Project Accountant

Hybrid Role, 2 work from home days available

Job Title: Senior Project & Cost Accountant

Job Description

The Senior Project & Cost Accountant plays a critical role on the Finance team, maintaining accurate and timely project accounting and cost accounting systems for a pharmaceutical manufacturing site in Charles City, Iowa. This position focuses heavily on WIP accounting, percentage-of-completion accounting, and ASC 606 revenue recognition for custom development and manufacturing projects, ensuring reliable financial information that supports key business decisions. The role also includes standard product costing, forecasting, and variance analysis to drive profitability and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and enhance accounting systems for production costing and project job costing in accordance with GAAP and internal policies.
• Properly record revenue and cost recognition for custom projects under ASC 606, ensuring accurate WIP and percentage-of-completion accounting.
• Lead the month-end close for Production and Project Systems modules, including preparing journal entries for adjustments and accruals, reconciling balance sheet accounts, and analyzing income statement results.
• Provide monthly updates to projected cost of goods sold (COGS) and profitability for inclusion in the monthly financial forecast.
• Collaborate with project managers, technical teams, and other departments to collect month-end data, assess project progress, and address program challenges.
• Develop cost and profit estimates for new custom development and manufacturing projects, and evaluate the financial impact of changes to existing products.
• Actively identify opportunities to improve profit margins and quantify the financial impact of savings initiatives identified by others.
• Prepare and analyze routine and ad hoc financial reports for management, including variance analyses and projections of future performance.
• Conduct monthly forecasting activities, including revenue, COGS, EBITDA, and variance commentaries, representing a significant portion of the role.
• Support internal and external audits, tax reporting, and corporate reporting requests as assigned.
• Develop activity rates and standard product costs as part of the annual budget process.
• Partner with departments to build annual cost center expense budgets and monitor spending, providing updated expectations through monthly financial forecasts.
• Maintain compliance with relevant site and corporate policies, procedures, and internal control requirements.
• Support management in identifying and implementing Operational Excellence opportunities to continuously improve accounting processes and procedures.
• Manage project accounting for contractual customer obligations in a CDMO environment, focusing on WIP schedules, percentage-of-completion accounting, and ASC 606 revenue recognition rather than internal capital projects.
• Maintain a strong understanding of standard cost updates, product costing, and variance tracking, and provide detailed explanations of variances across multiple large projects with complex work breakdown structures (WBS).
• Utilize SAP ECC & CFIN modules (including PS, MM, SD, PP, FI, G/L, and AP) along with reporting tools such as Excel, SAP reporting, Hyperion, and Power BI to support financial reporting and analysis.
• Ensure that standard costing and related price and efficiency variances are identified, analyzed, and appropriately addressed, including updates to bills of materials when required.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in Accounting.
• 5+ years of accounting experience, preferably in a manufacturing environment or cost accounting role.
• Solid understanding of GAAP accounting principles and internal control requirements.
• Demonstrated experience with WIP accounting; WIP experience is required.
• Experience with project accounting, including cost and revenue tracking and percentage-of-completion methodologies.
• Substantial experience with an enterprise resource planning system such as SAP.
• Proficiency with SAP ECC & CFIN modules, including PS, MM, SD, PP, FI, general ledger, and accounts payable, or the ability to quickly learn these modules.
• Strong computer skills on a Microsoft platform, including advanced Excel skills.
• Proficiency with general ledger accounting and journal entry preparation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to perform detailed and complex numerical computations.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and deliver high-quality work under prescribed deadlines.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including project managers and technical staff.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills to present financial results and variance explanations.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Masters degree in Accounting or a related field is preferred.
• CPA and/or CMA designation is preferred.
• Experience in a manufacturing or cost accounting environment, ideally within a complex industry such as pharmaceuticals.
• Experience in the construction industry or other project-based environments can be a useful foundation and can be built upon for this role.
• Experience with ASC 606 revenue recognition, particularly in a project-based or CDMO environment.
• Familiarity with forecasting processes, including revenue, COGS, and EBITDA, and preparing detailed variance commentaries.
• Experience with reporting and analytics tools such as Hyperion and Power BI.
• Experience working with standard costing systems, including analysis of price and efficiency variances and updates to bills of materials.
• Demonstrated ability to support audits, tax reporting, and corporate financial reporting.
• Interest in and aptitude for process improvement and Operational Excellence initiatives.

Work Environment

This is a full-time hybrid position based at a pharmaceutical manufacturing site in Charles City, Iowa. The role operates within a dynamic CDMO environment focused on custom development and manufacturing projects, involving multiple large projects with complex work breakdown structures over time and at specific points in time. The Finance team uses SAP ECC & CFIN (including PS, MM, SD, PP, FI, G/L, and AP modules) and a variety of reporting tools such as Excel, SAP reporting, Hyperion, and Power BI. The site operates on a standard costing model with detailed variance analysis. Employees receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes bonus eligibility, relocation assistance, vacation, and full benefits. Growth opportunities are driven by business needs and individual performance, offering a clear path for professional development in a complex, high-impact environment.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Charles City, IA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $72697.00 - $90871.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Bonus Range - 4% Relocation Fee Available Full Company Benefits

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Charles City, IA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 17, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Charles City,IA.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] (%[email protected]) for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.