Corporate Cost Accountant

Position Summary

Sunny Sky Products is seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Corporate Cost Accountant to join our Finance & Accounting team. This role owns cost accounting and inventory control at the corporate level for all 6 plant locations across Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, California, and Illinois (2), including standard costing, manufacturing variance analysis, product and customer margin analysis, inventory valuation, and physical inventory programs, and partners with operations to reduce obsolete and slow-moving inventory. Additionally, this position carries corporate-level responsibility for fixed assets and lease accounting under ASC 842 across all 6 plant locations. This position is based at our Houston, TX corporate office, with travel to all 6 plant locations. The ideal candidate has strong SAP S/4HANA experience, thrives in a manufacturing/distribution environment, communicates effectively with operations, and is detail-oriented in a fast-moving environment.

Key Responsibilities

Cost Accounting

• Maintain and oversee the standard cost system; update and review standard costs periodically
• Analyze cost of goods sold (COGS), production costs, and manufacturing variances (labor, material, overhead)
• Perform margin analysis by product line, SKU, and customer to identify profitability drivers
• Partner with operations to understand cost drivers and identify cost-reduction opportunities
• Support pricing decisions by providing cost data and profitability modeling
• Review and improve cost allocation methodologies for overhead and shared services

Inventory Control & Management

• Own inventory accounting at the corporate level for all 6 plant locations (Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, California, and Illinois (2))
• Reconcile inventory subledger to general ledger monthly; investigate and resolve discrepancies
• Coordinate and oversee physical inventory counts and cycle count programs across all 6 plant locations
• Analyze inventory obsolescence, slow-moving items, and reserve adequacy
• Partner with plant and operations leaders to define, assign, and follow up on action items that reduce obsolete and slow-moving inventory (e.g., purchasing, adjustments, disposal decisions), and track progress against this KPI
• Work closely with the operations and warehouse teams to ensure accurate inventory tracking and reporting
• Maintain inventory valuation in compliance with GAAP: moving average price (MAP) for raw materials and standard cost for finished goods
• Monitor FIFO (first-in, first-out) physical rotation in consumption, picking, and shipping with operations and warehouse teams to minimize aged and expired inventory

Cost & Inventory Close and Reporting

• Lead the cost and inventory components for all 6 plants of the month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close, ensuring accuracy and timeliness
• Prepare and review cost and inventory journal entries and accruals, including production variances and inventory reserves
• Reconcile inventory and cost-related balance sheet accounts and resolve aged reconciling items
• Prepare COGS, gross margin, and manufacturing variance reporting with explanatory commentary for management
• Analyze and report actual costs against standard and budget; provide actionable insights to leadership
• Support standard cost development and inventory inputs for annual budgets and periodic forecasts
• Support external auditors on inventory observations, inventory valuation, and cost testing

Operations Collaboration & Cross-Functional Support

• Serve as a trusted financial partner to the operations team, translating cost and inventory data into operational insights
• Collaborate with plant managers and operations leaders on cost performance, labor efficiency, and throughput reporting
• Communicate cost and inventory results clearly and effectively to both finance and non-finance stakeholders
• Support costing and inventory system improvements and process automation initiatives in SAP S/4HANA
• Identify internal control gaps in inventory and costing processes and implement improvements to strengthen the control environment
• Assist with ad-hoc cost analysis and special projects as needed

Lease Accounting – ASC 842 (ROU Assets) – Corporate Level, 6 Plants

• Own the complete lease accounting process under ASC 842 at the corporate level, covering all 6 plant locations
• Maintain the right-of-use (ROU) asset and lease liability schedules for all operating and finance leases across all 6 plants
• Process new leases, modifications, remeasurements, and terminations in accordance with ASC 842
• Prepare required footnote disclosures and ensure completeness and accuracy of lease-related balances
• Liaise with legal, operations, and real estate teams to identify new or modified lease arrangements

Fixed Assets – Corporate Level, 6 Plants

• Manage the fixed asset sub-ledger at the corporate level across all 6 plant locations, including capitalization, depreciation, disposals, and transfers
• Ensure assets are properly classified and depreciated in accordance with company policy and GAAP
• Conduct periodic physical verification of assets across plant locations
• Coordinate with operations on capital expenditure tracking and project cost capitalization
• Prepare fixed asset roll forwards and related disclosures for financial reporting

Qualifications & Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required
• CPA or CMA designation preferred

Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive accounting experience, with a strong emphasis on cost accounting in a manufacturing or distribution environment
• Food and Beverage Industry experience is a plus
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with month-end close for inventory and cost accounts
• Prior experience managing multi-location or multi-entity accounting preferred
• Solid understanding of ASC 842 lease accounting and practical application experience

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, complex formulas, and data modeling
• Continuous Improvement mind set drive efficiency and accuracy
• Strong proficiency in SAP S/4HANA strongly preferred
• Power BI knowledge strongly preferred
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, including inventory valuation, cost accounting, fixed assets, and lease accounting
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to present financial data to non-finance audiences
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Collaborative mindset with a proven track record of building relationships with operations and cross-functional teams
• Willingness to travel to all 6 plant locations as needed