Job Description
Kenneth Brian Associates are working on behalf of a well-established, Europe-wide business based in Croydon who are seeking an Cost Accountant to join their growing finance team.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in a manufacturing environment who is looking to develop their skills in a commercially focused and supportive setting.
The Role
Reporting directly to the Management Accountant, you will play a key role in the day-to-day accounting function while supporting strategic financial decision-making across the business.
You will act as a key liaison between the bookkeeping team and external auditors, ensuring all financial data is accurate, timely, and audit-ready.
A strong focus of this role will be on costing and manufacturing analysis, giving you real exposure to production performance and margin optimisation.
Key Responsibilities
* Ownership of product costing and margin analysis, including standard costing and variance analysis
* Assist in the Inital preparation of monthly management accounts (P&L, balance sheet reconciliations, and commentary)
* Acting as the main point of contact for external auditors, including year-end preparation
* Managing VAT returns, payroll journals, and cashflow forecasting
* Supporting budgeting and forecasting processes
* Providing guidance to the bookkeeping team and assisting with ledger duties when required
* Producing ad-hoc financial reports to support business decisions and process improvements
About You
* 2–5 years’ experience in a finance role, ideally within manufacturing
* Strong understanding of costing principles
* Actively studying towards a professional qualification (e.g. ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
* Advanced Excel skills
* Experience with ERP systems such as SAP or Sage is advantageous
* Highly organised, detail-oriented, and able to produce audit-ready work
* Strong communication skills
* Proactive and able to work independently within a small team