Cost Accountant -- Contractor POST NUMBER: 426077

Job Title: Cost Accountant - Contractor
Department: Finance / Accounting
Location: Indianapolis (Hybrid schedule)

Job Summary:
The Cost Accountant is responsible for analyzing and managing the cost structure of the company’s products. This position involves performing detailed cost analyses, maintaining cost accounting records, and ensuring accurate cost reporting. The Cost Accountant plays a critical role in helping the company manage its profitability by providing key insights into product costs, inventory valuations, and cost-saving opportunities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Cost Analysis & Reporting: Analyze manufacturing or service costs and prepare regular reports comparing standard costs to actual production costs. Provide recommendations based on cost variance analysis.
• Inventory Management: Monitor and analyze inventory transactions, including raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods. Ensure accurate valuation of inventory and report on inventory variances.
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Assist in developing cost budgets and forecasts by working closely with production, operations, and procurement teams. Ensure accurate standard costs are used in financial planning.
• Costing Methodologies: Maintain and develop costing systems to ensure the proper allocation of overhead, labor, and materials costs. Use standard cost, actual cost, and job costing methods as required.
• Product Costing: Develop and maintain product cost standards, including labor, materials, and overhead. Analyze the profitability of new and existing products.
• Variance Analysis: Perform cost variance analysis, identifying areas where actual costs deviate from standard or budgeted costs, and provide actionable insights to management.
• Process Improvement: Identify opportunities for cost reductions and process improvements within manufacturing or operational processes. Work closely with teams to implement improvements.
• Compliance & Reporting: Ensure compliance with company policies, GAAP, and other financial regulations. Prepare reports for internal and external audits, as well as for senior management.
• Month-End Closing: Assist with month-end close activities, including journal entries, account reconciliations, and the preparation of financial statements related to costs and inventory.
• Capital Projects: Support capital expenditure projects by analyzing costs, benefits, and returns on investment (ROI).
• Collaboration: Work closely with other departments such as production, procurement, and supply chain to ensure accurate cost data and resolve any discrepancies.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field. CPA, CMA, or other relevant certifications preferred.
• Experience: 3-5 years of experience in cost accounting, preferably in a manufacturing or production environment.
• Skills:
  • Strong knowledge of cost accounting principles, methods, and systems.
  • Proficiency in ERP systems (such as SAP, Oracle, or similar) and advanced Excel skills.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Experience with variance analysis, budgeting, and forecasting.
  • Strong attention to detail and the ability to work with large datasets.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Vaco values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.

EEO Notice

Vaco is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.

Vaco LLC and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco LLC and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com .

Vaco also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

Privacy Notice

Vaco LLC and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco’s HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

• the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
• licensure and certification requirements;
• office location and other geographic considerations;
• other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.