Cost Accountant
Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (hybrid working - onsite Mon-Wed)
Role Overview
The Cost Accountant will provide accurate, timely financial reporting and analysis to support operational and strategic decision-making within a manufacturing environment. The role supports cost control, forecasting, and performance insight across production operations.
Key Responsibilities:
Reporting to the Financial Controller, responsibilities include:
Reporting & Analysis
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Prepare monthly management reports, including margin and performance analysis
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Produce monthly P&Ls for two key business units
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Support the month-end close process
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Produce rolling forecasts, with a focus on production costs
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Deliver weekly efficiency reporting across production operations
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Translate financial data into clear, actionable insights
Cost Accounting
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Perform variance analysis (material, labour, overhead), identifying key drivers
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Review cost absorption and overhead allocation
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Support the standard costing process
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Participate in stock obsolescence reviews and related analysis
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Partner with operations to improve cost efficiency and reduce waste
Planning & Forecasting
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Support budgeting and forecasting processes
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Monitor actual vs budget and highlight key variances
Business Partnering
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Work cross-functionally to support data-driven decision making
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Collaborate with procurement to track cost savings
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Provide ad hoc financial analysis
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Controls & Process Improvement
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Support audit and year-end requirements
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Identify opportunities to improve processes, reporting, and systems
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Contribute to cost reduction and continuous improvement initiatives
Skills & Experience
Essential
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Part or fully qualified (CIMA/ACCA/ACA – CIMA preferred) or qualified by experience
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Experience in a manufacturing or production environment
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Strong Excel and data analysis skills
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Experience with ERP systems
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Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage non-finance stakeholders
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Understanding of standard costing
Desirable
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Power BI / Power Query experience
Personal Attributes
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Analytical with strong attention to detail
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Commercial and operationally focused
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Proactive with a questioning mindset
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Strong stakeholder engagement skills
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Able to work independently in a fast-paced environment
#Li-hybrid
The Steam Thermal Solutions business is one of three businesses within Spirax Group. Spirax Sarco and Gestra, are our two brands that form Steam Thermal Solutions and are global leaders in the supply of engineered solutions for the design, provision and maintenance of efficient industrial and commercial steam systems. Steam Thermal Solutions has global coverage across 67 operating units (called OpCos), organised into four Divisions: EMEA, APAC, Americas, Gestra.
Spirax Group is a FTSE100 and FTSE4Good multi-national industrial engineering Group with expertise in the control and management of steam, electric thermal solutions, peristaltic pumping and associated fluid technologies.
Our Purpose is to create sustainable value for all our stakeholders as we engineer a more efficient, safer and sustainable world. Our technologies play an essential role in critical industrial processes and industrial equipment across industries as diverse as Food & Beverage, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology, Power Generation, Semiconductors and Healthcare. With customers in 165 countries, we provide the solutions that sit behind the production of many items used in daily life, from baked beans to mobile phones!
Our Purpose, supported by our inclusive culture and Values, unites us, guides our decisions and inspires us everywhere that we operate. We support our colleagues to make their difference for each other as well as customers, communities, suppliers, our planet and shareholders by creating a truly equitable working environment where everyone feels included.
Benefits
You will receive a competitive salary (and a discretionary bonus), flexible working and excellent benefits including 27 days holiday allowance (before bank holidays), 3 days’ paid volunteering leave, comprehensive private healthcare, enhanced pension plan, life assurance, optional participation in a Share Ownership Plan, free onsite parking, flexible benefits, and access to a personal discounts’ portal. We also offer a range of additional support and benefits through our Everyone is Included Group Inclusion Plan, detailed below.
Everyone is Included at Spirax Group
We are passionate about creating inclusive and equitable working cultures where everyone can be themselves and achieve their full potential. For us, that means supportive teams and strong relationships where everyone’s contribution is valued - across social and cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, genders, gender identities, abilities, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and everything else that makes us human and unique.
We want everyone to be able to make their difference here, so we will always consider requests for flexible working.
We know that everyone needs some extra help from time to time too, so we have introduced a range of additional benefits through our Group Inclusion Commitments. These include gender-neutral parental leave, 15 days of extra paid caregiver leave, paid time off and support for anyone experiencing pregnancy loss or domestic abuse, menopause-friendly workplace principles and more. Learn more at https://www.spiraxgroup.com/en/life-at-spirax/our-inclusive-group/our-inclusion-commitments.
We are also a Disability Confident Committed Employer. If you would like to apply using this scheme, please select this option in our application form or notify our recruitment partners.
