Senior Accounts Payable Specialist
Department: Accounting
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Chester, CT
Description
The Senior Accounts Payable Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of vendor invoices and reconciliation of supplier accounts within a mid-sized manufacturing environment. This role supports accounting operations related to inventory purchases, manufacturing services, and vendor management.
The position requires strong analytical ability and experience working with purchase orders, receiving transactions, and invoice discrepancies. The Senior AP Specialist serves as a key resource within the Accounts Payable function and collaborates with Purchasing, Receiving, Operations, and Finance to resolve issues and improve processes.
Duties and Responsibilities Accounts Payable Operations
- Process vendor invoices accurately and in a timely manner, including high-volume and exception-based transactions
- Perform three-way matching of purchase orders, receipts, and invoices
- Verify pricing, quantities, freight, and tax to ensure invoice accuracy
- Ensure proper general ledger coding and compliance with company financial controls
- Maintain documentation within the ERP system
Vendor Reconciliation & Issue Resolution
- Perform monthly vendor statement reconciliations
- Investigate and resolve discrepancies related to pricing, quantities, freight, tax, or receiving
- Respond to vendor inquiries regarding invoices, payments, and account balances
- Work with Purchasing, Receiving, and Operations to resolve PO or receipt discrepancies
Manufacturing & Inventory Support
- Process invoices related to raw materials, components, subcontracted services, and inventory purchases
- Review invoices tied to inventory receipts and manufacturing services
- Assist in resolving price variances, receiving variances, and other exceptions affecting inventory valuation
Process Improvement & Controls
- Identify opportunities to improve AP processes and internal controls
- Assist with documentation and maintenance of AP procedures
- Support internal and external audit requests by providing documentation and reconciliations
Team Collaboration
- Provide guidance and informal mentoring to junior AP staff
- Assist with training on AP systems and procedures
- Support the Finance and Accounting team with reporting and analysis
Education and Experience
- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field preferred
- Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered
- 5+ years of accounts payable experience, preferably in a manufacturing or inventory-based environment
- Experience working with ERP systems and invoice exception resolution
- Experience supporting audits and financial documentation requests
Additional Requirements
- Ability to communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, vendors, and third parties
- Comply with company policies and procedures outlined in the Employee Handbook
- Support company environmental, health, and safety policies and report unsafe conditions
All Employees Shall
- Comply with the EH&S Policy and applicable regulatory and company EH&S rules and requirements
- Report to supervision conditions or practices that are either unsafe or that may adversely impact the environment, to ensure prompt resolution of potential hazards
- Attend scheduled EH&S training program
- Actively support the organization's efforts to meet or exceed EH&S goals and plans
- Recommend improved EH&S practices
Must be able to communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, and third parties. This ability to communicate requires the employee to be conversant in English as the majority of our workforce and the third parties that we encounter only speak English.
The incumbent is responsible for complying with the policies in Whelen's "Employee Handbook".
This Job Description is to serve as a guide. It is intended to be flexible and will continue to evolve over time with business needs and demands and may be updated periodically and at the Company's discretion. Nothing in this position description changes or is intended to change the employment at-will relationship with the Company. Employment at-will means that an employee or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason or no reason at all, with or without notice.