What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Accountant position at Morgan Advanced Materials?
Overview
Morgan Advanced Materials is a business rich in history and innovation. Founded in the UK in 1856, we have grown into a global organisation with 70 sites in 18 countries. Our model to serve our customers where they need us has led to a diversified product range using our unparalleled expertise in ceramic and carbon materials, which we exploit to solve difficult problems for our customers across a diverse range of markets.
We are a purpose driven organisation. Our purpose is to use advanced materials to make the world more sustainable and to improve the quality of life. We deliver on that purpose through the products that we make, and the way that we make them.
The Technical Ceramics business of Morgan Advanced Materials engineers high performance functional and structural ceramic materials, components and sub-assemblies to address customer-specific technical challenges.
Key Figures: Revenue £1,100.7m (2024), ~8,000 employees, manufacturing in 20 countries, and a global customer portfolio. A UK PLC with head office located in Windsor, Berkshire UK. Listed on London Stock Exchange; Member of the FTSE 250 Index.
Responsibilities
Job Purpose:
The Senior Accountant will support financial operations in a dynamic manufacturing environment supporting healthcare, industrial, power, electronics, and aerospace industries by managing product costing, inventory, CAPEX, and gross margin analysis. The ideal candidate has deep cost accounting knowledge, is proficient in Microsoft D365, detail oriented, and drives accuracy.
Key Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with operations, engineering, and procurement to analyze BOMs, routings, labor, and overhead drivers to establish accurate cost standards.
- Develop a process for the annual standard cost roll up, including updates for new products, process changes, and inflationary factors.
- Perform cost roll-ups and overhead absorption analysis.
- Develop a process to monitor and report on cost variances (material, labor, and overhead), including root cause analysis
- Analyze and report on purchase price variance (PPV), scrap, and production variances.
- Manage and reconcile work-in-progress (WIP) accounts.
- Prepare and analyze gross margin and product-level profitability reports.
- Lead month-end close activities including journal entries, inventory adjustments, and accruals plus complete full balance sheet reconciliations.
- Oversee inventory valuation, obsolescence reserves, and cycle count reconciliations.
- Track, monitor, and account for capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects.
- Analyze and report on inventory aging, turnover, and scrap impact.
- Provide variance explanations for gross margin and spend.
- Assist with budgeting and forecasting
- Utilize Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) to extract data and enhance reporting accuracy.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with supply chain, operations, and engineering teams.
- Identify and implement process improvements in costing and operational reporting.
- Ensure compliance with GAAP and internal accounting policies and controls.
- Assist with audits and support documentation for internal and external reviews.
Qualifications
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
- Minimum 3-5 years of cost accounting experience in a manufacturing environment.
- Strong experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) and advanced Excel skills.
- Expertise in standard cost, absorption, PPV, WIP, inventory, CAPEX, and scrap.
- Solid knowledge of GAAP and cost accounting standards.
- Strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills with attention to detail.
- Ability to work collaboratively across departments.
- Detail-oriented with strong problem-solving capabilities and ability to manage multiple priorities.
Work Environment & Physical Requirements:
- Primarily office-based with regular coordination with manufacturing floor teams.
- Ability to sit at a computer for extended periods.
- Travel (up to 10%).
- Individual must be a:
- Citizen of the United States, or
- Permanent resident alien of the United States, or
- Protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) as defined by 22CFR120.15
Morgan Advanced Materials is an EEO/AA/M/W/D/V Employer.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes, or airborne particles, and toxic caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
This job description does not state or imply that all duties to be performed are specifically identified above. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested or instructed by an authorized person of the Company. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship.
