Job Title:  Cost Accountant

Position Summary:

The Cost Accountant is a key member of the accounting staff reporting directly to the DVP, Business Unit Controller.  This position provides cost accounting and financial support to the manufacturing facilities in Garden City, NY and Reynosa, Mexico.  The position will be responsible for the direction, review, and management of both cost accounting responsibilities and some controlling responsibilities of the facility.  The Cost Accountant will be responsible for maintaining a cost control environment that complies with the Company’s internal control policies and Sarbanes-Oxley.  The Cost Accountant will directly support the DVP, Business Unit Controller and assist in any ad-hoc analysis and projects as required.  This position will also be responsible for producing financial analysis and explaining variances and anomalies by researching issues. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Applies principles of finance and cost accounting to various accounting duties related to the Business Unit's financial and operational planning and reporting
• Responsible for the maintenance of the manufacturing plant’s cost accounting systems, cost controls & integrity
• Responsible for the financial coordination, administration and analysis of manufacturing operations.  This includes daily update and analysis of sales and cost of sales, labor productivity, production KPI reporting, product costing, COPQ tracking and monthly material usage variances and inventory adjustments.
• Responsible for the overall planning, coordination, and participation of cycle count, and the analysis of the results. Responsible for the monthly accounting and reconciling of the financial to perpetual inventory.  Coordination responsibility extends not only to production departments but to outside stockrooms and vendors.
• Oversee and Manage the annual Fixed Asset Physical inventory process
• Track spending on capital projects and maintain the Capital Roll-forward
• Responsibility includes ability to develop computer driven reports as well as the ability to analyze and interpret the resulting data.
• Responsible for the coordination and analysis of direct labor reporting within the business unit.
• Preparing recurring monthly journal entries related to inventory, labor reporting, cost of sales and other various entries.
• Responsible for standard cost duties as follows:

• • Review and load material standard costs into ERP database
  • Perform assembly cost roll ups
  • Analyze cost changes, margin impact and inventory value adjustment effect
  • Perform standard cost update process
  • Develop and monitor labor and overhead rates for department / cost center
  • Work with manufacturing engineering to insure cost and rate accuracy
  • Review cost routings for reasonableness and bill of materials accuracy
  • Preparation and analysis of the information required for the annual standard cost updates
  • Review and close manufacturing work orders

• • Responsible for actual to standard manufacturing variance analysis as follows:

• • Analyze and verify monthly labor utilization and efficiency
  • Review and investigate purchase price and material usage variances
  • Work with marketing and purchasing to establish proper cost on new parts and assemblies

• Responsible for review, reporting and analysis of inventories, inventory reserves (including E&O), slow moving inventories, obsolete inventories, scrap, and inter-company transfers
• Assist with both internal and external audits
• Monitor and analyze Cycle Count results and performance and issue monthly reports and ensure compliance to corporate cycle counting procedure
• Assist in the preparation of annual operating and capital budgets.
• Lead the analysis of product costs, overhead absorption, abnormal fixed cost expenditures, etc.
• Develop a full and complete understanding of cost flows to determine proper costing (e.g. machine and labor hours, overhead costs, allocations and material costs)
• Daily interface with manufacturing personnel and production planners.  Assist planning and scheduling to improve inventory controls and reduction.
• Prepare monthly manufacturing plant performance reports, analyzing against forecasts or budgets
• Participate in the preparation of proposals including cost price data packages for government contract proposals
• Constant review of processes to improve procedures and methods
• Perform other related duties, ad hoc reporting & analysis, and special projects as required.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) in Accounting
• 5+ years of manufacturing cost accounting experience in a standard cost environment(discrete job production process preferred)
• CPA or CPA candidate strongly preferred, MBA or CMA a plus

Skills/Requirements:

• Strong knowledge of Microsoft office including advanced skills in Excel
• Prior experience with Oracle and HFM a plus
• Prior experience within Aerospace & Defense industry a plus
• Government cost accounting experience a plus
• SOX internal control assessments (Section 404) experience
• A highly productive self-starter with very strong work ethic and commitment to excellence.
• Strong accountability and detail oriented; prepares accurate and timely work product.
• Strong communication, presentation, leadership, interpersonal, planning and problem-solving skills
• Must have excellent analytical skills; sound understanding of accounting principles
• Well organized and self-directed with the ability to relate to all levels of an organization
• Must be a team player with high energy
• Ability to multi-task, work under pressure and meet deadlines required

Travel:

Minimal (occasional trip to Reynosa, Mexico - <10%)