Accounts Payable Manager

A leading, multi-location manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced Accounts Payable Manager to join its Finance leadership team. This role is responsible for overseeing the accuracy, timeliness, and control of accounts payable disbursements while leading and developing a high-performing AP team. The position partners closely with Procurement, Corporate Finance, Plant Operations, vendors, and banking partners to ensure efficient procure-to-pay processes, strong internal controls, and audit readiness.

This is a hands‑on leadership role with significant visibility to senior management and responsibility for driving process improvement, system enhancements, and team development.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing Accounts Payable team, fostering strong engagement, collaboration, and accountability
• Hire, train, and develop talent; establish effective onboarding and ongoing training plans
• Set clear expectations, monitor performance, and conduct regular performance evaluations
• Build a positive team culture focused on ownership, accuracy, and continuous improvement

• Oversee daily AP operations, ensuring accurate and timely processing of invoices and disbursements
• Partner with Procurement, Corporate Finance, Plant teams, vendors, and banking partners to resolve issues and maintain smooth workflows
• Coordinate payment runs and banking interfaces to ensure proper and timely fund disbursement
• Manage vendor setup and maintenance, ensuring accurate payment terms, remittance details, 1099 classification, and sales tax treatment
• Ensure proper handling of self‑assessed sales/use tax where applicable

• Perform and oversee reconciliations, including Goods Received Not Invoiced (GRNI), and investigate variances
• Support month‑end close activities and contribute to monthly financial reporting packages
• Develop and monitor KPIs and metrics to track team and individual performance
• Analyze transaction volumes and workflows to identify opportunities for efficiency, accuracy, and cost improvement

• Lead and support implementations of new systems, enhancements, or business process changes within procure‑to‑pay
• Develop, document, and maintain AP policies, procedures, and process flows
• Drive standardization and best practices across the department and locations
• Continuously evaluate controls, processes, and workflows to improve effectiveness and compliance

• Serve as the primary AP contact for internal and external audits
• Prepare and provide timely, accurate audit documentation and responses
• Demonstrate ownership of audit samples, walkthroughs, and issue resolution
• Ensure adherence to internal controls and corporate governance standards

• Work closely with onsite operational and finance teams and participate in onsite meetings as needed
• Communicate proactively with senior leadership regarding risks, issues, and improvement opportunities

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required
• MBA and/or CPA preferred

• 10+ years of progressive accounting or finance experience
• Minimum of 5 years of people management experience
• Strong preference for experience in CPG, food manufacturing, or similarly complex, high‑volume environments
• Experience supporting marketing programs and commodity‑based businesses strongly preferred

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office
• Working knowledge of IBM / AS400 or similar ERP systems
• Experience with system integrations, reconciliations, and balancing across platforms

• Leadership & Accountability – Drives ownership, performance, and results
• People Development – Coaches, mentors, and builds strong teams
• Communication – Clear, concise, and influential written and verbal communicator
• Analytical Problem Solving – Data‑driven, solution‑oriented decision maker
• Business Acumen – Understands financial and operational impacts of decisions