Accounts Payable and Payroll Officer

About Us

SAE North America (SAE NA) is one of the world’s leading educators in the creative media industries. We are part of Navitas, a leading global education provider driven by a commitment to transform lives through education. SAE NA is part of the Careers & Industry (C&I) division which represents a significant part of the Navitas portfolio, bringing together niche colleges offering higher education, VET, professional development, and employability skills across Australasia and North America.

Job Summary

The Accounts Payable and Payroll Officer in conjunction with the Finance Manager, is responsible for the maintenance and accuracy of the accounts payable and payroll records and any other US centralized finance duties as assigned.

Key Responsibilities

Accounts Payable

• Process accounts payable transactions and employee expense reports in a timely and accurate manner
• Process student refund and stipend payments
• Prepare and process weekly payments (check, wire, ACH, online payment)
• Assist with vendor banking information update to ensure secure and accurate payments
• Reconcile vendor statements with Oracle records on a monthly basis and resolve any discrepancies
• Assist with account reconciliations and analysis to ensure AP and AR module reconciles to the general ledger
• Maintain and reconcile property, plant and equipment sub-ledger
• Assist in the maintenance of vendor accounts such as FedEx, travel agencies, and other service providers
• Respond to inquiries from internal teams and external vendors
• Process vendors and related parties AR invoicing
• Process orders in the procurement system
• Assist with year-end audit preparation and documentation
• Participate in month end and year end close activities
• Meet accounting department closing schedules and reporting deadlines and commitments

Payroll

• Preparation of monthly payrolls using data sourced from the central HR information system
• Ensuring that all payroll policies are adhered to and any exceptions are approved
• Ensuring that payroll data is processed in a timely manner
• Ensuring that all payrolls are processed correctly by our outsourced payroll providers
• Ensuring that payment is made to employees on time
• Interacting with employees to resolve queries
• Establishing working relationships with key HR professionals
• Escalating issues to the appropriate level when required

Essential Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of bookkeeping and the ability to apply the knowledge
• Excellent Microsoft Office Suite skills i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook etc;
• Demonstrated administrative/organizational skills, with ability to communicate verbally and in written form
• Knowledge and experience with corporate financial, accounting and administrative information systems
• Excellent telephone, reception desk, and customer service communication skills
• Ability to work independently within existing guidelines, policies and procedures
• Ability to handle multiple tasks while maintaining a professional manner
• Ability to work well within a team environment;
• Highly developed skills demonstrated in an environment of large volume work flows and critical deadlines
• Ability to interact effectively and professionally with clients and staff at all levels and adjust communication style to meet varying needs;
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity towards students and staff from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Desirable Skills

• Degree in accounting or similar discipline, or appropriate experience;
• Experience in working with banking software and processing payment in bank;
• Experience in working with payables and payroll.

What We Offer

Navitas is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible environment, where all employees feel valued, respected and supported. We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of our students and communities in which we live and serve. If you require an accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs. Successful applicants will be subject to relevant pre-employment checks, which including criminal background and professional reference checks.