Accounts Payable Manager

About the role

The Accounts Payable Manager is responsible for leading the organization's accounts payable function and ensuring the accurate, timely, and compliant processing of vendor invoices, employee reimbursements, and payments across the organization. This position provides day-to-day leadership to the Accounts Payable team while maintaining strong financial controls, standardized processes, and effective relationships with vendors and internal stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Accounts Payable Operations

• Oversee the full accounts payable cycle, including invoice receipt, coding, approval, entry, payment, reconciliation, and record retention.
• Ensure invoices and payments are processed accurately and within established service-level expectations.
• Review and approve payment batches, ACH transactions, checks, and other payment methods in accordance with established authorization limits.
• Ensure expenses are recorded to the appropriate entity, department, location, general ledger account, and cost center.
• Monitor outstanding invoices, aging reports, payment holds, credits, and vendor account balances.
• Coordinate with Accounting to ensure appropriate AP cutoff and accruals during monthly, quarterly, and annual close.
• Reconcile AP subledger activity to the general ledger and investigate discrepancies as needed.
• Oversee employee expense reimbursement processes, as applicable.
• Maintain accurate vendor records and supporting documentation.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop Accounts Payable team members.
• Establish clear responsibilities, productivity expectations, quality standards, and performance metrics.
• Manage workload distribution to ensure appropriate coverage and timely processing.
• Provide ongoing feedback, training, and development to team members.
• Identify performance or workflow issues and implement appropriate corrective actions.
• Promote a culture of accountability, accuracy, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Maintain appropriate segregation of duties and internal controls throughout the accounts payable process.
• Ensure payments are properly supported and authorized in accordance with the organization's approval matrix and financial policies.
• Establish and maintain controls related to vendor creation and vendor master file changes, including appropriate validation of banking and payment information.
• Monitor AP activity for duplicate invoices, unusual transactions, potential fraud, or other exceptions.
• Support internal and external audits by providing requested documentation, reconciliations, and explanations.
• Ensure appropriate documentation and record retention in accordance with organizational policies and applicable requirements.
• Oversee annual vendor tax reporting processes, including Form 1099 preparation and related vendor documentation.
• Partner with Finance leadership to maintain and periodically update AP policies, procedures, and controls.

Vendor & Internal Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary escalation point for significant vendor payment issues and AP-related concerns.
• Build effective relationships with vendors while maintaining appropriate financial controls.
• Partner with department leaders to resolve invoice coding, approval, purchase, and payment issues.
• Work collaboratively with Accounting, Finance, Treasury, Operations, Supply Chain/Purchasing, and other departments to improve the procure-to-pay process.
• Identify recurring vendor or internal process issues and develop sustainable solutions rather than relying on transaction-by-transaction resolution.

Process Improvement & Systems

• Evaluate current AP workflows and identify opportunities for standardization, automation, and increased efficiency.
• Develop and maintain standardized AP procedures across entities, departments, and locations.
• Support implementation and optimization of accounting, ERP, invoice-management, purchasing, and expense-management systems.
• Reduce manual processes and improve electronic invoice submission, approval workflows, and payment processes.
• Establish meaningful AP metrics and dashboards to monitor department performance.
• Maintain appropriate system access and approval workflows in partnership with Finance and IT.

Reporting & Financial Management

• Prepare and monitor AP aging and other accounts payable reports.
• Provide Finance leadership with visibility into upcoming payment obligations and significant outstanding liabilities.
• Track department performance against established KPIs.
• Analyze payment trends, late payments, exceptions, duplicate payments, and other indicators of AP effectiveness.
• Support cash management and forecasting by providing accurate information regarding upcoming vendor payments.
• Assist with special projects, acquisitions, integrations, and other Finance initiatives as needed.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive accounts payable processes, accounting, or related financial operations experience.
• 2+ years of supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Strong understanding of accounts payable processes, general ledger accounting, and financial controls.
• Experience managing high-volume accounts payable operations.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and financial/accounting systems.
• Ability to organize and lead system implementations to further advance technology in the department.
• Experience with high volume M&A.
• Experience with standardizing and implementing workflows across the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze processes and implement operational improvements.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Performance Requirements

• Strong understanding of accounting principles, AP controls, accruals, and financial processes.
• Ability to establish expectations, develop employees, and hold team members accountable for results.
• Ability to create scalable, standardized processes in a complex environment.
• High degree of accuracy when reviewing financial transactions and supporting documentation.
• Ability to identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions.
• Professional and responsive approach to internal departments and external vendors.
• Demonstrates sound judgment and maintains confidentiality when handling sensitive financial information.
• Comfortable improving established processes and leading teams through operational change.
• Ability to work effectively across Finance, Operations, Purchasing, IT, and other functional areas.
• Ability to adapt to the needs of the organization and employees.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.