Accounts Payable Specialist

Accounts Payable Specialist

The Accounts Payable Specialist manages complex vendor accounts and relationships, serving as the primary escalation point when offshore teams encounter challenging supplier issues. This role focuses on resolving complicated supplier inquiries, reconciling statements, and ensuring accurate invoice processing within an ERP environment. The specialist uses strong analytical skills, advanced Excel capabilities, and familiarity with AI tools to navigate large datasets, support high-volume retail purchase order lifecycles, and maintain efficient accounts payable workflows.

Responsibilities

• Manage vendor accounts and maintain professional, productive supplier relationships.
• Serve as the escalation point for the offshore accounts payable team when suppliers require interaction with a US-based business partner.
• Handle complex supplier inquiries, including those involving difficult or high-priority vendors.
• Perform detailed reviews and reconciliations of supplier statements, identifying and resolving discrepancies.
• Support and troubleshoot issues within the purchase order lifecycle in a retail environment, including high-volume and complex scenarios.
• Conduct invoice matching to purchase orders and receipts (3-way match), investigating and resolving mismatches, partial shipments, pricing discrepancies, and EDI-related issues.
• Use ERP systems to manage and track core business processes related to finance, accounting, procurement, and supply chain.
• Leverage Excel, macros, data analysis, and database management tools to analyze accounts payable data and navigate large datasets.
• Apply AI tooling and other analytical technologies to improve workflows and enhance data accuracy and efficiency.
• De-escalate supplier issues professionally and effectively, maintaining positive relationships while resolving concerns.
• Adapt to changing priorities and manage ambiguity in a dynamic environment, working independently and being self-sufficient.
• Collaborate closely with a small onsite analytical team and a large offshore team to ensure smooth accounts payable operations.
• Participate in hands-on training and job shadowing during the initial onboarding period and then gradually take ownership of supplier accounts.

Essential Skills

• 45 years of experience in accounts payable or a closely related finance function.
• Proven experience managing supplier accounts and vendor relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to perform complex statement reviews and reconciliations.
• Hands-on experience using ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems to support finance, accounting, procurement, HR, or supply chain processes.
• Strong ability to manage ambiguity, adapt to changes, and work independently in a fast-paced environment.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelors degree (BA/BS) in a related field is preferred but not required.

Work Environment

This role is fully onsite and requires working eight hours per day, with flexible scheduling around core hours of 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., which are non-negotiable. You will join a small onsite team of three full-time employees focused on analytical work, supported by a larger offshore group of approximately 100 workers. The environment is hands-on, with the first one to two weeks dedicated to sitting with the team, shadowing, and learning the processes before gradually ramping up ownership of supplier accounts. Work is performed in a professional office setting with a focus on collaboration, data-driven analysis, and continuous process improvement.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Austin, TX.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $50.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)