Accounts Payable Manager

The Accounts Payable Manager will report to the Director of Customer Finance. The AP Manager is responsible for setting up and implementing internal regulations/functions. Oversee a staff of AP Associates to ensure all AP processing is covered for J&J’s subsidiaries. The AP Manager will serve as the principal database executor and evaluator for the AP structure. Assist the Director of Customer Finance in any roles that they deem necessary to move the AP Department forward.

• Lead and develop the AP team, establishing clear expectations and accountability for performance, accuracy, productivity, service levels, and adherence to company policies and procedures.
• Oversee the end-to-end AP, accrual, and T&E functions, ensuring invoices, payments, expense reports, vendor transactions, and related activities are processed accurately and timely.
• Maintain and monitor internal controls over the procure-to-pay cycle, including approval authority, three-way match, segregation of duties, and other key controls; identify and address control gaps and recommend improvements.
• Oversee AP reconciliations, accruals, and journal entry support, aging, and financial reporting, ensuring balances are accurate, properly supported, and compliant with US GAAP and Corporate policy.
• Monitor AP, accrual, and T&E policies and procedures and oversee applicable compliance activities, including 1099 reporting, ensuring accurate and timely submission.
• Manage vendor and internal customer relationships, ensuring timely resolution of invoice, payment, purchasing, and account issues and providing information and reporting to management, auditors, and other stakeholders.
• Drive process improvement, standardization, automation, and operational efficiency across AP by identifying opportunities to improve productivity, quality, controls, systems, and customer Lead or support system implementations, process enhancements, testing, and other initiatives impacting the AP function.
• Review and approve purchases and capital expenditures within delegated authority in accordance with the Company's signature authorization policy.
• Establish and monitor AP performance standards and KPIs, using results to identify trends, address gaps, and continuously improve the effectiveness of the function.
• Perform other finance and accounting duties as assigned in support of the Company's procure-to-pay and Shared Services functions.

To perform this job successfully, the Accounts Payable Manager must be self-motivated, able to problem solve, detail-oriented, and effectively manage priorities. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Excellent organization and time management skills
• Must be a self-starter, and effectively manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and competing demands while maintaining accuracy, quality, and responsiveness.
• Demonstrates sound judgement in prioritizing work and reallocating resources as business needs change.
• Communicate clearly, professionally, and proactively with team members, vendors, and internal stakeholders; effectively conveys expectations, addresses issues, and keeps appropriate parties informed to support timely resolution and strong business relationships.
• Remains focused on achieving objectives and follows through to completion, proactively addressing barriers and findings solutions when challenges arise.
• Looks beyond completing assigned tasks to identify ways to improve processes, prevent issues, improve accuracy, and create new opportunities that benefit the team and organization.

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance is preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of progressive responsibility in AP (preferably in food, food service, or other manufacturing) is required.
• Supervisory experience is required.
• Experience managing high-volume AP operations.
• Strong knowledge of US GAAP is required.
• Experience with JD EDWARDS is required.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong understanding of three-way matching, invoice processing, payment processing, reconciliations, and AP controls.
• Experience working with an ERP/accounting system.
• Advanced proficiency with Excel.
• Ability to work in a team environment.

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