Disbursing Supervisor; Finance & Accounting

Position: Disbursing Supervisor (Finance & Accounting)
The East-West Center (EWC) promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options.

The Center's 21-acre Honolulu campus, adjacent to the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, includes conference facilities, three residence halls, and an office building that houses research, program, and administrative activities. The Center also has an office in Washington, D.C., that provides accessibility to US, regional government stakeholders, and program partners with innovative training, analytical and dialogue exchange, and public diplomacy products to meet US policy priorities and expressed needs in the Indo-Pacific region.

Our Finance team is currently seeking a Disbursing Supervisor who can provide exceptional leadership and organization to the Center's disbursing operations. This position is responsible for overseeing all disbursement functions, including accounts payable, payment processing, and cash management activities. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously and effectively as the position ensures timely, accurate, and compliant processing of vendor payments, employee reimbursements, and other required financial obligations.

MAJOR DUTIES:

Operational Oversight

• Supervise and coordinate all accounts payable and disbursement activities.
• Ensure accurate and timely processing of invoices, check runs, ACH payments, wire transfers, and credit card reconciliations.
• Manage travel account changes and recommendations to Center travel policies as needed.
• Review and approve payment batches, journal entries, and vendor setups.

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Establish and maintain strong internal controls over disbursement processes.
• Ensure compliance with internal policies, grant requirements, and relevant federal/state regulations.
• Support audit preparation by providing documentation, reconciliations, and system reports.
• Monitor segregation of duties and mitigate fraud risk.

Supervision & Team Leadership

• Supervise, train, and evaluate disbursing staff.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures and promote process consistency throughout the Center.
• Identify workflow improvements and implement best practices.
• Foster a culture of accountability, accuracy, and service orientation.

Financial Reporting & Reconciliation

• Reconcile accounts payable subledger to the general ledger on a monthly basis.
• Review aging reports and resolve outstanding issues.
• Assist with month-end and year-end close processes.
• Generate and analyze disbursement reports for management review.

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Maintain positive working relationships with vendors and internal departments.
• Resolve payment discrepancies and disputes in a timely manner.
• Ensure vendor compliance documentation (W-9s, insurance certificates, etc.) is current.

The position may perform other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISION:
Works under the general supervision of the Housing Manager. The supervisor provides new or unusual assignments by defining objectives, priorities, and deadlines. The employee works independently on continuous assignments, handles problems and deviations as they arise, and may take some problems along with possible solutions to the supervisor for advice and approval.

The position provides direct on-site supervision, coordination, and direction to the unit's Voucher Examiners. The position may determine priorities of daily work assignments and direct staff to various projects and priorities as needed.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's Degree in Business or a related field; or equivalent training and experience from which comparable knowledge and ability can be acquired. Possesses at least three (3) years of relevant work experience demonstrating the ability to perform the major duties of this position.

Demonstrated ability to organize,…