Cost Accountant (Manufacturing)

A Cost Accountant in a manufacturing business makes sure the company knows what each product really costs to make, and why that cost changes. They maintain standard costs, run month-end inventory and work-in-progress valuations, and explain the variances between standard and actual cost to production and senior management. Their numbers drive pricing, product profitability and decisions about where to invest on the factory floor.

What the role involves

• Setting and updating standard costs, bills of materials (BOMs) and routings with production and engineering
• Month-end stock, WIP and finished-goods valuation, and stock-count reconciliations
• Analysing material, labour and overhead variances, and following them up with plant managers
• Product and customer profitability reports, and costing support for quotes and price increases
• Overhead absorption, yield and scrap reporting, and input into budgets and forecasts

What makes a strong candidate

The best Cost Accountants spend time on the factory floor, not only in the spreadsheet. We look for hands-on standard-costing experience in a production environment, confidence with an ERP costing module (such as SAP, Sage X3, Syspro or Epicor), strong Excel, and the ability to explain a variance to a production manager in plain language. Experience in a similar process (for example food, packaging, chemicals, steel or FMCG) shortens the learning curve.

Red flags we screen for

• “Costing” experience that was really accounts payable or general bookkeeping
• No exposure to stock counts or inventory valuation
• Unable to explain how a standard cost was built up

How PMG recruits Cost Accountants

We start by confirming the costing method, ERP and product complexity, then search our Talent Vault and approach passive candidates in comparable manufacturers. Every candidate is phone-screened on costing depth, systems, salary and notice period before you see a CV, and we only submit candidates who have given written consent. Typical time to a shortlist is one to two weeks. For more detail, see our Cost Accountant Recruitment page.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a Cost Accountant and a Management Accountant?

A Cost Accountant focuses on product and production costs: standard costs, inventory and variances. A Management Accountant takes a wider view, covering budgets, forecasts and management reporting for the whole business. In smaller companies one person often does both.

What qualification does a Cost Accountant need?

Usually a BCom in Accounting or Cost and Management Accounting. CIMA or SAIPA membership is an advantage but practical manufacturing costing experience matters most.

What affects a Cost Accountant’s salary?

Seniority, the complexity of the operation, the ERP system, and whether the role manages a team. Senior or group-level costing roles in Gauteng can sit above the indicative range shown on this page.

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Salary ranges and role descriptions on this page are indicative and for general guidance only. They vary by employer, location and experience and are not a guarantee of any offer.