Sr. Cost Accountant

Position Summary

The Senior Cost Accountant plays a pivotal role in driving financial excellence for Huber Specialty Minerals (HSM). In this position, you will lead the cost accounting, production analysis, and financial reporting functions, translating plant floor realities into actionable strategic insights. Partnering closely with operations and plant management, you will manage the standard cost environment, guide the month-end close, oversee capital investments, and help shape the annual budgeting process.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities

Month-End Close & Financial Reporting

• Lead the Cost Close: Own the end-to-end cost accounting month-end close process, including preparing journal entries and balance sheet account reconciliations.
• Variance Analysis: Prepare, analyze, and present detailed reports on monthly manufacturing variances, explaining the "why" behind the numbers to operations management.
• Reporting Innovation: Deliver timely, plant-specific financial reports and proactively design new reporting frameworks to meet evolving business needs.

Standard Costing & Process Improvement

• Maintain Cost Integrity: Develop and maintain product-specific standard costs within the Oracle costing system (Oracle Process Manufacturing / OPM).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with plant engineers and operations leaders to ensure bills of materials (BOMs) and routings are highly accurate and reflective of actual plant processes.

Inventory Control & Internal Audit

• Internal Controls: Maintain robust internal controls surrounding inventory, production cycles, and purchasing transactions.
• Inventory Valuation: Monitor inventory levels (raw materials, WIP, finished goods, and spare parts) to ensure accurate valuation and lead the analysis for obsolescence reserves.
• Audit Readiness: Coordinate and supervise physical inventory counts and prepare clear, organized schedules for both internal and external audit teams.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Capital Projects

• Financial Planning: Assist the Plant Managers and the Operations Controller in building realistic annual budgets and dynamic monthly forecasts.
• Capital Management: Help prepare Capital Appropriation requests, while maintaining and tracking the local capital budget tracking system.

Specialized/Technical Knowledge or Required Skills

Education & Experience

• Degree: Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance, or a closely related field.
• Experience: 3 to 5 years of progressive cost accounting experience within a manufacturing environment.

Technical Skills

• Systems: High proficiency in Microsoft Office (specifically Excel).
• ERP: Strong hands-on experience with Oracle Process Manufacturing (OPM) or a similar robust ERP system is highly preferred.
• SME Knowledge: Strong understanding of standard costing, capital budgeting, project accounting, financial modeling, and GAAP principles.

Key Challenges

• Operational Integration: Building a deep, practical understanding of physical plant operations to ensure the cost accounting systems remain highly relevant and accurate.
• Balancing Priorities: Successfully managing time-sensitive, day-to-day accounting routines while actively participating in cross-functional plant initiatives.
• Data Translation: Synthesizing complex operational and financial data into clear, actionable business reports that executives and plant managers can rely on to make critical decisions.

Decision-Making Authority

• Ownership: Responsible for managing plant internal controls, the accounting cycle, and variance analysis.
• Oversight: Reviews and audits all local capital appropriation requests.
• Strategy: Serves as an active financial advisory partner in the development and execution of local plant strategies.