Accounts Payable Supervisor (Principal Accountant)

About the Position

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is seeking an Accounts Payable Supervisor (Principal Accountant) to lead and oversee all Accounts Payable operations, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and strong internal controls across a high-volume financial environment. This position serves as the department's A/P subject-matter expert and supervises a team responsible for processing complex transactions, resolving vendor issues, and managing procurement-related financial activity. This leadership role requires advanced accounting proficiency, strong analytical skills, and the comprehensive ability to evaluate and improve business processes in partnership with internal programs and external vendors. The A/P Supervisor reports to the Accounting Manager and interacts regularly with staff at all levels, including senior leadership, as well as external partners.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all Accounts Payable operations including invoice processing, payment authorization, reconciliations, and compliance with GAAP, GASB, City policies and internal controls.
• Serve as the primary A/P expert, responding to inquiries from auditors, vendors, internal customers, and leadership.
• Manage and monitor financial controls for A/P workflows, ensuring proper authorization, accuracy of goods/services received, and alignment with purchasing requirements.
• Administer and oversee the City's credit card program including issuance, monitoring, compliance, and reporting.
• Ensure timely month-end and year-end close, validating transaction accuracy, clearing exceptions, and meeting City deadlines.
• Review and approve complex transactions including purchase requisitions, contracts, travel reimbursements, encumbrances, retainage, wire payments, and tax-related items.
• Supervise and develop the A/P team, including hiring, training, coaching, workload oversight, and performance management.
• Develop and maintain departmental A/P procedures, identifying opportunities to streamline workflows and strengthen financial compliance.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration or related field (requires satisfactory completion of at least 24 semester hours or 36 quarter credit units in accounting with no substitution allowed) and/or professional certification as a CPA, plus four years professional experience in accounting, auditing, financial analysis, or related work with one year experience equivalent to a Senior Accountant (or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class).

Desired Qualifications

• Extensive professional experience in GAAP and GASB as applied to governmental accounting and high-volume A/P operations.
• Advanced proficiency with PeopleSoft 9.2 (or comparable large-scale financial ERP), including A/P modules, reporting tools, and workflow configuration.
• Demonstrated success supervising accounting teams, managing workload priorities, and developing staff capabilities.
• Strong analytical skills, problem-solving ability, and exceptional accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and proactively address operational issues.
• Experience working in a multi-cultural, customer-focused public environment.

Schedule

• Hybrid work schedule at home and office.
• 9/80 or 4/10 work schedule available.

Compensation

The full salary range for this position is $54.01 to $62.90 per hour.

Benefits

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation time, 12 paid holidays, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

About Seattle Parks and Recreation

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is a national leader and innovator in the services and programs we provide to our residents who enjoy our public spaces such as parks, community centers, specialty gardens and swimming pools. Our mission is to equip employees and the public for well-being as we support healthy people, a thriving environment and vibrant community. We provide safe and accessible spaces for residents and visitors to work, recreate, rejuvenate and enhance quality of life and wellness for children, teenagers, adults and seniors. Delivering excellent customer service to all is a core value.

Equity & Inclusion

Seattle Parks and Recreation commits to advancing equity and social justice in our department and in every neighborhood by growing a dynamic and diverse workforce, developing strong investments, growth opportunities and beneficial partner strategies as we acknowledge and pledge to close disparities created by historical practices which often hindered workforce development, environmental justice, access to quality open spaces, programs and facilities.

SPR's Core Competencies

• Accountability & Action: Holding yourself accountable for achieving goals, completing tasks, and delivering quality work. Demonstrating thoughtful initiative in actions and decision-making and promoting high quality standards.
• Equity and Inclusion: Supporting the goals of the Race and Social Justice Initiative and the City's commitment to workforce equity.
• Communication: Sharing and exchanging information and ideas with people in a variety of ways to help them understand and remember the information.
• Service: An ongoing commitment to base decisions and actions on the needs and priorities of the City.
• Teamwork: Participating as an engaged member of a team to achieve group goals. Effectively working with internal and external people to complete tasks and achieve work group goals.