Cost Controller – Meat Processing

Job Summary

The Cost Controller is responsible for providing strong financial and operational oversight across the meat processing operations, with a clear mandate to drive cost discipline, improve profitability, and strengthen operational accountability. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring an experienced and decisive professional who is comfortable challenging existing practices, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing meaningful change across both fresh pack and value-added processing operations.

The role demands a highly analytical and commercially minded individual with the seniority and confidence to work closely with Production, Procurement, Warehouse, and Finance teams to enforce controls, improve reporting accuracy, optimize yields, reduce waste, and ensure disciplined inventory management. The successful candidate must be capable of operating independently, making tough decisions, holding teams accountable, and driving operational improvements that deliver measurable financial results.

This position is best suited for a no-nonsense leader with strong manufacturing or processing experience, a deep understanding of cost structures and plant operations, and the ability to influence change in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate is proactive, detail-oriented, results-driven, and unafraid to challenge the status quo in pursuit of stronger operational and financial performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of monitoring and controlling daily production costs, including materials, labour, and overheads across the processing plant.
• Develop, maintain, and rigorously challenge standard costing models for meat processing and value-added product lines.
• Conduct detailed yield and recovery analysis on raw materials, finished goods, and by-products, identifying losses, inefficiencies, and corrective actions without delay.
• Track, reconcile, and investigate inventory variances between physical counts and system records, ensuring full accountability and accuracy.
• Work directly with Production and Operations teams to drive cost reduction, eliminate waste, and enforce operational discipline on the plant floor.
• Analyse production performance data and deliver clear, action-oriented variance reports with firm recommendations—not just observations.
• Lead and support monthly financial close activities relating to inventory valuation, production costs, and cost accounting accuracy.
• Review and challenge Bills of Materials (BOMs), and costing assumptions to ensure they reflect actual plant performance.
• Monitor key plant KPIs including yield, waste, labour efficiency, and cost per kg, driving corrective action where performance deviates.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and operational financial planning with accurate, grounded input from plant-level performance data.
• Enforce compliance with internal controls, costing standards, and audit requirements, ensuring financial discipline is consistently maintained.
• Provide senior management with timely, accurate, and decisive financial and operational reporting to support fast, informed decision-making.
• Actively support and push continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring cost savings and efficiency gains are delivered and sustained across operations.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• Professional certification such as ACCA, CPA, CMA, or equivalent is an asset.
• Minimum 3–5 years’ experience in cost accounting or cost control, preferably within food manufacturing or meat processing operations.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing costing principles, inventory management, and production analysis.
• Experience working with ERP systems and advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Knowledge of yield management and processing efficiencies is highly desirable.

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical capability with the ability to interrogate data, identify root causes, and drive corrective action
• High attention to detail with uncompromising standards for accuracy and data integrity
• Strong financial and operational acumen within a manufacturing or processing environment
• Confident communicator with the ability to challenge assumptions and present clear, fact-based recommendations to leadership
• Proven ability to influence and hold cross-functional operations teams accountable for performance outcomes
• Highly organized with strong prioritization skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines under pressure
• Thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume manufacturing environment where decisive action and continuous improvement are expected
• Comfortable making firm, evidence-based decisions and driving implementation of process and control improvements
• Strong ownership mindset with the ability to work independently and take responsibility for outcomes

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Production cost variance accuracy
• Yield and recovery performance
• Inventory variance reduction
• Waste reduction initiatives
• Timeliness and accuracy of financial reports
• Budget adherence
• Operational efficiency improvements

Working Conditions

• Based within a meat processing and manufacturing environment.
• May require periodic work in chilled and processing areas.
• Occasional extended hours during month-end closing or operational reviews