Our Client
Started in 1969, LAI Group Australia is one of the leading providers of Switchboards, Switchrooms, Support Structures and Energy Services products. From their modest beginnings in Bowden as a small workshop, they have grown into a trusted national presence with manufacturing facilities in Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane, supporting industrial growth and innovation across the country.
They are leaders in Australia’s electrical infrastructure and energy solutions sector, delivering tailored services and products for commercial, industrial, and infrastructure clients. From concept to commissioning, their expert team ensures compliance with standards, safety, and optimal system performance.
Their evolution mirrors the pace and precision of Australian industry, driven by innovation, collaboration and commitment. They specialise in custom engineered systems that meet the needs of today while preparing for the energy challenges of tomorrow.
An opportunity now exists to join the business as Cost Accountant in a newly created, permanent role.
The Role
Reporting to the Group Financial Controller, you will play a critical role in strengthening cost control, WIP accuracy and financial integrity across the business. This position acts as the key link between finance, operations, procurement and sales, ensuring WIP costings are captured correctly and the business has reliable data to support decision-making.
Duties will include:
- Supporting the design and standardisation of costing frameworks across projects, services, and production
- Establishing and maintaining robust cost codes, cost centres, and Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) to enable accurate reporting
- Managing Work in Progress (WIP), ensuring costs are accurately captured and flow correctly throughout the job lifecycle
- Supporting the implementation of Epicor, including costing configuration, data migration, and system alignment
- Partnering with stakeholders across finance, operations, engineering, sales, and procurement to resolve costing matters
- Delivering accurate and timely costing data to support month-end reporting, margin analysis, and performance insights
- Reviewing job closures, open purchase orders, and invoices to ensure appropriate cost treatment and on charging
- Maintaining strong governance over master data, driving consistency and continuous improvement in costing processes
- Analysing project and operational data to identify variances, trends, and opportunities to enhance cost control
- Strengthening data integrity across ERP and related systems, ensuring accurate capture of direct and indirect costs
- Providing clear, structured reporting to support decision-making and business performance
- Enhancing visibility and financial control as the business scales and grows
About You
- Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or a related field; CPA or CA membership highly regarded – but is not essential to be considered
- Costing expertise: Proven experience in cost accounting, cost control or similar roles within complex manufacturing and/or projects environments.
- WIP capability: Strong understanding of WIP, job costing, cost centres, cost codes and WBS.
- Industry background: Experience in manufacturing or project-based environments is highly regarded – however, candidates with costing experience across other sectors are strongly encouraged to apply
- Systems capability: Experience with ERP systems – particularly Epicor will be highly regarded but not essential
- Analytical mindset: Strong attention to detail with the ability to interrogate data, identify variances and resolve inconsistencies
- Stakeholder skills: Confident communicator who can partner effectively across finance, operations, engineering, sales and procurement.
- Continuous improvement focused: Practical, process-driven and comfortable ensuring that best practice is always in place
In Return
- Competitive remuneration subject to experience
- A key role in a growing Australian manufacturing business that is experiencing significant growth
- The opportunity to shape costing control and WIP as well as participation in a system rollout
- Broad exposure across projects, service and production in a business with national operations
- An integral role working closely with senior stakeholders across the organisation
- Based in Adelaide, with involvement across multiple sites as required
Next Steps
If you’re interested in the position available, please apply using the relevant link. If you have any specific questions, please contact Megan Kivell – mkivell@ppsconsulting.com.au