Cost Accountant/Financial Analyst - Manufacturing

Summary

We are seeking an experienced Cost Accountant / Financial Analyst to support manufacturing operations through cost analysis, inventory management, variance reporting, ERP reporting, and strategic financial planning. The ideal candidate will have exceptional analytical skills, and the ability to partner with operations leaders to drive profitability, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision-making.

Company

At Land O’Frost, our brands of lunchmeat and specialty sausage products are recognized as some of the nation's best-selling and most trusted brands. We have achieved this through our incredible team of employees who are customer focused, motivated, achievers, developers, and purpose driven. We are seeking passionate individuals to join our innovative team.

How YOU Will Contribute

• Serve as a strategic business partner to manufacturing leadership, providing actionable financial insights to support operational and financial decision-making.
• Lead profitability analyses by product line, customer, plant, and manufacturing process.
• Evaluate operational performance trends and recommend strategies to improve margins, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency.
• Drive cost optimization initiatives and support lean manufacturing and continuous improvement efforts.
• Monitor, analyze, and report production, material, labor, and overhead variances; investigate root causes and recommend corrective actions.
• Partner closely with plant operations, supply chain, procurement, and production leadership to improve cost visibility and operational performance.
• Analyze manufacturing costs and identify opportunities for cost reduction, process improvements, and increased profitability.
• Manage and maintain financial reporting within ERP systems, ensuring data accuracy and supporting continuous process improvements.
• Develop and deliver ERP-based reporting and analytics to support plant and corporate leadership.
• Build and maintain Power BI dashboards and reporting tools that provide meaningful operational and financial insights.
• Support inventory management activities, including inventory valuation, cycle count analysis, inventory reconciliations, and inventory accuracy initiatives.
• Perform financial modeling and scenario analysis to support capital expenditure, pricing strategies, new product introductions, and operational initiatives.
• Support month-end and year-end close processes, including journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial reporting.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and long-range strategic planning processes.
• Utilize advanced Excel tools and techniques to analyze large data sets and present findings to stakeholders.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement and enhance manufacturing and business processes.

About YOU

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
• 3 years of Cost Accounting, Financial Analysis, or Manufacturing Finance experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of Standard Costing, Inventory Valuation, Bills of Material (BOM), and Variance Analysis.
• General Ledger and Month-End Close Processes.
• Experience partnering directly with manufacturing, operations, supply chain, and plant leadership teams.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Experience in creating reports and dashboards using Power BI or similar business intelligence tools.
• Strong ERP experience, including reporting and system utilization (IFS, SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platforms).
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present financial information to operational stakeholders.
• Continuous improvement mindset with the ability to identify and implement process enhancements.
• Some travel required.