Cost Accountant - Beverly, MA

Cost Accountant Location: Beverly, MA (Hybrid 3 days a week onsite) Duration: 3-month contract with potential for extension About the Opportunity We are seeking aCost Accountantto support financial operations within a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This role will be responsible for analyzing product costs, inventory, and manufacturing performance to help drive accurate financial reporting and operational decision-making. The ideal candidate will partner closely with Finance, Operations, Supply Chain, and Plant Leadership to ensure the integrity of cost data, support month-end close activities, and provide insight into manufacturing variances and cost trends. This position is highly focused oncost accounting, inventory analysis, and standard costingwithin a production setting. Key Responsibilities Support all corecost accounting functionswithin a manufacturing environment, including standard cost maintenance and cost analysis Analyzematerial, labor, and overhead variances , and provide clear explanations for key fluctuations Assist withstandard cost updates , cost roll-forwards, and ongoing review of product costing accuracy Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to monitormanufacturing performance , inventory movement, and production-related costs Supportinventory accounting , including reconciliations, cycle count analysis, reserves, and valuation reviews Participate in themonth-end close process , including journal entries, accruals, account reconciliations, and general ledger review related to inventory and cost of goods sold Prepare and deliverweekly, monthly, and ad hoc cost reportsto support financial and operational decision-making Analyze actual manufacturing costs versus standard costs and identify opportunities for process improvement and cost savings Assist with budgeting and forecasting forCOGS, inventory, and manufacturing expenses Help maintain strong internal controls and compliance withGAAP and SOXrequirements related to inventory and cost accounting Support audit requests and documentation tied to inventory, costing, and manufacturing financial processes Qualifications Bachelors degree inAccounting, Finance, Economics, or Business Administration Minimum 1 + years of experience in cost accounting, inventory accounting, or manufacturing accounting Strong understanding ofcost accounting principles , including standard costing, variance analysis, and inventory accounting Experience within amanufacturing, industrial, or production environmentstrongly preferred Knowledge ofGAAPandSOX controlsrelated to inventory and cost accounting CPA or CMAcertification is a plus Skills & Experience Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret manufacturing cost drivers Experience withstandard costing , BOM/routing review, and manufacturing variance analysis preferred Advanced proficiency inMicrosoft Excel Experience working in anERP system(SAP or Oracle preferred) Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently in a deadline-driven environment Excellent written and verbal communication skills