OPT Cost Accounting Manager Jobs
Cost Accounting Manager roles involve overseeing product costing, variance analysis, and inventory valuation, work that requires a CPA or advanced degree in accounting or finance. Most positions qualify as specialty occupations under OPT, and many large manufacturers and consumer goods companies have established sponsorship pipelines for this role.
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Kömmerling USA is seeking a Cost Accountant / General Accountant to support manufacturing cost accounting and general accounting activities. This position will report to the Accounting Manager and CFO, with primary responsibility for maintaining accurate product costing and inventory information, including Bills of Material (BOMs), routings, standard costs, and moving average prices.
The position will also support Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, month-end closing, account reconciliations, cash application, invoice processing, and other general accounting functions. The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented, hands-on, and comfortable working with manufacturing and financial data while collaborating with Accounting, Production, Purchasing, Sales, and Operations.
Key Responsibilities
Cost Accounting
- Maintain and review Bills of Material (BOMs) to ensure material quantities and components are accurate.
- Maintain and review production routings, including labor and machine operations.
- Calculate, maintain, and analyze standard costs for manufactured products.
- Review and monitor moving average prices for purchased materials and inventory.
- Assist with periodic standard cost updates and cost rollups.
- Analyze material, labor, overhead, and production cost variances.
- Review inventory costing and investigate unusual or incorrect inventory values.
- Assist with analysis of raw material, work-in-process, finished goods, and trading stock inventory.
- Work with Production, Purchasing, and Operations to identify and correct costing or master-data issues.
- Support inventory counts, inventory reconciliations, and year-end inventory procedures.
- Prepare cost, margin, and profitability analyses as requested by the Accounting Manager, CFO, and management.
Accounts Receivable
- Post and apply customer cash receipts to Accounts Receivable accounts.
- Research and resolve unapplied or incorrectly applied customer payments.
- Assist with customer account reconciliations.
- Support Accounts Receivable aging reviews and collection activities as needed.
- Assist with credit memo and customer account research.
Accounts Payable
- Voucher and process vendor invoices.
- Verify appropriate purchase orders, receipts, account coding, and approvals.
- Research invoice discrepancies and work with Purchasing and other departments to resolve issues.
- Assist with vendor account reconciliations and payment processing.
- Review invoices for appropriate general ledger and cost center classification.
Month-End & General Accounting
- Assist the Accounting Manager and CFO with the monthly financial closing process.
- Prepare and post journal entries.
- Prepare balance sheet and general ledger account reconciliations.
- Assist with inventory and cost-of-goods-sold reconciliations.
- Review accounts for unusual transactions, balances, or variances.
- Assist with accruals and other month-end adjustments.
- Support monthly financial reporting and management analysis.
- Assist with year-end closing and external audit requests.
- Maintain appropriate accounting documentation and supporting schedules.
- Provide backup support for other Accounting Department responsibilities as needed.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
- 2-5 years of accounting experience preferred.
- Manufacturing accounting or cost accounting experience strongly preferred.
- Experience with Bills of Material, routings, inventory costing, and standard costing preferred.
- Experience with Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions.
- Strong Microsoft Excel skills.
- ERP system experience required; SAP experience strongly preferred.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and meet month-end deadlines.
- Ability to communicate effectively with Accounting, Production, Purchasing, Sales, and Operations personnel.
Key Characteristics for Success
The successful candidate will be hands-on and willing to work across both cost accounting and general accounting functions. This position requires someone who can understand how manufacturing transactions flow through the ERP system and ultimately impact inventory, cost of goods sold, margins, and the financial statements.
The individual should be comfortable investigating discrepancies, identifying root causes, and working with operational departments to improve the accuracy of financial.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid sick time
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
Position Summary
Kömmerling USA is seeking a Cost Accountant / General Accountant to support manufacturing cost accounting and general accounting activities. This position will report to the Accounting Manager and CFO, with primary responsibility for maintaining accurate product costing and inventory information, including Bills of Material (BOMs), routings, standard costs, and moving average prices.
The position will also support Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, month-end closing, account reconciliations, cash application, invoice processing, and other general accounting functions. The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented, hands-on, and comfortable working with manufacturing and financial data while collaborating with Accounting, Production, Purchasing, Sales, and Operations.
Key Responsibilities
Cost Accounting
- Maintain and review Bills of Material (BOMs) to ensure material quantities and components are accurate.
- Maintain and review production routings, including labor and machine operations.
- Calculate, maintain, and analyze standard costs for manufactured products.
- Review and monitor moving average prices for purchased materials and inventory.
- Assist with periodic standard cost updates and cost rollups.
- Analyze material, labor, overhead, and production cost variances.
- Review inventory costing and investigate unusual or incorrect inventory values.
- Assist with analysis of raw material, work-in-process, finished goods, and trading stock inventory.
- Work with Production, Purchasing, and Operations to identify and correct costing or master-data issues.
- Support inventory counts, inventory reconciliations, and year-end inventory procedures.
- Prepare cost, margin, and profitability analyses as requested by the Accounting Manager, CFO, and management.
Accounts Receivable
- Post and apply customer cash receipts to Accounts Receivable accounts.
- Research and resolve unapplied or incorrectly applied customer payments.
- Assist with customer account reconciliations.
- Support Accounts Receivable aging reviews and collection activities as needed.
- Assist with credit memo and customer account research.
