Cost Accounting Manager

Description

We're glad you're exploring our Cost Accounting Manager position and want to share some of the details.

At Fort Wayne Metals, we specialize in producing top-quality wires, cables, and assemblies designed to enhance and safeguard lives. Our products are used in everything from our customers' stents and surgical robots to aircraft and automobiles. At our essence, we are thinkers, innovators, and problem solvers, leveraging our knowledge of materials to create customized solutions for our customers.

Join us in our dedication to making a tangible impact through our advanced materials and superior products.

Overview

The Cost Accounting Manager will lead and develop a strong team that will drive clarity and visibility into our standard costing processes. This key leadership role will oversee cost accounting operations for a complex manufacturing environment with over 100,000 SKUs, driving strategic improvements in cost analysis, standard costing methodologies, and financial reporting systems. This position requires exceptional analytical skills to draw meaningful conclusions from large, complex datasets and the ability to translate cost data into actionable business insights for executive leadership.

The Cost Accounting team serves as a strategic partner for the company with a passion for continuous improvement.

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, operations management, or an analytics-related discipline with manufacturing application understanding.
• MBA or master's degree in a related field is preferred.
• Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification is preferred.
• 6 to 10 years of experience in a manufacturing environment.
• 10+ years of experience in finance or a related field
• 5+ years of experience analyzing data and recommending improvements across cross functional areas of an organization.
• 5+ years of leadership experience.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead the maintenance and continued development of comprehensive standard costing systems for all products in complex manufacturing environment.
• Execute annual cost rolls and monitor material variances on an ongoing basis, ensuring accuracy and timeliness in cost updates and system maintenance.
• Develop and analyze overhead rates, machine hour utilization, and absorption analysis to optimize manufacturing cost allocation.
• Conduct detailed production variance analysis, identifying root causes and partnering with operations to determine the best course of action.
• Perform comprehensive margin reviews and profitability analysis by product line and customer.
• Lead bi-annual physical inventory count coordination between sites and A&F teams.
• Monitor standard costs and collaborate cross functionally to resolve discrepancies and ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Support ongoing ERP implementation initiatives by providing cost accounting expertise and ensuring system configuration aligns with best practices.
• Leverage and optimize ERP system functionality for cost accounting processes, standard cost maintenance, and financial reporting.
• Collaborate with the accounting team on month-end reclasses and accruals.
• Create dashboards and visualizations to make cost reporting more dynamic and valuable to the organization.
• Actively engage in the ongoing improvement of financial planning and analytics, product costs and inventory control processes

Leadership Responsibilities

• Model and create a continuous learning mindset amongst teams via active use and engagement with the learning tools and opportunities provided by FWM.
• Conduct 6:15 conversations with direct reports according to FWM's schedule.
• Promote development among team members by identifying growth opportunities, encouraging stretch assignments and providing support for continual learning and advancement.
• Manage individuals based on the essential functions and responsibilities as listed in their job description.

Skills Needed

• Excellent analytical skills which include expertise in statistical data analysis and modeling.
• Requires a collation of data from multiple sources to drive a consensus.
• Highly skilled in querying, creating tables/views/functions, scheduling recurring jobs.
• Experience with Microsoft D365 preferred.
• Expert proficiency in Excel, with experience building actionable reporting.
• Experience with dashboard development and data visualization with Domo or other business intelligence tools.
• Ability to run statistical analysis on large datasets.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize data and metrics to drive decision making and optimization.

Systems and Processes:

• Strong business acumen with understanding of overall contribution of different functions
• Proficiency in Root Cause Analysis.
• Strong communication skills and ability to convey complex ideas in a clear, concise manner both verbally and in writing.
• Excellent networking and interpersonal skills are required with ability to create and maintain strategic business relationships.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• Office and plant…