Cost Accounting Associate Manager, COGS

[Job Summary] -Support Operations Finance Manager with design standardized & improved plant accounting operations in support of general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, capital assets, raw materials, and finished goods accounting. -Support Operations Finance Manager with development of consistent and improved activity- based costing metrics and cost allocations for insightful plant performance analysis. -Support and create streamlined plant financial accounting processes, reporting, and analysis. [Job Description] -Partner with Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Procurement to analyze COGS drivers, including raw materials, packaging, ingredients, conversion, labor, overhead, logistics and co-packing costs, and identify impacts to profitability. -Own monthly COGS and manufacturing variance analysis, including volume, yield, usage, mix, rate and conversion cost variances, explaining deviations vs AOP and forecast. -Support cost optimization initiatives across internal manufacturing and co-packing operations, including plant efficiency, yield improvement, sourcing decisions and margin improvement opportunities. -Lead the annual operating plan and forecasting for Operations, COGS and related manufacturing cost drivers, highlighting key risks and opportunities while driving potential mitigating actions. -Develop driver-based models linking volume, yield, COGS components, co-packing assumptions and operational KPIs to financial outcomes. -Participate in the month-end close to ensure accuracy of Operations and COGS results, timely understanding of variance drivers and appropriate follow-up with Accounting and Operations teams. -Lead monthly COGS and plant performance reviews with stakeholders to ensure accountability, alignment on cost targets and timely action plans for performance gaps. -Support financial evaluation of operational initiatives and manufacturing-related investments, ensuring assumptions, benefits and cost impacts are appropriately reviewed. -Support capital planning and post-implementation reviews for manufacturing and operations initiatives, with focus on COGS impact, productivity benefits and execution against approved assumptions. -Partner with operations to evaluate capacity, automation, co-packing and cost reduction initiatives, including make-versus-buy considerations and financial impact on COGS. -Conduct ad hoc analyses and projects to support Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement and business management decisions related to COGS, plant performance and co-packing economics. Requirements -5+ years of experience in operations finance, or cost accounting, plant finance or a similar COGS-focused role -Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Finance, or related field is required -Strong understanding of cost drivers (materials, labor, overhead, logistics, etc.) -Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel required - SAP HANA and Power BI a plus -Prior work experience in Manufacturing, Food Manufacturing,…