Job Description

Senior Cost Accountant – Manufacturing

Department: Finance

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Employment Type: Full-Time

Work Location: Onsite

Travel Required: None

About Us

Velocity transforms authentic American classic vehicles from the ground up for modern driving. Our Re-Engineered Classics™ combine proven engineering, meticulous craftsmanship, and personalized design to preserve the original character while delivering modern performance, comfort, and reliability.

Creating a Velocity vehicle requires precision and collaboration across every stage from initial design and engineering through production, testing, delivery, and long-term customer support. Our team works to exacting standards to create exceptional vehicles and an elevated ownership experience for discerning clients. Together, we are setting a new standard for iconic American vehicles and building a company defined by quality, innovation, and passion.

Velocity’s Culture and Core Values

Success at Velocity requires a “whatever it takes” mentality. We embody grit, demonstrating perseverance, resilience, and unwavering determination in the face of challenges. We are adaptable, embracing change, adjusting to new circumstances, and continuously seeking ways to improve processes and outcomes—because growth does not come from comfort.

We take ownership, assuming full responsibility for tasks, decisions, and outcomes, whether successes or setbacks, without shifting blame. “That’s not my job” is not in our vocabulary; when one part of our team falls short, we all do.

Finally, our ambition fuels our drive to excel, improve, and uphold the highest standards for both personal and professional growth. This mindset defines who we are and ensures our continued success.

Overview

The Senior Cost Accountant is responsible for building and owning the cost accounting function in a low-volume, high-complexity, station-based custom manufacturing environment—defining the expected cost of every build, tracking actual cost against it, and giving leadership a clear view of build profitability. This role works hand-in-hand with Engineering on bills of material (BOMs) and routers, with Production to understand how work flows through the shop, and with the Controller on margin and variance analysis. It plays a critical part in establishing standard costs, monitoring variances, improving processes, and advising leadership on cost-related decisions. The Senior Cost Accountant ensures compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and connects production data from the inventory management system to the ERP and general ledger to provide data-driven insights that support strategic and operational goals. We are looking for someone who can come up to speed on the business quickly and then own the costing process end to end.

Job Level

Individual Contributor

Reports To

Controller

Direct Reports

None

Duties and Responsibilities

Cost Analysis & Control

• Analyze fixed and variable costs to determine profit margins and operational performance.
• Build and maintain the expected (standard) cost for each platform, trim, and option, rolled up from Engineering’s BOMs and expected hours by station at fully loaded labor rates, and update it as the build changes.
• Partner with Engineering to validate BOMs and routers—including material, labor hours, work-center rates, and outside-processing costs—flagging errors and recommending changes as designs evolve.
• Work alongside Production to understand build flow, work-order stages, and labor capture, and translate what happens on the floor into accurate cost records.
• Produce a cost close-out report for every completed build showing actual versus expected for labor, parts, consumables, rework, and overhead, with the drivers of each variance explained.
• Design and implement station-based overhead absorption using cost pools and rates set on practical capacity, replacing month-end overhead allocation.
• Own WIP and finished goods inventory valuation, month-end inventory entries, and under- or over-absorbed overhead.
• Own purchase price variance (PPV) reporting, trending cost by commodity and top parts over the year.
• Build a cost of quality view that ties QC hits, rework, scrap, and warranty claims to the station that caused them.
• Identify trends and recommend cost-reduction strategies to improve profitability and minimize waste.

Financial Reporting & Forecasting

• Forecast cost-related changes, risks, and financial impact for quarterly and annual planning.
• Perform account reconciliations and maintain accurate general ledger records.
• Publish a weekly station report covering hours worked versus standard, labor absorption, QC hits and correction hours, rework and scrap cost, and trainee coverage.
• Report contribution margin by build, platform, trim, and option, and support pricing, option pricing, make-versus-buy, and capacity decisions.

Collaboration & Advisory

• Collaborate cross-functionally with the VP of Manufacturing, station leads, Purchasing, and Finance to identify root causes of discrepancies and implement corrective actions.
• Partner directly with the Controller on month-end close, margin and variance analysis, and cost-related reporting to ownership.

Process Improvement

• Own the cost accounting process, documenting procedures, tightening controls, and driving improvements without waiting for direction.
• Improve data quality at the source by working with Production on time capture, parts issuing, and hit and rework reason codes.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance in this role will be measured against the following key performance indicators. Specific targets are set and tracked on the Finance department scorecard in Ninety.

• Standard costs established for active configurations, and cost close-out reports issued for completed builds following Final QC.
• Time-capture compliance: share of paid hours clocked to a specific build and station.
• Monthly cost-related close entries, with work-in-process and finished goods inventory reconciliations, completed by the established close deadline.
• Monthly actual-versus-expected cost analyses delivered within the established close deadline, with documented causes and action recommendations.
• Cost forecast accuracy and recurring variance trends.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of GAAP, including inventory costing, and financial reporting standards.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Hands-on experience with a manufacturing ERP, including BOM and router structures, work orders, labor capture, and standard cost setup and roll-up.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to non-financial stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of labor, material, and overhead variances.
• SQL or business intelligence (BI) tool experience is a strong plus.
• Comfort working on the production floor and ability to partner directly with engineers, technicians, and production leadership.
• Self-directed and able to take full ownership of the costing process with limited oversight.

Education Background and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required; CPA or CMA preferred.
• 3+ years of cost accounting experience, including at least three years in a manufacturing, job-shop, or custom-build environment—ideally low-volume, high-mix, or build-to-order (automotive, specialty vehicles, marine, RV, aerospace, heavy equipment, or similar).
• Demonstrated experience implementing and owning standard (expected) costing, overhead absorption, and inventory valuation, including BOM/router validation and variance analysis, not only reporting on a system someone else built; activity-based costing or lean accounting experience is a plus.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & General Responsibilities

Achieving excellence at Velocity requires total alignment across every department, driven by our belief that when one part of our team falls short, we all do. To uphold this standard, team members are expected to adapt quickly, step beyond standard role boundaries, and contribute to company-wide priorities whenever organizational demands arise.

Every individual must maintain a continuous improvement mindset and exhibit unwavering accountability in supporting shop operations. While this document outlines core functional expectations, it does not detail every task required; assigned tasks will remain aligned with personal capabilities, safety standards, and operational objectives.

Physical Demands (To include but not limited to)

• Prolonged periods (up to 8 hours/day) of sitting at a desk or workstation.
• Frequent use of hands for typing, writing, and computer work.
• Occasional lifting/carrying of items up to 20 lbs (e.g., files, supplies).
• Regular walking and standing on the production floor to observe build flow and work with Production and Engineering.
• Regular communication with internal teams and external partners via in-person, phone, or digital platforms.

Work Environment

• Primarily indoor office environment with standard lighting and climate control.
• Regular time on the shop floor with exposure to noise, dust, and temperature variation; PPE provided as required.

Benefits Include

• Compensation: Pay is based on experience and qualifications.
• Health & Wellness: Health/Dental/Vision/Life/Disability/Aflac available after 60 days.
• Retirement: 401(k) with company match after 6 months at next enrollment period.
• Paid Time Off: Paid time off and paid holidays.
• Additional Perks: Company-sponsored events, tool program, merchandise discounts, friendly team environment.

Job duties, salary, and benefits are subject to change throughout duration of employment with Velocity.

Velocity is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Velocity does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.