Cost Accountant

Key Responsibilities

Product Costing & Inventory Control

• Maintain standard costing information for raw materials, labour, and manufacturing overheads.
• Prepare costing schedules and reports for management review.
• Assist with inventory valuation and quarterly cost roll-ups.
• Support annual and interim stock counts, reconciliations, and inventory reporting.
• Verify Bills of Materials (BOMs) and routing accuracy within the ERP system.
• Prepare import cost files and submit summaries for SAP updates.
• Review monthly stock count completeness across all company sites.
• Coordinate and support factory stock counts with the Planning team.
• Investigate stock variances and recommend corrective actions.
• Prepare inventory and stock count reports for management.

Cost Control & Variance Analysis

• Prepare material, labour, and overhead variance reports.
• Investigate routine cost variances and escalate significant issues where necessary.
• Analyse production data to identify cost trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Monitor scrap, rework, and yield losses, reporting on trends and performance.
• Compile daily scrap reports and participate in scrap review meetings.
• Prepare monthly lead balancing reports, including scrap reconciliation.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and communicate recommendations to management.
• Provide accurate costing information to Production and Engineering teams to support operational decision-making.

Budgeting & Forecasting

• Assist in preparing manufacturing budgets and rolling forecasts.
• Analyse budget versus actual results and investigate significant deviations.
• Update cost assumptions based on operational changes.
• Support scenario planning and sensitivity analysis.

ERP & Data Integrity

• Maintain costing master data, Bills of Materials, routings, and overhead rates within SAP.
• Validate production and inventory transactions to ensure data accuracy.
• Identify, investigate, and resolve costing and master data discrepancies.
• Maintain Material Master information relating to transaction processing.
• Support ERP enhancements, system upgrades, and user acceptance testing.
• Document costing processes and procedures.
• Provide first-line support to users on SAP costing and transaction queries.
• Ensure costing documentation is maintained and audit-ready.

Operational Finance Support

• Provide financial and costing information to support operational decision-making.
• Assist with cost impact analyses for process improvements and operational changes.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives, including Lean and Six Sigma projects.
• Prepare and present costing and operational reports for management.
• Support finance and factory projects as required.
• Monitor scanning processes, liaise with factory system users, and report issues requiring corrective action.
• Build effective relationships with internal departments and external stakeholders.
• Attend operational meetings and provide financial support where required.
• Assist with APDP audit requirements and related finance queries.
• Perform ad hoc costing and finance duties as requested by management.

Key Performance Areas

• Product costing and inventory accuracy
• Cost control and variance analysis
• Budgeting and forecasting support
• ERP data integrity and master data maintenance
• Cross-functional finance and operational support

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

• BCom in Accounting or Cost & Management Accounting (NQF 6) is essential.
• Studying towards CIMA will be advantageous.

Experience

• 3-7 years' experience in a manufacturing or factory finance environment.
• Proven experience in:
  • Cost accounting
  • Inventory valuation
  • Variance analysis
  • ERP systems within a manufacturing environment

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of cost accounting principles.
• Sound understanding of IFRS, particularly IAS 2 (Inventories).
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• SAP FI and MM experience (or similar ERP systems).
• Good understanding of manufacturing processes.

Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong communication and reporting skills.
• The ability to work effectively across multiple departments.
• Sound judgement and a high level of integrity.
• The ability to perform well under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Strong relationship-building skills.
• A customer-focused approach.