AI Summary

Senior Manager / Associate Director of Cost Accounting leads cost accounting for manufacturing and operations, overseeing standard costing, inventory valuation, COGS reporting, and internal controls to support scale from clinical-stage to commercialization.

About this role

More than one million people in the United States today are fighting blood cancer. While a traditional allogeneic stem cell transplant has been the best hope for many, the transplant itself can prove fatal or lead to serious conditions, such as graft vs. host disease. Orca Bio is a late-stage biotechnology company redefining the transplant process by developing next-generation cell therapies with the goal of providing significantly better survival rates with dramatically fewer risks. With our purified, high-precision investigational cell therapies we hope to not only replace patients' blood and immune systems with healthy ones, but also restore their lives.

The Senior Manager / Associate Director, Cost Accounting will lead cost accounting activities for manufacturing and operational functions within a biotechnology or pharmaceutical organization. This role is responsible for overseeing product costing, inventory valuation, COGS reporting, and cost-related controls, while supporting business scaling from clinical-stage through commercialization. The position requires strong leadership, cross-functional partnership, and deep expertise in manufacturing cost structures.

Essential Duties & Key Responsibilities

Cost Accounting & Analysis

Develop, own and oversee standard costing, variance analysis, and cost allocations across manufacturing operations

Establish and maintain cost accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls

Lead and review monthly close activities related to inventory, COGS, and manufacturing variances

Support cost-of-goods-sold (COGS) analysis for clinical and commercial products

Inventory & Manufacturing Accounting

Maintain accurate inventory valuation for raw materials, WIP, and finished goods

Account for complex manufacturing processes, including batch-based and patient-specific production, where applicable

Partner with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and R&D to understand cost drivers and improve cost accuracy

Lead physical inventory counts and cycle count programs

Ensure proper capitalization and expensing of manufacturing-related costs

Financial Reporting & Compliance

Support monthly close activities related to inventory, COGS, and manufacturing variances

Ensure compliance with GAAP, SOX (if applicable), and internal controls

Assist with audit requests related to inventory, cost accounting, and manufacturing transactions

Support implementation and maintenance of ERP and cost accounting systems

Serve as a primary point of contact for auditors on cost accounting and inventory-related matters

Budgeting & Forecasting

Assist in manufacturing cost forecasts and annual budgets

Monitor actual costs versus budget and provide variance analysis

Support long-range planning related to scale-up, tech transfer, and commercialization

Minimum Experience, Education, Certifications, Licenses

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or related field

5+ years of progressive cost accounting experience in a manufacturing, biotech, or pharmaceutical environment

Strong understanding of standard costing, inventory accounting, and variance analysis

Experience working with ERP systems – NetSuite is highly desirable

Strong Excel skills and data analysis capabilities

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Ability to work cross-functionally with manufacturing and operations teams

High attention to detail and accuracy

Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in cell therapy, gene therapy, or biologics manufacturing

Knowledge of GMP manufacturing environments

CPA preferred but not required

Experience supporting clinical stage to commercial transition

Skills

AuditsBudgetingCapitalization Vs. ExpensingClinical To Commercial TransitionCOGSCost AllocationsCost System ImplementationCycle CountsData AnalysisERP SystemsExcelFinancial ReportingForecastingGAAPGMP Manufacturing EnvironmentsInventory AccountingInventory ValuationManufacturing Cost AccountingNetSuiteSOXStandard CostingTech TransferVariance Analysis

Senior Manager / Associate Director, Cost Accounting

About this role

Essential Duties & Key Responsibilities

Minimum Experience, Education, Certifications, Licenses

Preferred Qualifications

Skills

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