Cost Accountant / FP&A Analyst

Location: Phoenix, AZ area (on-site required)

Reports to: Cost Accounting Manager

2 Open positions: One supports Tempe Manufacturing Site and one supports North Phoenix Manufacturing Site

Due to ITAR requirements, employees must be US Citizen or Permanent Resident

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly analytical and operationally engaged Cost Accountant / FP&A Analyst to support two manufacturing locations in the Phoenix area (Tempe and North Phoenix). This role is a hybrid between cost accounting and financial planning & analysis, combining strong technical accounting capabilities with forward-looking financial insight.

This individual will be embedded in operations, partnering with plant leadership to understand what is happening in the business, why it is happening, and what actions should be taken.

The role requires someone equally comfortable booking journal entries, analyzing SKU-level margins and explaining standard vs. actual variances.

Key Responsibilities

Cost Accounting & Technical Accounting

• Maintain and enhance standard costing systems (labor, overhead, material standards).
• Analyze and report on standard vs. actual variances (labor, material, overhead, purchase price, absorption, mix/volume).
• Prepare and post monthly journal entries related to inventory, reserves, accruals, and cost allocations.
• Ensure inventory accuracy and cost integrity in the ERP system.
• Support physical inventory counts and cycle count programs.
• Partner with operations to review BOMs, routings, and cost drivers for accuracy.
• Assist in month-end close related to cost accounting and manufacturing reporting.

Operational Finance

• Perform daily and weekly SKU-level margin analysis to identify pricing, mix, scrap, labor efficiency, and overhead absorption issues.
• Analyze plan vs. actual performance and help to identify root causes.
• Develop actionable insights and recommendations to improve margins and working capital.
• Support annual budgeting and periodic forecasting processes.
• Create and maintain financial models to support operational and pricing decisions.
• Monitor KPIs including gross margin, absorption, labor efficiency, scrap, PPV, and throughput.

Business Partnership

• Act as a financial advisor to site managers and the CFO.
• Translate financial results into operational language and actionable next steps.
• Proactively identify areas of margin erosion or cost leakage.
• Participate in operational meetings and drive accountability through data.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives with financial analysis.

What Success Looks Like

• Variance analysis is timely, clear, and drives action.
• SKU margin visibility improves pricing discipline and cost management.
• Standards are accurate and reflect operational reality.
• Operations leaders view finance as a value-added partner, not just a reporting function.
• Plan vs. actual gaps are identified early and addressed proactively.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance.
• 3 years of experience in cost accounting within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of:
• Standard costing
• Inventory accounting
• Absorption costing
• Variance analysis
• Manufacturing overhead allocation
• Experience preparing and posting journal entries.
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups, financial modeling).
• Ability to perform deep SKU-level margin analysis.
• Strong communication skills — ability to clearly explain financial results to non-financial stakeholders.

A plus

• Experience in aerospace, defense, precision machining, or discrete manufacturing.
• Experience in multi-site manufacturing environments.
• CPA or CMA certification.
• ERP experience in a manufacturing system.

Competencies & Traits

• Highly analytical with strong attention to detail.
• Comfortable working in both accounting and forward-looking planning environments.
• Naturally curious — asks “why” and digs into root causes.
• Operationally minded and business-oriented.
• Self-starter who thrives in a hands-on manufacturing environment.
• Comfortable challenging assumptions.
• Able to toggle between tactical execution (journal entries) and strategic analysis (margin improvement).

Why This Role Matters

This position sits at the intersection of accounting discipline and operational performance. It is critical to ensuring cost integrity, margin expansion, and financial visibility across two growing manufacturing sites. The right candidate will directly influence profitability and serve as a trusted financial partner to the CFO and site leadership.