Accounts Payable Specialist

Location: Lebanon

Salary: $22.00 - $24.00 Hourly
Location : Lebanon, IL
Job Type: Full-Time Staff
Job Number:
Department: Administration and Finance
Division: Accounting
Opening Date: 01/29/2026
FLSA: Non-Exempt

McKendree University, located in Lebanon, IL and home of the Bearcats, invites qualified applicants to join our team. McKendree University offers a competitive compensation and benefits package and the opportunity to influence the future leaders of tomorrow.

The mission of McKendree University is to provide a high-quality educational experience to outstanding students. We guide our students in the pursuit of academic excellence, which will prepare them for leadership roles in our society. To achieve this end we encourage broader vision, enriched purpose, engagement with community, commitment to responsible citizenship, openness to new ideas and dedication to lifelong learning.

In keeping with our history and traditions, we provide our students with a rigorous, broadly based liberal arts curriculum joined with specialization in a specific discipline.
Position Summary and Key Responsibilities
The Accounts Payable Specialist supports all areas of the University to correctly process and report on expense activities. This role is responsible for the integrity of the accounts payable of the University's enterprise system. A thorough understanding of the chart of accounts and the ability to connect business processes to accounting practices are critical in this role. As a member of a small, cross-functional team, this position will be instrumental in contributing to changes in policies and procedures that improve efficiency and remain consistent with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), the directives of the National Association of Colleges and University Business Officers (NACUBO) Financial Accounting and Reporting Manual for Higher Education, and the University's Board of Trustees policies and procedures.
Key Responsibilities:

• Accounts Payable cycle management
  • Review and input all expense cycle documents
    • Invoices, check requests, employee reimbursements, cash advances, etc.
    • Verify account classification accuracy
    • Ensure the University purchasing policy is applied and approvals obtained
  • Maintain documentation related to the University's sales tax exemption
    • For Illinois and other states where allowable
    • Work with the university community to ensure tax exemption is applied on all eligible purchases
  • Maintain vendor communication and files (electronic and paper)
    • Maintain an accurate database that includes up to date remittance information, vendor terms, credit applications and W-9 information
  • Weekly payment processing that includes printing, reviewing and logging all electronic and paper checks for approval and disbursement
  • Process student refunds prepared by Student Accounts
  • Record manual checks for payments made outside of regular Accounts Payable process
• Oversee the university's procurement card program
  • New card requests and replacement cards
  • Terminating and cancelling cards
  • Assisting in tracking cardholder statements, verifying receipt documentation provided and providing follow-up when necessary
• Reporting activities
  • Assists with annual 1099 form preparation
    • Analysis of vendors and payments for the calendar year
  • Support data collection for annual Form 990 preparation and financial statement audit.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate degree in accounting or a related field.
• Two years of accounts payable or related accounting experience

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• General understanding of accounting principles. Experience with Ellucian Colleague is preferred or other enterprise business system. General Microsoft Office product knowledge required.
• Candidates must show evidence of strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and strong verbal and written communication skills.
• A successful candidate will possess an ability to analyze requirements and complete assigned tasks in the required time frame.

Work Conditions
Normal office setting with standard business hours Monday through Friday. Occasional evenings and weekends may be necessary.

Required Application Materials

Cover Letter
Resume…