Cost Accounting Director

Robert Half is recruiting for an experienced Cost Accounting Director to build and strengthen cost accounting capabilities for a growing manufacturing operation. This role will shape consistent costing practices across company-operated sites and external production partners while providing the financial insight needed to support inventory accuracy, operational performance, and future expansion. The position also partners closely with finance and operations leadership to create disciplined processes, improve reporting transparency, and maintain strong internal controls.

Responsibilities:

• Create and implement a unified cost accounting framework that supports standard and job costing across internal facilities and contract manufacturing relationships.
• Direct the cost accounting setup within NetSuite, including the structure of cost centers, bills of materials, routing logic, and overhead assignment methods.
• Build formal reporting expectations with external manufacturers by introducing common cost templates, review routines, and audit access to improve visibility into production costs.
• Establish the cost accounting foundation for a new facility in preparation for its planned launch, ensuring processes and controls are ready before operations begin.
• Lead inventory accounting activities, including valuation approach, count procedures, reconciliation efforts, and oversight of stock held at both owned and outsourced locations.
• Maintain standard cost models and deliver recurring variance analysis covering material pricing, production volume, product mix, purchasing impacts, labor efficiency, and overhead absorption.
• Ensure costing methods, inventory records, and supporting documentation meet organizational standards and remain prepared for internal and external audit review.
• Write and maintain cost accounting policies, procedural documentation, and internal control guidelines while educating site-level teams on required practices.
• Oversee purchasing-related accountability and provide day-to-day leadership for one direct report.
• Work with the Controller and cross-functional stakeholders to guide cost policy decisions and identify opportunities to improve financial and operational processes.

For immediate consideration please apply or contact directly Steve Fields at 919-787-8226

• At least 7 years of experience in cost accounting, with a strong background in manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in standard costing, job costing, and detailed cost analysis.
• Hands-on experience managing inventory accounting, valuation methods, and reconciliation processes.
• Proven ability to configure or support cost accounting structures within ERP systems, preferably NetSuite.
• Strong understanding of bills of materials, routings, overhead allocation, and variance reporting.
• Experience developing policies, internal controls, and audit-ready financial documentation.
• Leadership capability with experience supervising staff and partnering effectively with finance and operations teams.