What are the responsibilities and job description for the Cost Accountant position at Vaco by Highspring?
Position Summary
We are seeking a detail-oriented and analytical Cost Accountant to support financial operations through accurate cost tracking, analysis, and reporting. This role plays a key part in understanding product costs, improving margins, and supporting strategic decision-making. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment and has a strong grasp of cost accounting principles, inventory management, and financial analysis.
Key Responsibilities
Cost Accounting & Analysis
- Develop and maintain standard costs for products and services
- Analyze cost variances (material, labor, overhead) and provide actionable insights
- Monitor and report on cost of goods sold (COGS) and gross margin trends
- Perform profitability analysis by product line, customer, or business unit
- Partner with operations to ensure accurate inventory valuation and cost allocation
- Support physical inventory counts and cycle counts; investigate discrepancies
- Maintain bill of materials (BOMs) and routing data in ERP systems
- Analyze production costs and recommend efficiency improvements
- Assist with month-end close, including journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations
- Prepare cost-related reports and dashboards for leadership
- Ensure compliance with GAAP and internal accounting policies
- Identify opportunities to improve cost accuracy and streamline processes
- Partner cross-functionally with operations, procurement, and finance teams
- Support budgeting and forecasting processes with cost inputs
- Assist with audits and provide documentation as needed
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
- 2-5 years of cost accounting or manufacturing accounting experience
- Strong understanding of standard costing, variance analysis, and inventory accounting
- Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or similar)
- Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups, data analysis)
Equal Opportunity Notice
Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact HR@vaco.com .
Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.
Representation Notice
By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.
For residents of Ontario, Canada only: to the extent the position for employment is not with Highspring or not otherwise noted as vacant above, candidate should be informed that this role is to replace a presently employed person at Vaco by Highspring's client.
Privacy Notice
Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.
- California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
- Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
- Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
- Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
- Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.
Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.
Pay Transparency Notice
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:
· the individual's skill sets, experience and training;
· licensure and certification requirements;
· office location and other geographic considerations; and
· other business and organizational needs.
With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).
Salary : $85,000 - $95,000