Cost Accountant (3-month FTC)

Blair West are supporting an automotive manufacturer, to find a Cost Accountant on an initial three-month fixed-term contract.

This role has been created to support the business through a major transition in its standard costing processes as it moves from an existing subcontractor to a new paint and subcontract partner. The position reports day-to-day into the Head of Finance and will work closely with the Managing Director and wider leadership team during a critical period of operational and commercial activity.

The opportunity:

• Review and update all standard cost ratings to ensure accuracy during a period of operational change.
• Identify, investigate and resolve issues impacting the way actual costs flow through the trial balance.
• Improve visibility and reliability of standard vs. actual costing analysis.
• Support the business with a high volume of RFIs and quotation requests from a major automotive customer.
• Provide additional finance capacity during a short period of limited MD availability.
• Lead detailed data interrogation, including scrap adjustments and production-related analysis.
• Collaborate with production control and IT to ensure costing data is robust, consistent and actionable.
• Contribute to improved processes and documentation to support ongoing cost accuracy and decision-making.

You’ll be the ideal candidate for this position if you have:

• Strong experience in manufacturing costing, including standard costing.
• A background as a cost accountant, ideally professionally qualified (CIMA/ACCA/ACA).
• Confidence working with complex cost flows and resolving discrepancies in financial reporting.
• The ability to interrogate data, challenge anomalies and provide clear insight to stakeholders.
• Experience working in fast-moving, operational environments where accuracy is critical.
• A hands-on, pragmatic approach with the ability to add value quickly.
• Flexibility to spend one week on-site in Sunderland for onboarding, with remote working thereafter.

The benefits included with this opportunity:

• Flexible remote working after the initial onboarding period.
• Competitive pro-rata salary (£50k–£70k depending on experience).
• Travel and accommodation covered for candidates based outside the region.

Our commitment

Blair West is an equal-opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and inclusion at every stage of the recruitment process. We are committed to fairness, equality, and ongoing diversity training for our team to give our candidates and clients a feeling of belonging during their experience with us. If you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during their experience with us, please speak to their consultant.