Accounts Payable Specialist

About the Role

The Accounts Payable (AP) Specialist is responsible for supporting the company’s accounts payable function by ensuring vendor invoices, employee reimbursements, purchase-related documentation, and payments are processed accurately, timely, and in accordance with company policies and internal controls.

This position works closely with Finance, Procurement, Warehouse, Operations, and other departments to resolve invoice discrepancies, maintain accurate vendor records, support purchase order and receiving reconciliation, and ensure proper documentation and approval of company expenditures.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, comfortable working in a fast-paced and growing environment, and able to effectively manage a high volume of transactions while maintaining accuracy and confidentiality.

What You’ll Do

Accounts Payable Processing

• Receive, review, code, and process vendor invoices accurately and timely.
• Verify invoices for appropriate documentation, authorization, account coding, and approval prior to payment.
• Enter invoices and other accounts payable transactions into the company's ERP/accounting system.
• Review invoices for mathematical accuracy, duplicate billing, appropriate sales/use tax treatment, and compliance with established purchasing and payment procedures.
• Process both purchase order (PO) and non-PO invoices.
• Perform three-way matching of purchase orders, receiving documentation, and vendor invoices when applicable.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies involving pricing, quantities, purchase orders, receipts, approvals, or other supporting documentation.
• Ensure invoices are recorded within the appropriate accounting period.
• Maintain accurate and complete electronic accounts payable records.

Vendor Management

• Establish and maintain vendor records in accordance with company procedures and internal controls.
• Obtain required vendor documentation, including Form W-9 and payment information.
• Review requests for new vendors and changes to existing vendor information.
• Follow established verification procedures for vendor banking or payment-information changes.
• Respond professionally and timely to vendor inquiries regarding invoice and payment status.
• Research and reconcile vendor statements.
• Investigate outstanding invoices, credits, duplicate payments, and other discrepancies.
• Maintain positive working relationships with vendors while protecting the company's financial interests.

Payment Processing

• Prepare invoices for scheduled payment runs.
• Assist with ACH, wire, check, and other approved payment methods.
• Verify appropriate authorization prior to releasing payments.
• Ensure payment documentation is complete and properly retained.
• Monitor payment due dates to help avoid late fees, duplicate payments, and service interruptions.
• Assist with researching returned, rejected, or outstanding payments.
• Maintain appropriate segregation of duties and follow established payment-control procedures.

Purchase Order & Receiving Reconciliation

• Work closely with Procurement, Warehouse, PMC/Materials, and other departments to resolve invoice-to-PO discrepancies.
• Research situations involving missing purchase orders, missing receipts, quantity differences, pricing discrepancies, or incomplete approvals.
• Monitor invoices that cannot be processed due to missing or incorrect supporting documentation.
• Follow up with responsible departments to ensure outstanding issues are resolved timely.
• Assist with monitoring open purchase orders and aged unmatched invoices.

Employee Expenses & Reimbursements

• Review employee expense reports and reimbursement requests for completeness, proper documentation, approval, and compliance with company policies.
• Verify receipts and business purposes are properly documented.
• Identify exceptions and obtain required clarification or approval before processing.
• Assist employees and managers with questions regarding expense reimbursement procedures.

Month-End & Accounting Support

• Assist with monthly, quarterly, and year-end closing activities.
• Ensure invoices received are recorded in the appropriate accounting period.
• Assist with identifying and recording accounts payable accruals as requested.
• Reconcile accounts payable subledger information to the general ledger as assigned.
• Research outstanding AP transactions and reconciliation differences.
• Assist with preparation of AP aging reports and other financial reports.
• Provide documentation and supporting schedules for internal and external audits.
• Assist with annual Form 1099 preparation and vendor reporting requirements.
• Support Finance and Accounting with special projects and process improvements as needed.

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Follow established accounts payable policies, approval authority requirements, and segregation-of-duties controls.
• Ensure expenditures have appropriate authorization before processing.
• Maintain complete documentation supporting financial transactions.
• Protect confidential vendor, employee, banking, and company financial information.
• Escalate suspected duplicate invoices, unusual transactions, unauthorized purchases, or potential fraudulent activity.
• Follow established procedures for verifying vendor banking changes to reduce fraud risk.
• Support internal and external audits by providing requested AP documentation.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives related to AP processes and internal controls.

Cross-Functional Responsibilities

The AP Specialist will regularly collaborate with:

• Finance & Accounting
• Procurement
• Warehouse
• Production & Manufacturing
• PMC / Materials Management
• Supply Chain
• Facilities & Maintenance
• Human Resources
• Sales and Operations
• Department managers and budget owners

The position may also communicate with international colleagues regarding intercompany transactions, vendor documentation, and financial information.

What We’re Looking For

• Associate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• 2–4 years of accounts payable, accounting, bookkeeping, or related financial experience preferred.
• Experience processing vendor invoices and payments.
• Understanding of basic accounting principles and accounts payable processes.
• Experience with purchase orders and three-way matching preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience working with an ERP or accounting system.
• Ability to accurately process high volumes of transactions.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple assignments and meet established deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when handling financial and employee information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SAP Business One or similar ERP system.
• Experience working within a manufacturing, distribution, supply-chain, or rapidly growing organization.
• Experience supporting month-end close activities.
• Experience with vendor statement reconciliations.
• Familiarity with Form 1099 reporting requirements.
• Experience working with purchasing and receiving processes.
• Experience supporting organizations with domestic and international vendors.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills, including lookups, pivot tables, filtering, and reconciliation of data.

Additional Information

• Ability to perform work primarily in an office environment.
• Prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and electronically.
• Ability to occasionally move throughout office, warehouse, and manufacturing areas as business needs require.
• Must follow all applicable safety requirements when entering manufacturing or warehouse areas.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. The Company will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of any employment visa, including without limitation, H-1B, O-1, E-3, TN status, or I-485 job portability or similar immigration processes.