Accounts Payable Specialist

Accounts Payable Specialist

This Accounts Payable Specialist position offers a unique opportunity to go beyond traditional invoice processing by supporting a major automation and ERP implementation project. You will help clear a backlog of accounts payable activity while gaining hands-on experience with process improvements, invoice reconciliation, vendor communication, and ERP systems. Working alongside an experienced accounting team in a manufacturing environment, you will perform detailed AP tasks, solve problems independently, and strengthen your accounting, Excel, and ERP skills over the course of a 68 month full-time assignment, with the possibility of extension.

Responsibilities

• Receive and verify employee expense reports, ensuring proper coding, required receipts, and completeness before submitting them to payroll by established deadlines.
• Reconcile expense reports and other financial reports with account balances and office records to maintain accurate accounting data.
• Facilitate timely payment of vendors by verifying federal ID numbers, reviewing purchase orders, and resolving discrepancies before processing payments.
• Ensure outstanding obligations are properly credited upon payment, identify discount opportunities, and issue purchase order amendments or stop-payment orders as needed.
• Assist with maintaining accounting records and ledgers by reconciling monthly statements and transactions to the general ledger.
• Review purchase orders, receipts, invoices, and incoming emails daily to ensure all documents are accurate and complete.
• Check purchase orders for correct pre-postings and collaborate with the appropriate internal contacts to correct any errors.
• Compare purchase order prices against invoice prices and work with relevant stakeholders to resolve pricing discrepancies.
• Compare receipt quantities to invoice quantities and coordinate with the appropriate personnel to correct any quantity issues.
• Route invoices for approval when they are SAR-related or designated as "Pay-Now" invoices, ensuring approvals are obtained promptly.
• Enter correctly approved invoices into the computer system on a daily basis once quantities, prices, and approvals all match.
• Issue vendor payments on a weekly basis via ACH or other electronic methods using the banking system, and ensure physical checks are printed on a monthly schedule.
• Review employee expense reports for accuracy and compliance and submit them to payroll by the specified weekly cutoff time.
• Monitor the accounts payable email folder for aging invoices and follow up with internal or external contacts to resolve outstanding items.
• Review supplier statements regularly to confirm that all invoices are entered into the computer system and to identify any missing documents.
• Respond promptly to supplier inquiries regarding payment status, past due notices, sales tax certificates, and related requests.
• Respond to internal inquiries from colleagues regarding payments, procedures, and accounts payable processes in a timely and professional manner.
• Issue SAR numbers as needed and record them accurately in the computer system.
• Maintain and update supplier records in the computer system, including adding new suppliers and ensuring all information is complete and accurate.
• Collect and verify all required supplier documentation, including banking details, remittance information, and tax forms, and add this information to the banking system when necessary.
• Maintain the supplier master data in the computer system, ensuring payment terms are accurate and that available discounts are captured and applied.
• Support the broader accounting team with tasks related to automation and ERP implementation, contributing to process improvements and backlog reduction.
• Work independently within the accounting team, managing daily workload, prioritizing tasks, and seeking clarification when needed.

Essential Skills

• 12 years of hands-on accounts payable experience.
• Proficiency with accounts payable processes, including invoice review, purchase order matching, and vendor payments.
• Intermediate-level Microsoft Excel skills, including working with spreadsheets for data entry, reconciliation, and reporting.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications for email communication, documentation, and reporting.
• Familiarity with purchase orders, invoicing, vendor payments, and general ledger reconciliation.
• Ability to review and reconcile expense reports and financial reports to account balances.
• Strong data entry skills with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• High school diploma or equivalent education.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for interacting with vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to follow processes and procedures carefully and consistently.
• Comfort working independently and managing tasks with minimal direct supervision.
• Comfort working under virtual leadership and communicating effectively in a remote or partially remote supervisory structure.
• Resilience and composure when handling high-volume workloads or complex issues.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with ERP systems, particularly in manufacturing or distribution environments.
• Prior exposure to manufacturing accounting or similar industry experience.
• College education in accounting, finance, or a related field.
• Excel skills including VLOOKUP and pivot tables.
• Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills.
• Experience with invoice reconciliation, vendor communication, and financial reporting.
• Ability to adapt to process changes and contribute to automation and ERP implementation initiatives.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the confidence to ask questions when clarification is needed.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, 100% onsite position in a manufacturing accounting environment. Typical work hours are Monday through Friday during daytime hours, generally 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m., depending on lunch break length, with slight flexibility as needed. Some extended hours may be required based on business needs, particularly during peak periods or project milestones. You will work within a small accounting team that includes accounts receivable/payroll, a staff accountant, a VP of accounting, an accounting manager, and other AP personnel, while also collaborating with colleagues in another location. The role requires comfort working independently, managing tasks with minimal in-person oversight, and interacting regularly with vendors and internal departments using email, Excel, ERP, and the organization's banking and accounting systems.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Carpentersville, IL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $26.00 - $26.00/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)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Carpentersville, IL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 15, 2026.