Accounts Payable Specialist

The Accounts Payable Specialist is responsible for processing high-volume vendor invoices, managing the full accounts payable cycle, reconciling vendor accounts, and supporting payment processing and month-end/year-end close while ensuring accuracy and compliance with company policies. This role requires strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Essential Position Functions and Duties:

• Review, code, verify, and process a large volume of vendor invoices while maintaining a high degree of accuracy and ensuring timely payment in accordance with company policies and vendor payment terms.
• Perform three-way matching of purchase orders, receiving documents, and vendor invoices to ensure accuracy, proper authorization, and compliance with company purchasing policies prior to payment.
• Ensure invoices have appropriate approvals and supporting documentation before processing.
• Prepare and process weekly payment runs, including checks, ACH payments, wire transfers, and manual payments.
• Generate and distribute payment remittance advice to vendors following payment processing and respond to payment status inquiries in a timely and professional manner.
• Process payments on a weekly basis and have checks ready for signature.
• Process employee expense reimbursements.
• Create and maintain vendor master records, including W-9s, banking information, insurance certificates, and other required vendor documentation, while maintaining organized electronic and physical accounts payable filing systems to support record retention, audit readiness, and efficient document retrieval.
• Reconcile vendor statements and investigate and resolve invoice discrepancies, payment issues, and vendor inquiries.
• Monitor accounts payable aging to ensure timely payments and maximize available vendor discounts.
• Assist with month-end and year-end close activities, including account reconciliations, accruals, and other assigned accounting tasks.
• Assist with annual 1099 reporting and provide supporting documentation for internal and external audits.
• Prepare and maintain accurate electronic and physical accounts payable records in accordance with company record retention policies.
• Collaborate with Purchasing, Receiving, Operations, and other departments to resolve invoice and payment issues.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounts payable processes and increase operational efficiency.
• Cross-train and provide backup support for other accounting functions as needed.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Required Qualifications and Competencies:

• High school diploma
• Knowledge: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint-Intermediate Proficiency
• English Language (Speaking/Listening/Writing)
• Knowledge: understanding of basic accounting principles, fair credit practices and collection regulations
• Previous experience with SAP, trained in SQF 2000, and/or similar system a plus
• Ability: calculate, post and process accounting figures and financial data
• Skills: Detail oriented, service orientated communication by phone and email, professional, organized, active listening and speaking, reading comprehension, business writing, problem solving, coordination, multitasking, negotiating, analyzing

Preferred Qualifications and Competencies:

• Experience in a manufacturing or food manufacturing environment.
• Experience with SAP or a comparable ERP system.
• Experience with Concur Expense and Invoice solutions is a plus.
• Experience with electronic invoice workflow and automated accounts payable systems.
• Knowledge of 1099 reporting requirements and sales and use tax regulations.
• Experience identifying and implementing process improvements or workflow efficiencies.

Work Environment and Physical Demands:

• This job operates in an office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, telephones, printers, scanners, copiers, and other office equipment.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, walk, hear or stand. This is largely a sedentary role; however, some filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool as necessary.
• This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies, up to 20 pounds.