Senior Manufacturing/Cost Accountant

Job Description

Job Description

Senior Cost Accountant

Location: Ashland, MA- Hybrid (3 days in office)
Company: Kidde Fenwal LLC

At KiddeFenwal, we protect lives, livelihoods, and critical assets through industry-leading fire protection and safety solutions. As a global leader in fire suppression, detection, and control systems, we serve industrial, commercial, marine, and special hazard markets worldwide.

We're seeking an experienced Senior Manufacturing/Cost Accountant to support our manufacturing operations through accurate costing, inventory management, financial analysis, and partnership with Operations. If you thrive in a hands-on manufacturing environment and enjoy turning data into actionable insights, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact while growing your career with a global organization driven by innovation, excellence, and teamwork.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Cost Accountant with 15+ years of hands-on manufacturing cost accounting experience to support our engineered manufacturing operations. This role reports to the Corporate Controller and is responsible for ensuring accurate product costing, inventory integrity, and effective partnership with Operations.

The ideal candidate is someone who can communicate clearly and precisely, earn credibility on the plant floor, and execute solutions effectively, someone who can “talk the talk and walk the walk.” This position has potential to expand in scope to global operations.

Key Responsibilities:

Cost Accounting & Analysis

• Maintain and oversee standard product costing, including cost rolls, bills of material, labor, overhead, and routings.
• Analyze and interpret manufacturing variances (material, labor, overhead) and provide actionable insights to Operations.
• Review and validate cost changes, new products, and process improvements.
• Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities, including reconciliation of inventory and cost of goods sold.

Inventory Management & Controls

• Ensure accurate inventory valuation in compliance with GAAP and internal control policies.
• Partner closely with Operations and Supply Chain to plan and execute annual physical inventories.
• Lead cycle counts, investigate discrepancies, and recommend resolutions.
• Monitor excess and obsolete inventory and drive continuous improvement in inventory accuracy.

Systems & Reporting

• Act as a subject matter expert in ERP systems (JD Edwards preferred; other major ERPs acceptable) for costing and inventory processes.
• Develop, maintain, and deliver advanced Excel analyses, reports, and dashboards for decision-making.
• Support ERP system enhancements, process improvements, and potential global system integrations.

Business Partnership & Communication

• Serve as a trusted finance partner to plant leadership, Operations, Supply Chain, and Corporate Finance.
• Communicate complex financial and operational information clearly and concisely to stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrate credibility by providing actionable solutions and following through on commitments.
• Support internal and external audits related to cost and inventory matters.

Qualifications & Experience

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• 12 to 15 years of hands-on cost accounting experience in a manufacturing environment (engineered or complex manufacturing preferred).
• Deep knowledge of standard costing, cost roll processes, inventory accounting, and variance analysis.
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, advanced formulas, lookups; Power Query/Power BI a plus).
• ERP experience required; JD Edwards strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to partner with Operations and influence cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication skills with credibility to engage at plant and corporate levels.

Preferred:

• Experience supporting multi-site or global manufacturing operations.
• Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or operational excellence initiatives.
• Experience managing annual physical inventories and related controls.

Key Competencies & Attributes

• Hands-on, practical, and execution-focused
• High attention to detail and data integrity
• Clear, precise, and credible communicator
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work effectively across functions and levels
• Comfortable balancing plant floor realities with corporate requirements

Kidde-Fenwal Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.