Senior Manager of Accounting Operations

Vedder Price's Chicago office is looking for a Senior Manager of Accounting Operations. The Senior Manager of Accounting Operations will oversee the Accounts Payable (AP) and Accounts Receivable (AR) functions to ensure efficient and accurate financial operations. In this influential leadership role, we seek a strategic leader with exceptional analytical skills, keen attention to detail, and the ability to effectively manage both processes and a team.

The Senior Manager will continuously evaluate, improve and enhance departmental processes, striving to improve quality, productivity and efficiency.

As the Senior Manager of Accounting Operations, your job duties will include but not be limited to:

• Lead and mentor direct reports, including the Collections Manager, AP Manager and Accounting Specialist, offering strategic guidance on high-level projects while ensuring overall effectiveness and efficiency of the department
• Manage the training and integration of new team members, identifying opportunities for promotion or professional growth
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external clients, promptly addressing any AP or AR issues as they arise
• Work directly with the Collections Manager to review accounts receivable aging reports, monitoring overdue balances and tracking collection efforts and application of client payments
• Oversee the invoice and payment processes, working with the AP Manager, ensuring effective management of team workflows and clear, consistent communication
• Analyze trends and provide actionable insights to improve Firm financial performance on client collections
• Establish goals and KPIs for the AP and AR functions, regularly monitoring progress and providing weekly reporting to key stakeholders
• Manage the month-end close process for A/P and A/R functions, ensuring thorough and accurate reconciliations of related accounts

• Identify and execute strategic process enhancements and industry best practices to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of the accounts receivable and payable operations
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures for AP and AR, providing ongoing to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures
• Establish and execute communication plans for Firm-wide processes or procedural changes
• Conduct annual reviews to establish priorities and goals for the AP and AR teams, aligning their objectives with the Firm’s strategic plan and overall direction Accounting and Finance groups

• Ensure timely fulfilment of all audit requirements pertaining to accounts payable and receivable requests