Cost Accountant - Electric at BURN

About the role

• The Cost Accountant will be responsible for end-to-end cost management, analysis, and reporting to support commercial decision-making. The Cost Accountant will ensure accurate product, channel, and market costing, lead COGS and margin analysis, and will work closely with commercial teams to improve profitability through cost control, pricing support, and variance analysis. The position plays a key role in translating operational and sales data into actionable financial insights for management.

Duties and Responsibilities

Costing & Unit Economics

• Lead preparation and refinement of unit economics for all Electric markets and sales channels (PAYGO, B2B, B2C, country activations).
• Maintain accurate standard costs for all Electric BU SKUs and components.
• Perform standard vs actual cost analysis and explain key drivers of cost variances.
• Estimate landed, production, and market-specific costs for new markets and product expansions.

 COGS, COGM & Inventory Reporting

• Prepare monthly and quarterly COGS and COGM reports for leadership review.
• Validate inventory transactions, adjustments, valuations, and consumption related to Electric stoves.
• Ensure accurate costing of accessories, spare parts, and market-specific product configurations.
• Analyse production and distribution cost trends and advise on risk areas.

 Budgeting, Forecasting & Variance Analysis

• Support Finance and Electric leadership in the annual budgeting and monthly forecasting processes.
• Analyze cost variances by country, channel, product line, and operational process.
• Track Electric-related OPEX, logistics costs, distribution costs, warranty/service costs, and field-related expenses.
• Prepare country-level and channel-level cost variance report

 Profitability Analysis & Strategic Cost Insights

• Lead profitability and contribution margin analysis for all Electric markets.
• Prepare country, product, and channel profitability reports to guide pricing and commercial strategy.
• Provide strategic cost insights to the Senior Director and Finance Director to support expansion, pricing updates, product changes, and operational decisions.
• Produce decision-ready costing inputs for Electric leadership reviews and strategic planning cycles.

 Support Across All Electric Markets

• Provide costing, pricing, profitability, and variance support to all Electric markets: Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, and future countries.
• Validate country-specific cost inputs (freight, warehousing, deployment, distribution, duties, landed cost changes).
• Work with country teams to ensure consistent costing standards and reliable financial data.
• Adapt unit economics and profitability models to reflect each market’s realities.

 Strategic Support & Business Partnering

• Support the Senior Director – Electric Business with strategic analysis, cost modelling, and financial input for business cases, expansion decisions, and commercial strategies.
• Prepare costing insights for leadership presentations, pricing reviews, and market strategy discussions.
• Partner with Finance, Commercial, Supply Chain, and Operations to strengthen financial decision-making across the Electric BU.
• Lead costing components of new product launches, supplier transitions, and cost optimization initiatives.

 Cost Control & Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to reduce costs across manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, distribution, and commercial operations.
• Strengthen internal controls related to Electric costing processes and inventory accuracy.
• Lead initiatives to improve costing accuracy, process discipline, and reporting timelines.
• Develop and enforce Electric-specific cost accounting best practices and SOPs.

 Oversight & Development of Junior Cost Accountant

• Supervise and mentor the Junior Cost Accountant, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and high analytical standards.
• Review all reconciliations, cost allocations, reports, and variance analyses submitted by the junior team member.
• Guide workload priorities, capacity planning, and professional development.

 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Accuracy of cost reports and inventory valuation
• Budget variance management
• Cost reduction initiatives achieved
• Timeliness of financial reporting
• Inventory reconciliation accuracy
• Support to profitability improvement initiatives
• COGS, COGM & Inventory Performance
• Data Integrity, Controls & Systems

Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• A professional qualification such as CPA, ACCA, or CMA is preferred.
• 3–5 years of experience in cost accounting, preferably in a commercial or distribution environment.
• Strong understanding of inventory management and costing methods.
• Proficiency in ERP systems and Microsoft Excel.
• Experience in budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis.