We are seeking an experienced and strategic Senior Accounts Payable Manager to lead a high-volume, multi-entity AP function supporting retail operations, distribution, and corporate entities. This role is responsible for overseeing end-to-end accounts payable operations, driving process automation and efficiency, and delivering high-impact financial insights through advanced analytics and reporting.
The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in retail AP environments, accrual accounting, and large-scale operations, combined with a strong leadership mindset and a focus on continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & High-Volume Operations
•
Lead daily AP operations across multiple entities, managing large-scale invoice volumes and vendor relationships.
•
Oversee organizational structure across Managers, Supervisors, Leads, and Specialists to support seasonal retail fluctuations.
•
Establish and monitor KPIs and SLAs, including invoice cycle times, error rates, aging, productivity, and accrual accuracy.
•
Drive workforce planning aligned with store lifecycle changes, promotional cycles, and vendor seasonality.
•
Foster a high-performance culture emphasizing accountability, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
Reporting, Analytics & Financial Insight
•
Own and deliver entity-level and consolidated AP reporting, including:
•
Aging and liability exposure
•
Accrual rollforwards and reconciliation status
•
Invoice processing metrics and throughput
•
Vendor spend trends and concentration analysis
•
Partner with Finance and FP&A to ensure accurate accruals across inventory, freight, utilities, rent, and store expenses.
•
Support month-end and quarter-end flux analysis, cash forecasting, and disbursement planning.
•
Develop automated dashboards and executive reporting using Excel and BI tools.
•
Analyze large datasets to identify duplicate payments, missed discounts, inefficiencies, and cost-saving opportunities.
•
Ensure strong data governance and integrity across ERP systems.
Accruals, Close & Multi-Entity Complexity
•
Lead the AP accrual process across multiple entities, ensuring complete and accurate reporting of period-end liabilities.
•
Coordinate high-volume accrual inputs from Operations, Procurement, and field leadership.
•
Ensure proper cutoff procedures and reconciliation of accrued vs. actual expenses.
•
Manage intercompany AP transactions and eliminations.
•
Deliver accurate, timely month-end close cycles in a fast-paced retail environment.
Process Improvement & Systems
•
Drive automation initiatives including OCR, EDI, invoice capture, approval workflows, and vendor portals.
•
Optimize paperless processing and document management systems.
•
Implement best practices tailored to high-volume retail AP environments.
•
Partner with IT and Finance to enhance ERP systems and reporting capabilities.
Cross-Functional & Vendor Management
•
Serve as the primary AP partner for Operations, Procurement, Treasury, Logistics, and Store Finance teams.
•
Manage relationships with high-volume vendors, landlords, utilities, and service providers.
•
Lead resolution of complex vendor disputes and escalations that impact store operations.
•
Provide insights to support vendor negotiations, discount utilization, and payment term strategies.
Compliance, Audit & Controls
•
Ensure compliance with internal controls and audit standards across all entities.
•
Maintain audit-ready documentation in a high-volume transactional environment.
•
Lead AP participation in internal and external audits.
•
Enforce controls to prevent duplicate payments, unauthorized vendors, and fraud.
Administrative Oversight
•
Oversee payments related to leases, utilities, property taxes, licenses, and store operations.
•
Ensure compliance with vendor contracts and payment terms.
•
Conduct team performance reviews and drive organizational improvements.
Requirements
Qualifications
•
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required.
•
10+ years of Accounts Payable experience, preferably in retail or other high-volume industries.
•
5+ years in senior AP leadership roles with multi-layered team management experience.
•
Proven success managing multi-entity AP environments with complex accrual structures.
•
Advanced knowledge of accrual accounting, month-end close, and reconciliations.
•
Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, Power Query, data modeling) and ERP experience.
•
Experience with BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, etc.) strongly preferred.
•
Demonstrated ability to drive automation, efficiency, and cost savings.
•
Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
•
Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management abilities.
Benefits
Pay for this position is $120,000-$130,000 per year DOE