Senior Cost Accountant in Columbus, Ohio at Ampersand Brands, LLC

About Us

Ampersand Brands is a growing portfolio of beloved confectionery brands, including Hammond’s Candies, the iconic hand-crafted candy maker, and Lolli & Pops, a premium retail and gifting brand with a national presence. The company is backed by strong growth ambitions, combining innovation, brand storytelling, and operational excellence to expand its reach and solidify its position as a leading player in the U.S. confections industry.

The seat

You own standard cost and the consolidated inventory number across both brands, Hammond's Candies and Lolli & Pops. This is the first true cost-ownership seat in the company. You set the cost basis under every unit we make in production and every order we ship to wholesale and ecomm, roll it up to one consolidated cost and inventory position, and give leadership a clean read on margin by product and by account. Senior individual contributor, technical owner of the cost function, reporting to the VP Corporate Controller.

First 90 days (your first rock)

Rebuild the cost allocation off the fixed percentage onto real drivers, across both brands, and hand the staff accountant a driver-based allocation to book. Today cost is reclassed on a fixed percentage set in 2023. You will stand up standard costs tied to actual usage, rates, and mix, rebuild inventory valuation on those drivers, so your margin numbers are accurate again.

What you will own

● Prepare and book the monthly consolidated cost and inventory close, and reconcile inventory to the GL.

● Own, update, and maintain the driver-based cost allocation model and methodology across both brands. Provide the allocation for booking; set the cost standards the function follows.

● Build and maintain standard costs across manufacturing and wholesale.

● Value inventory and analyze purchase price and usage variances against actual drivers, at the consolidated level.

● Report wholesale margin by account, net of freight and trade deductions, and explain the movement.

● Cost the supply chain that serves wholesale and ecomm: inbound and outbound freight, warehouse and handling, fulfillment and platform fees. Report landed margin by channel.

● Consume PO and receipt data to explain variance.

● Eliminate inter-company cost and margin between the two brands in the consolidated numbers.

What we require

● Five or more years in accounting, including a month-end cost and inventory close you personally owned and rolled to a consolidated number.

● Direct experience building and maintaining standard costs at a manufacturer, food, CPG, wholesale, or multi-channel (wholesale and ecomm) company.

● A track record of doer work: prepared, booked, reconciled, valued, closed, analyzed variances.

● Strong US GAAP.

● Comfort working independently in a lean function.

Preferred

● CPA.

● Master's in accounting.

● Audit firm experience early in your career.

● Sage.

Where this goes

This seat is built to grow. As you prove out the cost model, the path opens to leading the cost function. We want someone who wants to own it and build from there.