What are the responsibilities and job description for the Cost Accountant position at CHEMAS TRUCKING LLC?
- Area of Responsibility: Finance
2.1 Location: Brownsville Tx
2.2 Immediate Supervisor: Director, Business Development
- Positions Reporting to This Role: Purchases, AR, AP, Inventory.
- Objective:
Analyze, control, and optimize the operating costs of the ground transportation company, ensuring the accurate allocation of costs by unit, route, and customer, in order to support financial decision‑making and improve overall business profitability.
- Functions and/or Responsibilities:
Operating Costs:
- Determine and control operating costs per unit (tractor and trailer).
- Analyze fuel costs, preventive and corrective maintenance, spare parts, tires, and lubricants.
- Calculate cost per mile, cost per trip, and cost per route.
- Prepare and monitor operating cost budgets.
- Analyze variances between actual and budgeted costs.
- Control asset depreciation (units, trailers, and equipment).
- Generate profitability reports by customer, contract, and service type.
- Support freight rate determination based on cost structures.
- Validate accounting related to operating cost.
- Propose cost- reduction and cost optimization strategies.
Cost Analysis & Financial Controls
- Develop and execute the company’s overall financial strategy aligned with business goals and growth initiatives.
- Act as a strategic advisor to the executive leadership team on financial planning, risk management, and investment decisions.
- Lead financial modeling, scenario planning, and capital structure optimization for U.S. and Mexico entities.
- Support acquisitions, and cross-border expansion initiatives as applicable.
- Prepare cost comparisons vs. budget, forecast, and prior periods, including variance explanations.
- Develop and maintain standard costs for the services processes.
Accounting, Reporting & Inventory Management
- Ensure accuracy of inventory valuation across multiple entities and currencies.
- Oversee all accounting functions, including general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, payroll, and fixed assets.
- Create and maintain robust internal controls, audits, and financial policies in compliance with U.S. GAAP and applicable Mexican accounting standards (NIF/IFRS where applicable).
- Coordinate external audits, tax advisors, and regulatory examinations.
Cross-Border & Regulatory Compliance
- Ensure compliance with U.S. and Mexican tax regulations, customs requirements, transfer pricing standards, and intercompany transactions.
- Oversee cross-border cash management, currency exposure, and repatriation strategies.
- Partner with operations, and HR teams to ensure compliance with DOT, FMCSA, IRS, SAT (Mexico), and other regulatory compliance.
- Manage financial risks associated with international operations, including FX, insurance, and regulatory changes.
Trucking & Operations Support
- Prepare cost quotations for new customers.
- Coordinate and validate cost-saving projects with cross-functional teams.
- Support operations in evaluating production efficiency and cost optimization initiatives.
- Work closely with operations leadership to monitor and improve key performance metrics such as:
- Cost per mile
- Fuel and DEF expense management
- Linehaul and cross-border lane profitability
- Equipment utilization and asset ROI.
- Oversee budgeting and forecasting for fleet operations, and terminals.
- Evaluate equipment purchases, leases, and financing structures (tractors, trailers, company assets).
- Support driver compensation modeling, incentive programs, and labor cost optimization.
Systems, Processes & Continuous Improvement
- Maintain and improve cost accounting processes within ERP systems (SAP or similar).
- Implement process improvements to increase accuracy, automation, and scalability.
- Ensure documentation of procedures, internal controls, and audit requirements.
- Authority:
The Cost Accountant has authority to:
- Validate and update standard costs within established guidelines.
- Report costing variances and recommend corrective actions to management.
- Provide financial insight to operational and manufacturing leaders.
- Support internal and external audits related to cost and inventory.
Major changes to costing methodologies or financial impact require approval from the Finance Director.
- Competence profile :
6.1 Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or related field.
- Master’s degree, CPA, CMA, or similar credentials preferred.
6.2 Training:
- Advanced costing modeling
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Financial KPIs
- Financial modeling
- Cost control and variance analysis
- Systems integration and ERP use (SAP preferred)
- Activity-Based Costing (ABC)
- Profit analysis
6.3 Experience:
- 3–5 years of experience in cost accounting, preferably in manufacturing.
- Experience with multi-entity or cross-border operations (U.S.–Mexico preferred).
- Strong understanding of
- Trucking P&L drivers and cost structures
- Cross-border logistics and customs considerations
- U.S. and Mexican tax and regulatory environments
- Experience working with auditors, banks, or external advisors.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication abilities.
- Technical and/or Legal Requirements:
- U.S. citizen / resident or valid work visa.
- Ability to travel between U.S. and Mexico operations.