Senior Cost Accountant

Position Purpose

Reporting to the Director of Cost Accounting & Production Finance, the Senior Cost Accountant partners with Operations teams, including Supply Chain, Bottling, Cellar, Winemaking, and Grower Relations, to develop departmental budgets and determine production overhead costs related to bottling operations and bulk wine production.

This role requires extensive expertise in product costing methodologies and ERP-based data management processes to support key financial activities, including product costing, bill of materials maintenance, labor and overhead cost allocation, inventory transactions, and monthly variance analysis. Additionally, this position serves as a trusted financial advisor to business partners by providing insights that support day-to-day operational decisions and align with Delicato’s long-term growth objectives.

Essential Duties

• Develops standard costs on an annual basis for all inventory items using departmental budgets and planned volumes and provides variance analyses for significant deviations in actual costs versus standard costs throughout the year
• Develops and presents monthly performance analysis to Production Operations teams, including identification of key financial and operational variances in support of operational decision making
• Oversees the strategic and annual planning process for the production operations teams, including Supply Chain, Bottling, Cellar, Winemaking, and Grower Relations, including the development of latest estimates and forecasts as needed
• Actively owns key finance and business processes related to cost center spend, bottling overhead and bulk wine overhead
• Prepares structured cost analysis for all items produced ensuring such data is prepared in a consistent and dependable manner using centralized data and a documented methodology
• Supports financial closing process to ensure timely recognition of operational activities by working with operations team and Finance team to capture and accrue activities as needed
• Supports the performance of the FP&A team, including coaching and feedback, development and mentoring of the surrounding team, and management of job performance
• Supports other “project” analysis on a “demand” basis, particularly the as-needed requirements for new product case cost case cost analysis
• Supports annual and interim audits by preparing samples and working directly with auditors
• Supports and drives process improvement initiatives: production efficiency and indirect spend through alignment of operational KPIs that supports the achievement of the financial plan
• Participates in the maintenance of the internal financial control environment ensuring accurate financial statements and safeguarding company assets with respect to bottling overhead and wine cost
• Maintains relationships with other finance and functional management teams to ensure quality deliverables and proper information flow

*Other duties may be assigned

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business discipline, preferably in Accounting or Finance
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Accounting or Finance managing areas of planning, budgeting, and financial reporting, preferably in wine, food or consumer products
• Must have exposure to standard product costing using an ERP system, preferably SAP
• Proven ability to communicate to both the operational and financial team
• Extensive use of Excel, ERP system, and other data manipulation tools

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Financial acuity, with the ability to quickly interpret statements and express business conditions
• Strategic acumen, production and operations knowledge, ability to evaluate a variety of strategies, tactics, processes and workflows
• Foresight – be disposed to predict potential outcomes, recognize trends and anticipate problems
• Have a disciplined approach to problem solving; detail oriented
• Strong analytic skills, capable of complex problem solving
• Takes responsibility for decisions while allowing others to participate in the decision-making process
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information
• Process orientation, ability to define and refine work processes and responsibilities in and across departments and business units

Working Conditions

• General office environment

Work Standards

• Acts in a manner reflective of the Company culture of High Moral Standards, Innovation and Continuous Evolution, Trust in Team, Continuous Improvement, and Sustainable Relationships
• Communicates, interacts, and works effectively with others; receptive to feedback and coaching; voices concerns in a constructive manner
• Demonstrates commitment to safety first; communicates safety concerns; promotes a safe work environment based on established safety standards and training
• Follows all Company policies and procedures

Additional Comments

Management retains the discretion to add to or change the duties of the position at any time.