Accounts Payable
- Voucher and process vendor invoices.
- Verify appropriate purchase orders, receipts, account coding, and approvals.
- Research invoice discrepancies and work with Purchasing and other departments to resolve issues.
- Assist with vendor account reconciliations and payment processing.
- Review invoices for appropriate general ledger and cost center classification.
Month-End & General Accounting
- Assist the Accounting Manager and CFO with the monthly financial closing process.
- Prepare and post journal entries.
- Prepare balance sheet and general ledger account reconciliations.
- Assist with inventory and cost-of-goods-sold reconciliations.
- Review accounts for unusual transactions, balances, or variances.
- Assist with accruals and other month-end adjustments.
- Support monthly financial reporting and management analysis.
- Assist with year-end closing and external audit requests.
- Maintain appropriate accounting documentation and supporting schedules.
- Provide backup support for other Accounting Department responsibilities as needed.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
- 2-5 years of accounting experience preferred.
- Manufacturing accounting or cost accounting experience strongly preferred.
- Experience with Bills of Material, routings, inventory costing, and standard costing preferred.
- Experience with Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions.
- Strong Microsoft Excel skills.
- ERP system experience required; SAP experience strongly preferred.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and meet month-end deadlines.
- Ability to communicate effectively with Accounting, Production, Purchasing, Sales, and Operations personnel.
Key Characteristics for Success
The successful candidate will be hands-on and willing to work across both cost accounting and general accounting functions. This position requires someone who can understand how manufacturing transactions flow through the ERP system and ultimately impact inventory, cost of goods sold, margins, and the financial statements.
The individual should be comfortable investigating discrepancies, identifying root causes, and working with operational departments to improve the accuracy of financial.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid sick time
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
See all 56+ OPT Cost Accounting Manager Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Cost Accounting Manager
Target companies with cost accounting functions, not just accounting departments
Manufacturing, consumer goods, and healthcare companies maintain dedicated cost accounting teams. These employers file H-1B visa petitions regularly for this role and are far more likely to sponsor OPT students than general accounting firms or service businesses.
Highlight ERP experience prominently on your resume
Proficiency in SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics is a hard filter for most Cost Accounting Manager searches. Listing specific modules you've worked in, like SAP CO or Oracle Cost Management, signals technical depth that justifies sponsorship investment.
Bring your OPT end date and STEM extension eligibility into early conversations
Accounting degrees from ABET-accredited programs often qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Clarifying your full authorized work window upfront removes the biggest employer hesitation before it becomes a dealbreaker in later interview stages.
Pursue CPA licensure or demonstrate active progress toward it
Most Cost Accounting Manager postings list CPA as required or strongly preferred. Candidates who have passed at least two exam sections are treated more seriously by hiring managers and signal a long-term professional commitment that strengthens the sponsorship case.
Frame your experience around business impact, not just accounting tasks
Sponsoring employers want to see that you reduce variance, improve margin analysis, or streamline standard costing processes. Quantify outcomes in your resume and interviews, percentage improvements to reporting cycles or cost accuracy carry more weight than task descriptions.
Ask about the H-1B sponsorship process during the offer stage, not after
Raising sponsorship during final negotiations puts employers in an awkward position. Ask during the second or third interview round whether the company has sponsored H-1B petitions for this role before, and confirm your OPT authorization covers the full hiring timeline.
Cost Accounting Manager OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Cost Accounting Manager role qualify as a specialty occupation for OPT?
Yes. Cost Accounting Manager positions consistently qualify as specialty occupations because they require at least a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field as a standard industry requirement. This means the role supports both F-1 OPT authorization and, later, H-1B sponsorship. Employers filing an H-1B petition for this title face a straightforward specialty occupation argument with USCIS.
Can I work as a Cost Accounting Manager on STEM OPT extension?
You can if your degree qualifies under the STEM Designated Degree Program List. Accounting degrees from programs classified under CIP code 52.0301 are STEM-eligible at many universities, giving you a 24-month extension beyond the initial 12-month OPT period. Confirm your specific degree classification with your DSO before assuming eligibility, since not all accounting programs qualify.
What types of employers are most likely to sponsor OPT students for Cost Accounting Manager roles?
Large manufacturers, consumer packaged goods companies, pharmaceutical firms, and publicly traded corporations with complex inventory structures are the most consistent sponsors. These companies maintain dedicated cost accounting functions and have established legal teams experienced with H-1B petitions. Smaller employers or service-industry companies rarely have the infrastructure or volume of accounting work that justifies this role at the managerial level. Migrate Mate lists employers actively open to OPT candidates in this category.
How much time does my employer need to start the H-1B sponsorship process before my OPT expires?
Your employer needs to file the H-1B petition by April 1 of the fiscal year starting October 1, meaning they must register in March. If your OPT expires before October 1 and you're within the 60-day cap-gap window, your status is protected while the petition is pending. Timing matters significantly here: OPT students with expiration dates in mid-summer are most at risk of a gap if their employer misses the filing window.
Is a CPA license required to get OPT authorization for a Cost Accounting Manager position?
No. OPT authorization is tied to your degree and employment being in a directly related field, not to professional licensure. However, CPA licensure significantly improves your chances of being hired and sponsored. Many employers treat it as a practical requirement even when the job posting lists it as preferred, and candidates with active CPA exam progress are consistently prioritized over those without any licensure pathway.