Senior Accounts Payable Associate

The Senior Accounts Payable Associate serves as a key operational partner to the Director of Accounts Payable, combining deep accounts payable expertise with a strong understanding of the end-to-end Procure-to-Pay (P2P) process. This role supports day-to-day AP operations while partnering on process improvement, automation, and transformation initiatives that enhance scalability, efficiency, and controls across the organization.

The Senior Accounts Payable Associate acts as the primary escalation point for complex vendor, invoice, and payment issues while helping to drive operational excellence, support continuous improvement efforts, and mentor junior team members. This position requires a hands-on approach, strong analytical skills, and the ability to collaborate cross-functionally to improve the overall procure-to-pay experience.

Responsibilities

Accounts Payable Operations

• Process and review high-volume invoices, ensuring accuracy of coding, approvals, and supporting documentation.
• Perform and review 2-way and 3-way matching of invoices, purchase orders, and receipts.
• Prepare and execute ACH, wire, and check payments in accordance with company policies and payment schedules.
• Review AP transactions for accuracy and completeness prior to payment processing.
• Reconcile vendor statements and resolve complex discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Monitor AP aging and proactively address overdue invoices, payment issues, and exceptions.
• Assist with month-end close activities, including accruals, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, approval workflows, and internal control requirements.

Operational Leadership

• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex AP issues from vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Provide guidance, training, and day-to-day support to AP Associates.
• Assist in prioritizing workloads and balancing team responsibilities to meet deadlines and service expectations.
• Support onboarding and development of new AP team members.
• Act as a trusted resource and backup to the Director of Accounts Payable during periods of high volume, special projects, or absences.

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with vendors and internal business partners.
• Lead resolution of complex payment, compliance, and account reconciliation issues.
• Partner with Procurement, Operations, Finance, and other departments to improve communication and issue resolution across the procure-to-pay process.
• Support vendor onboarding and ongoing vendor maintenance activities.

Procure-to-Pay (P2P) Partnership & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with the Director of Accounts Payable to identify and implement process improvements that enhance efficiency, scalability, internal controls, and stakeholder experience.
• Participate in AP and P2P transformation initiatives, including workflow redesign, automation, system enhancements, and policy development.
• Collaborate with Procurement, Operations, Finance, and other business partners to identify upstream and downstream process improvements that support a more efficient procure-to-pay process.
• Analyze operational challenges, recurring exceptions, and manual processes, providing recommendations for improvement and standardization.
• Assist with testing, implementation, and adoption of new technologies, automation tools, and system enhancements.
• Support the development and maintenance of process documentation, standard operating procedures, and internal controls.

Reporting & Analytics

• Prepare and analyze AP reports, including aging, payment activity, exception tracking, and vendor metrics.
• Assist leadership in tracking KPIs and identifying trends that impact performance, compliance, and efficiency.
• Provide recommendations for improving invoice cycle times, reducing exceptions, and enhancing service levels.
• Support audit requests and ensure timely delivery of required documentation.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of Accounts Payable, Accounting, or Procure-to-Pay experience.
• Experience working in high-volume AP environments.
• Strong understanding of AP controls, invoice processing, vendor management, and payment operations.
• Experience with ERP systems and AP automation tools (Microsoft Dynamics, Concur, banking platforms, vendor onboarding solutions, etc.).
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and financial reporting.
• Experience supporting audits, month-end close, and process improvement initiatives.
• Construction, real estate, or project-based accounting experience preferred.

Key Competencies

• Full cycle knowledge of Accounts Payable operations and best practices.
• Strong understanding of Procure-to-Pay (P2P) processes and controls.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to independently resolve complex discrepancies and payment issues.
• Excellent organizational and prioritization skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Systems-oriented thinker with experience improving workflows across multiple departments.
• High attention to detail with a focus on accuracy, compliance, and operational excellence.
• Demonstrates a curious mindset by proactively investigating discrepancies, challenging existing processes, and identifying opportunities to improve workflows and controls.