Position Summary
The Director of Accounts Payable provides strategic and operational leadership for the institution’s accounts payable function, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant processing of invoices, payments, travel/expense reimbursements, and related disbursements. This role leads staff, optimizes processes, strengthens internal controls, and partners across campus to support institutional goals.
Responsibilities
Accounts Payable Operations
- Oversee day-to-day AP operations, including invoice processing, payment runs, vendor maintenance, 1099 reporting support, and exception resolution.
- Oversee travel and P-card functions.
- Ensure accurate application of payment terms, discounts, tax considerations, and approvals in accordance with institutional policies and regulations.
- Manage team workload balance and prioritize critical payments while maintaining strong internal controls.
- Other responsibilities as determined by the VP for Finance & Controller.
Leadership & Strategy
- Lead, coach, and develop the AP team; establish clear performance expectations, cross-training, and succession planning.
- Set departmental goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and service standards; monitor performance and drive success.
- Serve as a trusted partner to Procurement, Treasury, Budget, Grants, and campus departments to ensure aligned, efficient procure-to-pay practices.
Systems & Process Improvement
- Utilize the ERP to manage AP processes, reporting, configuration support, and system troubleshooting.
- Partner with IS&T, business analysts, and functional stakeholders on ERP upgrades, testing, controls validation, new feature adoption, and user training.
- Identify and lead process improvement initiatives with measurable results.
Compliance, Controls, and Audit Support
- Maintain strong internal controls and ensure compliance with institutional policies, state/federal regulations, and audit standards.
- Support internal/external audits by providing documentation, responding to requests, and implementing corrective action plans.
- Collaborate with Risk/Compliance and Grants offices to ensure appropriate treatment of restricted funds, grant-related expenditures, and documentation requirements.
Financial Reporting & Collaboration
- Provide AP-related reporting and analytics, including aging, accrual support, KPIs, and spend insights for leadership.
- Support month-end and year-end close processes, including accruals, reconciliations, and cut-off procedures.
- Develop and maintain AP policies, procedures, job aids, and training materials; drive campus adoption and compliance.
- Collaborate with Purchasing to ensure seamless procure-to-pay processes.
- Collaborate with the Supplier Team and Tax Compliance Analyst to ensure appropriate vendor set up and taxation.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
- 7+ years of progressive accounts payable experience, including significant supervisory/management responsibility.
- Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and Financial Accounting Standards Board guidelines.
- Full life cycle Accounts Payable experience.
- Knowledge of 1099 reporting, sales/use tax considerations, and travel/expense reimbursement processes.
- Demonstrated expertise with PeopleSoft Financials or similar ERP system (e.g., Workday, Oracle, SAP, Banner).
- Strong Excel and MS Office software skills.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and customer service skills; ability to influence across diverse stakeholders.
- Demonstrates an ability to complete complex assignments with the established timelines and with a high degree of accuracy.
- Excellent planning and organizational skills to balance and prioritize work.
- Ability to exercise discretion and diplomacy and maintain a high level of confidentiality in handling sensitive matters.
- Ability to represent Financial Services in a professional and positive manner in all meetings.
- Demonstrated success supervising and developing staff, including performance management, coaching, and building a customer-service-oriented team.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience in higher education, government, healthcare, or other complex, highly regulated environment.
- Experience implementing and maintaining AP tools and workflows (workflow, OCR, supplier portals, etc.).
- Experience supporting ERP implementations or major upgrades, including user acceptance testing and change management.