Senior Accounts Payable Specialist

Manpower are pleased to be recruiting on behalf of our client based in Milton Keynes for a Senior Accounts Payable Specialist to join their team.

The purpose of this role is to provide technical knowledge and subject matter expertise for Accounts Payable to ensure all invoice processing, payments and associated processes are carried out accurately, compliantly and on time for our Client and 3rd party suppliers.

The role holder is also responsible for the development of process improvements to systems and the investigation of balances and reconciling items, working cross functionally with other departments to achieve this.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure daily invoices and credits are processed with robust controls and paid in accordance with supplier contractual terms and in adherence to regulations, company policies and service level agreements (SLAs), including review and sign off of payment runs. 
• Ensure the daily processing and payment of Consignments and associated brand balances are account managed and reconciled, with any reconciling differences reported on a weekly basis.
• Act as a subject matter expert and technical specialist in supporting the team with key system requirements and problem solving relating to all aspects of Accounts Payable processes. 
• Proactive supplier account management and completion of the top 10/20 supplier statement reconciliations ensuring queries are worked and resolved promptly, escalating appropriately to ensure no ageing of balances >60 days to minimise exposure to the business. 
• Auditing and payment of employee expense claims making sure claims are approved or rejected in adherence with the Company's Travel and Expense policy and within the Controlling budget. 
• Processing and review of weekly supplier and employee expenses payment runs, ensuring suppliers are paid to terms. 
• Ensure the setting up and amendments to the supplier account master data is completed with accuracy and work internally with the Risk & Governance function and Procurement team for completion of credit checks and Companies House for legal entity and financial worthiness. 
• Reconciliation of all Accounts Payable related balance sheet, general ledger and intercompany accounts making sure accurate balances are reported and ensure documented actions are in place to investigate and resolve aged open items and completed in line with the monthly timetable. 
• Work collaboratively with the Accounts Payable Manager to develop and report on meaningful key performance indicators and management information, providing detailed analysis to the senior leadership team within Finance Operations. 
• Reviewing and 1st authorisation in HSBCnet for payments; ensuring all payments have been authorised in adherence with the business authorisation matrix and policies. 
• Identify opportunities for system and process change, understand the impacts of changes and apply decision making techniques to prioritise effectively. 
• Understand the interaction and impact of subsidiary systems on the main SAP accounting systems to ensure system integrity, particularly in relation to 3rd party supplier invoice/payments and balance sheet accounts. 
• Be a primary contact for Internal/External Auditors with the ability to provide documents, background information and explain variances where necessary in relation to supplier invoices/credits, general ledger postings, reconciliations, authorisations and audit trails. 
• As a subject matter expert provide and support with training to the team, transfer knowledge and enhance skill sets to improve performance. 
• Robust stakeholder management to include regular liaison and communication across all business areas to optimise cross functional relationships. 
• Perform/support user acceptance testing (UAT) where appropriate to ensure that key controls are included within testing to deliver a robust solution for Accounts Payable processes. 
• Assist with any operational projects as required collaborating with colleagues in IT and across the business to ensure clarity of requirements/issues for all change relating to Accounts Payable is assessed. 
• Provide support as required to the Accounts Payable Manager and senior Finance Management team. 

KEY CHALLENGES

• Influencing stakeholders to prioritise operational tasks that impact ageing of open items on balance sheet accounts in order to prevent reoccurrence and resolve queries proactively.
• Having the courage to push back on additional manual processes as this affects the performance of the team and may lead to user errors.
• The ability to implement change to achieve operational efficiencies due to delayed availability of resource.

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

• Able to demonstrate reliable all round accounting / bookkeeping technical knowledge 
• Excellent knowledge of Excel and Office applications
• Experienced knowledge of SAP FI, including Sales ledger, Purchase Ledger, Banking modules and General Ledger management. 
• A competent understanding of commercial, regulatory and compliance legislation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to collaborate with both Finance and non-Finance staff at all levels 
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to clearly define and investigate business process issues 
• Good self-organisation with a proven methodical and disciplined approach to work 
• Highly motivated, able to work flexibly under pressure, apply own initiative without supervision in order to meet strict deadlines 
• Experience of managing relationships and the ability to work collaboratively to influence stakeholders at all levels 
• Up to date awareness of regulatory and compliance legislation as it impacts on the role 

If this sounds like the role for you then apply now!