What are the responsibilities and job description for the Accounts Payable Specialist position at Harvard-Westlake School?
The Harvard-Westlake Business Office consists of a small, highly efficient group of colleagues whose work impacts a wide array of school functions daily. We develop and maintain systems and policies that benefit faculty, staff, parents, students, and our extended alumni family alike, all to enable Harvard-Westlake to be among the premier institutions of its kind.
The Accounts Payable Specialist ensures the timely and accurate processing of all vendor invoices and employee reimbursement requests received. The position ensures all payables contain proper authorization prior to payment with appropriate support in place. The role interfaces with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders throughout the entire HW community including but not limited to vendors, employees, parents, and students.
Responsibilities
Accounts Payable Processing
- Review all payable supporting documentation for completeness and accuracy
- Identify payables where sales tax is not charged and flag the payable accordingly
- Flag invoices as prepaid or accrued to ensure expenses are recorded properly
- Setup new vendors by ensuring completed W9 and certificates of insurance are on file
- Understand why a payment is being issued and whether an appropriate GL account is utilized
- Maintain a clear and organized filing system for hardcopy or digital support
- Enter vendor payment and expense reports ensuring accurate entries and clear descriptions
- Assist in migrating frequent or large value vendor payments to ACH
- Identify duplicate payments prior to processing and void / reissue checks misplaced or lost
- Reconcile vendor statements when a payment or application error is identified
Other
- Manage certificates of insurance by tracking expiration dates and retaining certificates
- Support the annual audit process by pulling historical payment support
- Assist with office wide tasks such as delivery of incoming and outgoing mail, ordering office supplies, etc.
- Keep information confidential consistent with the schools values
- Contribute to other Business Office functions as requested to assist colleagues and gain expertise in alternate functions
Desired Qualifications and Characteristics
The ideal candidate will hold a high school diploma or equivalent certificate, though an undergraduate degree is strongly preferred. Five years of relevant work experience is preferred.
- Embody a strong attention to detail for all work performed
- Knowledge and experience with the accounts payable cycle including receipt of invoices, review, approval, check printing, applying accounting principles, etc.
- Possesses knowledge of Excel and is comfortable operating it daily
- Experience in utilizing enterprise resource and/or accounting systems such as Oracle, SAP, Workday, (HW uses a proprietary system called Didax)
- Able to multitask and prioritize varying tasks while remaining organized
- Understands basic accounting principles (prepaid versus accrued expenses, debits and credits)
About Harvard-Westlake School
We are an independent school consisting of two campuses, soon to be three, located in Los Angeles, California. We have approximately 1,600 curious, thoughtful, and inspiring students enrolled in grades seven through twelve, 325 full-time employees, and more than 400 part-time employees.
We are committed to creating a community of belonging and actively strive to be a diverse and inclusive community. We do not discriminate on any basis. We seek candidates who demonstrate sensitivity, knowledge, and understanding of the diverse backgrounds of community members; have the ability to work flexibly, independently, and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment with individuals from a diverse set of backgrounds; and have the capacity to serve as a model of openness, generosity, and acceptance.
Compensation: Estimated base compensation for this role is $70,000 - $85,000, depending on experience.
Great benefits we offer:
- Top-tier medical, dental, and vision coverage with zero to low premium contributions
- 403(b) Retirement with a 10% match and immediate vesting
- Cafeteria allowance lunch is on us!
- Professional development support including continuing education
- Personal Growth grants
- Relocation Assistance
- Employee affinity groups
- Mental wellness resources and workshops
- Tickets to local sporting and entertainment events
- Discount at school bookstore (get your HW swag!)
- Paid holidays (e.g., Thanksgiving week, Winter, and Spring breaks) plus vacation!
Salary : $70,000 - $85,000
