Join our team as a Plant Inventory Accountant!
We’re looking for an accounting professional with manufacturing experience who is ready to take ownership, solve problems, and help drive smarter business decisions. If you have experience with inventory, cost accounting, ERP/SAP systems, reconciliations, and process improvement, this could be a great opportunity for you.
Bring your analytical skills, attention to detail, and drive for improvement to our growing team!
Summary: This role is responsible for maintaining accurate inventory and costing records, analyzing manufacturing variances, supporting month-end close, budgeting and forecasting, and identifying opportunities to improve processes and reduce costs. The ideal candidate will have manufacturing accounting experience, strong knowledge of ERP systems such as SAP, and excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. This position works closely with Operations, Quality, and other departments to ensure financial accuracy, strengthen internal controls, and support overall plant efficiency and profitability.
Essential Functions
- Maintain accurate inventory records and controls through cycle counting, stock reconciliations, and scheduled on-site and off-site physical inventory counts.
- Complete and reconcile SAP inventory transactions, including coil receipts, movements, off-site inventory, and COGI errors, to ensure reliable inventory records.
- Investigate inventory discrepancies and manufacturing variances, identify root causes, and work with operations to implement corrective actions.
- Maintain product costing and standard cost information; analyze material, labor, manufacturing expenses, and actual production costs against standards.
- Analyze scrap, waste, and damaged inventory, including vendor steel scrap; coordinate with Operations and Quality to ensure accurate inventory adjustments and identify cost-reduction opportunities.
- Support month-end close by preparing journal entries, completing inventory and assigned general ledger reconciliations, and ensuring the accuracy of related balance sheet and P&L accounts.
- Prepare inventory, manufacturing cost, and financial reports and key metrics to explain trends, variances, and opportunities to improve plant efficiency and profitability.
- Assist with plant budgeting and forecasting, including manufacturing expenses, cost forecasts, and analysis of actual results against plan.
- Support fixed asset and capital reporting and analysis.
- Maintain and test inventory and accounting controls, ensure compliance with company policies and applicable accounting standards, and support audits with reconciliations and documentation.
- Work across departments to improve inventory, accounting, and reporting processes, strengthen accuracy, and reduce waste and costs.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Proficient with accounting systems, reporting tools, and MS Office with the ability to learn new information management systems quickly.
- Willingness and proven ability to develop processes and procedures quickly.
- Demonstrated ability to work proactively and independently.
- Detail oriented and ability to perform tasks with a high degree of accuracy.
- Highly developed written, oral, and presentation skills, and ability to effectively interact with management, employees, regulators and external auditors.
- Ability to communicate and enforce adherence to processes, procedures and performance objectives.
- Leadership and decision-making capabilities.
- Superior problem-solving, analytical, time management and organizational skills.
- Identifies process gaps and inefficiencies, drives process improvements to mitigate risk and drive efficiency in a fast-paced and growing environment.
Education and Experience
- Relevant experience in a manufacturing environment required
- Relevant SAP experience preferred, experience working in an ERP with accounting/inventory management functions required
- Recognized professional accounting designation preferred (CPA, CA, CGA, CMA).
- 2+ years’ experience in the accounting field (manufacturing focused preferred)