Sr. Accounts Payable Specialist

Mission Driven, Community Focused  About | Charles R.Drew University of Medicine and Science (cdrewu.edu)

Charles R. Drew University is located in the Watts-Willowbrook area of south Los Angeles and was founded in 1966 in the wake of the Watts uprising. CDU was founded to address inadequate medical care in the region and to provide equitable medical education opportunities for under-represented students.
CDU offers the only historically black Doctor of Medicine program west of the Mississippi, and is strongly invested in the local and regional community. The university leads multiple partnerships and programs to provide equitable healthcare resources in a variety of south Los Angeles neighborhoods.

TITLE:                       SENIOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE SPECIALIST

DEPARTMENT:       Finance

JOB CODE:              SAPS

DATE:                        09/23/2026 (rev 09/29/2021)

REPORTS TO:           Controller

SALARY GRADE:        PS-5 

DLSE STATUS:            NON-EXEMPT

Under the direction of the Controller the Sr. Accounts Payable Specialist will process vendor invoices, check requests and other payments to vendors, credit card companies, students and employees within the specified timeframes based on the University’s policies and procedures.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Process daily vendor invoices for payment after doing either a 3-way match (Purchase Order against prices, quantities and receipts) or a 4-way match for capital items which also requires an inventory tag sheet.
• Process daily, any check request for vendors, card companies, employees and students after verifying the completeness of needed documents to support the amount being requested for payment (invoice, card statements, e-mail communication, calculation).
• Enter and post daily the related A/P batches to the A/P accounting system.
• Daily, open and sort incoming mail from vendors.
• Reconcile vendors’ monthly statements on unpaid invoices against the A/P vendor transactions data. Coordinate with both vendors, receiving department and end user the resolution of unpaid invoices.
• Coordinate and communicate with the vendor the immediate refund of any credit invoice, taking into consideration any unpaid or expected invoices from the vendor.
• Process weekly check runs using the aging report.
• Prepare and mail/release checks accordingly based on the CFO’S approval.
• Upload electronically the daily check processed to the bank’s system.
• Void and/or re-issue checks as requested. Review and analyze any bank exception notice and respond electronically for the bank to pay the related check.
• Organize and file all related documents for all payments made.
• Assist in pulling and photocopying payment documents as required for audit or vendor activity analysis. This may include files stored off-site.
• Prepare and organize year-end filing and any need to transfer files to storage facility.
• Help colleagues for any E-Requester questions / inquiries (System Software).
• Before Thursday’s check-run, double-check which requests are urgent and needed to be paid--- follows up with the Approvers and Procurement Team.
• Does E-requester requests for both Finance and Payroll Department.
• Process Garnishment requests from Payroll Department every 2 weeks.
• Process check request for wire payments for University’s Credit Card,
• Process Positive Pay from the bank.
• Follow up to any vendors/ students/ employees any overpayments done and make sure we get the refund.
• From Student Finance and Cash Management’s team request for Credit balance to students, double-check which student’s needs to be set-up and/or update address. Emails to Procurement the request and follows-up.
• Request Procurement Team for any address update for vendors/students/employees.
• Assist any University staff/colleagues/vendors and students that need a copy of cleared check or status of a check.
• Coordinates with students/employees/vendors that are asking for their check to be picked up.
• Work on any request that the Controller/ CFO asks for (Reports/ Audit).
• Provide administrative assistance to Finance Department.
• Research and resolve various issues that may arise in processing an invoice.
• Handle replies to vendor inquiries about payments.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist other members of the Finance Department on related matters or as may be requested by the A/P lead or the Controller.
• Perform other related duties as assigned and/or requested.

Qualifications/Requirements:

EDUCATION:

• Regionally accredited associate’s degree in related areas and/or equivalent of combined education and experience required. 

EXPERIENCE:

• 3 – 5 years of work experience in Accounts Payable.
• Experience working for an educational institution is a plus.
• E experience of working using any A/P computer software.

KNOWLEDGE/ABILITY/SKILLS:

• Ability to work in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
• Capable of meeting deadlines and maintaining a high level of accuracy and efficiency.
• Ability to interact and communicate with individuals at all levels, whether from within or outside of the University.
• Ability to deliver excellent customer service to all.
• Basic working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word.
• Interact well with everyone, can take instructions with ease, show initiative and resourcefulness when the situation calls for it.
• Familiarity with Great Plains preferred.

COMPLEXITY:

• The ability to perform complex work with attention and care, including high level review, analysis, and interpretation, complex research, and preparation/presentation of complex verbal and written reports is paramount to success in this position.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Occasional stooping. Frequent standing. Constant walking, sitting, climbing, reaching high/low levels, finger movement, feeling, speaking clearly, hearing conversationally, and seeing far and near.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• This position is on-site unless otherwise authorized by a manager.
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• No unusual working conditions.

MENTAL DEMANDS:

• The mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Frequent variety of unrelated tasks. Constant calculating interrupted work, a variety of interrelated tasks, and use of sustained concentration, reasoning, judgment, resourcefulness, analytical ability, and ingenuity.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to work effectively with a diverse community.

• As a health professions institution of higher education, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science seeks to protect the health and safety of the University community. As a condition of enrollment and employment, students, faculty, and staff must comply with the current CDU Covid-19 requirements as described on the CDU Covid-19 webpage.  Please visit the CDU Return to Campus website https://www.cdrewu.edu/covid-policy/ or email the Campus Nursing Office at nurseofficer@cdrewu.edu.

Excellent benefits:  Medical, dental, vision, retirement plan, vacation accrues on first day of employment, wellness programs, 17 paid holidays per year, up to 16 hours of paid time off to participate in community service and much more.  

Fulltime

EEO Statement: Charles R. Drew University is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity. Applicants will be considered without regard to gender, race, age, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, disability or covered veteran status.

Fair Chance Statement: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science will consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local “Fair Chance” laws.