Cost Accountant

We are looking for a Cost Accountant to support a stone, glass, and concrete manufacturing operation in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. This Contract position will focus on evaluating production costs, maintaining accurate standard costing, and delivering financial insight that supports operational decision-making. The ideal candidate brings strong experience in manufacturing cost accounting and can work effectively with both finance and plant teams to improve cost visibility and reporting accuracy.

Responsibilities:

• Analyze manufacturing costs, including materials, labor, and overhead, to identify trends and explain variances.
• Maintain and update standard cost records to reflect current production methods, pricing, and operational inputs.
• Prepare recurring and ad hoc cost reports that help leadership assess product profitability and plant performance.
• Partner with operations and finance stakeholders to review inventory valuation, cost allocations, and margin results.
• Investigate differences between actual and expected costs and recommend actions to strengthen cost control.
• Support month-end close activities related to inventory, cost of goods sold, and manufacturing accounting entries.
• Assist with process improvements and, when needed, contribute to accounting-related changes affecting costing workflows.
• Ensure cost data is complete, reliable, and aligned with internal reporting requirements and accounting practices.
• Background in cost accounting within a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience with standard costing and cost variance analysis.
• Strong understanding of inventory accounting, overhead application, and product cost structures.
• Ability to interpret financial data and translate findings into clear business insights.
• Proficiency in preparing detailed cost reports and working with large data sets.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Effective communication skills and the ability to collaborate across accounting and operations teams.