maintains cost and inventory systems, prepares financial reports and analyses, supports monthly revenue recognition activities, and leads cost of sales planning and forecasting processes. The position also delivers cost estimates and financial analysis for new product development, supports revenue accruals and deferred revenue analysis, and assists with collections and cash application activities as needed. The Cost Accountant collaborates closely with Purchasing, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality Services, Research & Development, Commercial Operations, Customer Service, and Finance in an onsite/hybrid work arrangement.

Responsibilities

• Maintain raw material and finished goods standard costs to ensure accurate product costing and inventory valuation.
• Perform monthly financial closings, reconciliations, and journal entries related to inventory and variance accounts.
• Support customer invoicing, cash application, and accounts receivable reconciliations, including review of aging balances and follow-up on collections as needed.
• Support revenue recognition activities, including revenue accruals, deferred revenue analysis, contract or purchase order review, and revenue account reconciliations in accordance with company accounting policies.
• Perform inventory aging, reserve, and scrap analyses to evaluate inventory risk and support appropriate reserve levels.
• Prepare period-end financial and operational reports for Operations and Finance leadership.
• Lead the cost of sales planning and forecasting processes, including review and analysis of material costs, labor rates, fixed and variable overhead rates, and excess capacity.
• Analyze cost of sales against budget and forecast to identify variances and provide actionable insights to management.
• Provide cost estimates and financial analysis for new product development initiatives.
• Support collections and cash application activities to help optimize accounts receivable performance.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Purchasing, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality Services, Research & Development, Commercial Operations, Customer Service, and Finance to ensure accurate and timely financial information.
• Contribute to the design, implementation, and maintenance of standard cost, budgeting, financial accounting, accounts receivable, and revenue recognition systems.

Essential Skills

• At least 5 years of cost accounting experience in a manufacturing environment, including standard cost design, implementation, and maintenance.
• Strong experience with inventory accounting, including inventory reconciliations, variance analysis, and inventory aging, reserve, and scrap analyses.
• Hands-on experience with general ledger activities, including month-end closings and journal entries related to inventory and variance accounts.
• Proven experience with accounts receivable processes, including customer invoicing, customer account reconciliations, collections support, cash application, and month-end accounts receivable close activities.
• Experience supporting revenue recognition processes, including revenue accruals, deferred revenue analysis, contract or purchase order review, revenue account reconciliations, and compliance with internal accounting policies.
• Demonstrated ability to perform detailed cost analysis, including materials, labor costs, and overhead.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including advanced use of pivot tables and VLOOKUP functions.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret financial data and explain variances.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and communicate financial information clearly to non-financial stakeholders.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in a large manufacturing or pharmaceutical business environment.
• Prior exposure to cost of sales planning and forecasting, including analysis of material, labor, and overhead rates and excess capacity.
• SAP experience, particularly with ERP consolidation and financial modules, is highly desirable.
• Experience preparing period-end reports for Operations and Finance leadership in a corporate setting.
• Background in consulting or providing advisory support on cost accounting processes is a plus.

Work Environment

This role is based in a large corporate office environment in Minneapolis, MN, within an established Accounting and Finance team of more than 20 professionals. The organization operates on a global scale and uses SAP as its primary ERP system, with a year-end of December 31. The position follows a hybrid work schedule, requiring three days per week in the office, with an initial training period in which the employee will be onsite five days per week. The work setting is professional, collaborative, and focused on continuous improvement of financial processes, offering the opportunity to consult closely on cost accounting matters and work directly with senior finance leadership.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Maple Grove, MN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $70.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Maple Grove,MN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 14, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.