Howick: Cost Manager posted by Green Marble Recruitment Consultants

• BCom in Management Accounting or BCom Honours (or equivalent).
• A professional certification such as CIMA is a strong advantage.
• At least 8 years of experience in manufacturing costing or cost accounting as a cost manager.
• Expertise in standard costing, variance analysis, and overhead allocation is required.
• Experience in a multi-process manufacturing environment is beneficial.
• Hands-on experience with ERP systems for costing, preferably Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or SAGE.
• Advanced Excel skills are essential.
• Familiarity with business intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI) is a plus.

 
Personality Traits:

• Business Acumen:
  • Strong commercial awareness and the ability to see the big-picture impact of costing decisions on profitability and strategy.
  • Proven track record of influencing decision-making through analysis.
• Analytical Skills:
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, capable of identifying discrepancies and summarising key takeaways.
  • Experience in translating complex data into actionable insights.
• Communication and Collaboration:
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to explain cost concepts to non-financial colleagues and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
  • Experience presenting to senior management is highly valued.
• Leadership and Integrity:
  • Proven ability to lead or supervise others, even in a project or informal capacity.
  • High level of integrity and professionalism, handling sensitive cost data responsibly, and proactively managing responsibilities.

 
Duties and responsibilities:

• Oversee the accurate calculation of product costs, maintaining up-to-date standard costs for all raw materials, components, and finished goods.
• Review and update BOMs and routing costs to reflect current production processes and pricing.
• Manage and monitor overhead cost allocation across different manufacturing processes.
• Govern various costing models to achieve 100% overhead recovery, continuously evaluating and recommending rate adjustments as needed.
• Analyse production cost variances, investigate root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Provide monthly cost performance reports, translating findings into operational or pricing recommendations.
• Work closely with Production, Technical, Quality, and Finance teams to gather accurate data and improve cost accuracy.
• Coordinate on yield improvements, process changes, and scrap/rework costs, ensuring all departments understand their impact on product cost.
• Serve as the subject-matter expert for costing in the ERP system (Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central).
• Maintain accurate costing data, resolve system issues, develop useful cost reports, and safeguard data integrity.
• Collaborate with finance and sales teams on transfer prices and pricing strategies, providing reliable cost information and analysis.
• Support price list preparation with accurate cost and profitability analysis.
• Work with the inventory control team during stock counts to ensure accurate inventory valuation, reconcile variances, and oversee adjustments in the ERP.
• Prepare clear presentations on cost findings and improvement plans for senior leadership.
• Report directly to the Head of Controlling & Internal Audit and occasionally to the CFO/CEO on critical cost issues.
• Lead and mentor a small team of cost accountants/analysts, fostering a culture of accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Refine costing methodologies and processes while staying updated with industry best practices and introducing relevant ideas to the organisation.
• Ensure costing practices align with internal control frameworks and external audit requirements.