Cost Accountant

The Opportunity:

Our client in the Maryland area has partnered with ML6 in their search for a hands-on Project & Cost Accountant to join a growing finance team and play an important role in connecting project execution, manufacturing costs, inventory activity, and financial reporting.

Working cross-functionally with Project Management, Commercial, Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance, you will help develop an accurate monthly view of project performance and costs, maintain percentage-of-completion (POC) analysis supporting revenue recognition under ASC 606, and strengthen inventory and cost accounting processes.

This is an excellent opportunity for an accountant who enjoys digging into the details, partnering with operational teams, and improving processes. You’ll join an evolving environment where you can help build more sustainable controls, improve existing manual processes, and support the organization as it prepares for a future ERP transition.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Partner with Project Management and Commercial teams to review monthly project status, costs incurred, estimated costs to complete, expected margins, milestones, risks, and changes in scope.
• Maintain the percentage-of-completion (POC) schedules supporting monthly revenue and gross profit recognition for long-term projects under ASC 606.
• Analyze actual project performance against estimates and investigate margin fluctuations, cost overruns, changes in estimates, and potential loss-making contracts.
• Prepare and support journal entries and reconciliations related to revenue, project costs, contract assets, contract liabilities, and other project-related accounts.
• Support project closeout activities by confirming final costs, revenue, billing status, outstanding commitments, and required accounting adjustments.
• Help develop, implement, and maintain effective controls around inventory receipts, issues, transfers, project allocations, valuation, reconciliations, and physical inventory.
• Reconcile inventory and project cost information across multiple systems, spreadsheets, and operational records, researching and resolving discrepancies.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing cost and variance reporting across materials, labor, overhead, usage, purchase price, and other relevant cost categories.
• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to improve the accuracy and completeness of project cost capture, work-in-process information, and inventory records.
• Support cycle counts and physical inventories, analyze adjustments, and assist with corrective actions where required.
• Prepare accurate and timely balance sheet reconciliations, including intercompany, inventory, contract balances, and other assigned accounts.
• Research reconciling items and collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure outstanding items are resolved within established timelines.
• Support month-end and year-end close activities, external audit requirements, and the continued transition toward accrual accounting and US GAAP compliance.
• Develop and maintain clear accounting procedures, schedules, and internal control documentation.
• Participate in process improvement, data cleanup, system testing, and implementation activities associated with future ERP enhancements and transitions.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, reporting accuracy, controls, and overall efficiency across the finance function.

What You'll Need to Be Successful:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 3 years of progressive accounting experience, ideally involving project accounting, cost accounting, inventory accounting, manufacturing accounting, or general ledger responsibilities.
• Strong working knowledge of accrual accounting, journal entries, account reconciliations, and US GAAP fundamentals.
• Experience with ASC 606, percentage-of-completion (POC), or cost-to-cost revenue recognition is highly preferred.
• Experience working with long-term manufacturing, engineering, project-based, or construction-type contracts is considered an asset.
• Manufacturing accounting experience involving inventory, work in process (WIP), job costing, standard costing, or manufacturing variances is highly desirable.
• Strong Excel skills, including lookups, pivot tables, data analysis, and working with large or manually maintained schedules.
• Ability to understand operational and project information and translate that activity into accurate accounting and financial results.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify unusual trends, investigate discrepancies, and communicate findings clearly.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet month-end close deadlines.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively across Finance, Project Management, Commercial, Operations, and Supply Chain teams.
• Detail-oriented and comfortable working in an evolving environment where processes and controls are continuing to mature.
• Experience supporting process improvements, ERP implementations, or accounting system transitions is considered an asset.