Senior Manager – Accounts Payable

Job Title:
Senior Manager – Accounts Payable

Department:
Finance Operations / Order-to-Cash (O2C)

Location:
Onsite – Manila

Employment Type:
Full-time

Reporting To:
Assistant Program Manager

Role Overview

The
Senior Manager – Accounts Payable
leads the end-to-end Accounts Payable function within a shared services, global delivery center, or BPO environment. The role is accountable for AP service delivery, vendor management, invoice processing, payments execution, issue resolution, governance, and process improvement. This role will manage performance against SLAs and KPIs, ensure strong internal controls, and improve operational efficiency through automation and standardization.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Oversee day-to-day execution of Accounts Payable processes including invoice processing, vendor setup, payments run, tax validation, and exception handling.
• Ensure timely and accurate processing in accordance with SLAs, KPIs, accounting controls, and service agreements.
• Lead month-end and year-end AP activities including accruals, reconciliations, and reporting.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Serve as point of contact for internal stakeholders (Procurement, Finance, Treasury, Business Units) to resolve escalations and process issues.
• Manage relationships with vendors and provide oversight on dispute resolution and payment issues.
• Support governance calls, performance reviews, and regular reporting to global stakeholders and finance leadership.

Team Leadership

• Manage a team of AP Supervisors and Analysts; responsible for coaching, development, workforce planning, and performance management.
• Foster a culture of service excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure training and capability-building across the team on process changes, systems, and best practices.

Controls, Compliance & Audit

• Ensure compliance with internal controls, SOX, audit requirements, tax regulations, and local statutory laws.
• Review and approve key AP transactions and ensure proper documentation.
• Lead resolution of audit findings and ensure consistent application of global AP policies.

Process Excellence & Automation

• Identify and drive process automation and digital transformation (e.g., OCR, RPA, workflow automation, supplier portal adoption).
• Implement standardization and process harmonization across regions or business units.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that reduce errors, enhance cycle time, and optimize cost-to-serve.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• CPA / CMA / ACCA—preferred but not mandatory.

Experience:

• 10–12+ years of experience in Accounts Payable, Procure-to-Pay (P2P), or Finance Operations.
• At least 5 years in a leadership capacity managing large teams within a Shared Services, BPO, or multinational environment.
• Experience with global AP operations, vendor management, and digital automation tools.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong understanding of AP policies, tax implications (VAT/WHT), 3-way match process, and invoice-to-pay workflow.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency with ERPs (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) and AP automation tools (Ariba, Coupa, Basware, or similar).
• Analytical and process-driven with a continuous improvement mindset.

Key Success Measures

• SLA attainment and reduction of invoice backlog/aging.
• Invoice accuracy and first-pass yield improvement.
• Reduced payment errors and increased e-invoicing/automation adoption.
• Stakeholder satisfaction and strong internal audit/controls rating.