Accounts Payable Research Analyst

Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Accounts Payable leader, the Accounts Payable Research Analyst role typically involves analyzing and investigating discrepancies or issues related to invoices and payments within a company's accounts payable system, ensuring accurate financial reporting by identifying potential errors and fraudulent activity, and resolving payment disputes with vendors, all requiring strong analytical skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of accounting principles. This role requires providing excellent customer service to our clubs, vendors, service providers and staff. This role must meet tight deadlines and handle a multitude of accounts payable activities, striving to continuously improve all aspects of accounts payable and customer service.

Summary

Reporting to the Accounts Payable leader, the Accounts Payable Research Analystrole typically involves analyzing and investigating discrepancies or issues related to invoices and payments within a company's accounts payable system, ensuring accurate financial reporting by identifying potential errors and fraudulent activity, and resolving payment disputes with vendors, all requiring strong analytical skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of accounting principles. This role requires providing excellent customer service to our clubs, vendors, service providers and staff.

This role must meet tight deadlines and handle a multitude of accounts payable activities, striving to continuously improve all aspects of accounts payable and customer service.

Roles And Responsibilities

• Consistently review, analyze, and update invoices within 24 hours of the date that it arrives into the queues, using discretion to resolve issues.
• Communicate regularly with management and keep the supervisor informed of any major concerns or issues.
• Enhances personal effectiveness to assist with the overall efficiency and productivity of the department; by seeking opportunities to improve processes that impact departmental goals and performance.
• Process invoices from multiple vendors and reconcile vendor statements with vendor transactions
• Support the AP Department by ensuring that all customer emails/calls are followed up on in a timely manner.
• Provide vendor invoice processing support while ensuring policy compliance and internal controls.
• Respond to inbound inquiries from internal and external business operators.
• Process quick check requests
• Assist leadership with monthly reports and month-end closing.
• Complete tasks daily in accordance to shared services metrics.
• Support vendor setup and maintenance
• Perform any other job responsibilities as required at the Company’s discretion.
  
  

Other Details And Responsibilities

• Process all invoices within the established SLA
• Set up and maintain vendor/supplier information in Oracle System – which includes obtaining the necessary documents to set up the vendor/supplier – works closely with AP team and internal / external business partners.
• Resolve validation issues on invoices that have been directed to an exception queue
• Provide testing support of AP transactions during system patches.
• Create vendor profile
• Meet AP hourly/daily goals.
• Review all invoices/check requests for appropriate documentation and approval prior to payment
• Verifying the data that was not able to be captured and interpreted by the Edenred software
• Following up with Vendor Master to create new vendors or changing vendor addresses as required when master data is found to require modification
• Perform daily analysis of workflow errors related to Oracle or Edenred and correct.
• Resolving complex accounts payable issues and problems
• Building and maintaining relationships with vendors and internal partners
• Resolve help desk inquiries in a timely manner
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and recommend changes to management.
• Support all invoice processing such as special handling and capital requests per company policy
• Generating payment runs for suppliers.
• Support vendor setup and maintenance activities, including compliance with laws and regulations
• Run and analyze monthly 1099 tax audit reports and make necessary corrections. Assist with year-end tax reporting.
• Support B-notices and ongoing TIN checks
• Prepare and process end of year 1099s
• Contributes to a positive, collaborative, and supportive workplace
  
  

Account Reconciliation and Procedure Compliance Expenditure Processing 70%

• Review vendor invoices and supporting documentation, including audit of travel reimbursements requests, for proper authorization, accuracy, completeness and adherence to procedures and policies.
• Reconcile vendor statements and resolve payment discrepancies.
• Payment dispute resolution: Investigating and resolving invoice discrepancies with vendors, including communication with suppliers to clarify issues and negotiate payment terms.
• Fraud detection: Monitoring for potentially fraudulent activity within the accounts payable process, such as duplicate invoices or suspicious vendor transactions.
• Prepare vendor invoices for authorization. Verify vendor information for remittance address and taxable status.
• Data entry of invoice information, including use tax - if applicable.
• Vendor data management: Maintaining and updating vendor information to ensure correct payment details and addressing any issues with supplier records.
  
  

Customer Service 15%

Assist vendors and customers in all payable matters including resolving issues timely, offering solutions or teaching opportunities in a positive manner.

Process Improvement 10%

• Supports initiatives to continually improve the Accounts Payable process.
• Participate in Accounts Payable initiatives to include working on pilot programs and assisting with system software testing.
• Administer all expenses, monitor reimbursements and ensure work according to corporate expense policy
• Assist in writing and updating procedures and training guides for the department.
• Training of new or existing staff on department procedures and participate in club training calls.
• Assist with the reoccurring payables processing.
• Observe and explore trends in accounts payable processes, identifying areas for process improvement communicating key insights to management.
• Compliance monitoring: Ensuring adherence to company policies and relevant accounting regulations regarding accounts payable procedures.
  
  

Other Duties and Responsibilities as Assigned 5%

Perform general office duties such as filing, mail distribution, and answering customer inquiries by email or phone; assist coworkers with tasks as needed, including processing disbursement requests during absences. Perform special projects as assigned.

Preferred Skills

• A highly innovative individual, who is an out-of-the-box thinker, able to work and make decisions in a dynamic and fast paced team-based environment.
• Organized and efficient to manage a diverse portfolio of assignments and tasks with a degree of accuracy and with a strong attention to detail.
• Strives to deliver the best outcomes and highest quality service.
• Willingness to learn new skills and ability to adapt to an ever-changing environment.
• Critical thinking skills to address change and wide variety of work assignments and information received to effectively perform the job requirements.
• Ability to plan, organize, set priorities, and to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills including clear email composition.
• Generate routine weekly reports and audit for anomalies.
• Process to collect and distribute supplier tax reporting for US (1099 reporting) in accordance with Federal regulations.
• Manage the stale dated checks list to ensure payment clears the bank or void and reissue payment
• Verify, reconcile and analyze accounts.
• Verify statements and other documents for accuracy.
• Respond to inbound requests from Domestic Branches, other partners and third parties
• Manage relationships to escalate upward unresolved or unusual inquiries and issues
• Create the Board of Directors Compensation Summary book (1099 reporting)
• Order new purchasing cards upon request from purchasing department
• Team player with a positive – ‘can do’ approach, and collaborative spirit.
• Develops strong working relationships with colleagues, management teams, and leadership.
• The ability to work seamlessly with remote colleagues at other office locations is critical.
• Proactive to problem solving.
  
  

Promotes and demonstrates the Mission, Vision, and Core Values of Invited.

Qualifications And Education Requirements

• High School Diploma (or equivalent) required, some college preferred.
• Exhibits teamwork and flexibility
• Accounts Payable experience - 3 years
• Must have analytical skills, ability to visualize the “big picture” problem solving skills
• Keep abreast of the 1099 annual changes
• Display professionalism, quality service and a “can do” attitude to both internal and external contacts
• Experience in high volume invoice environment.
• Shared services experience.
• A thorough knowledge of Oracle preferable.
  
  

Key Competencies, Knowledge And Abilities

• Previous work experience in Accounts Payable/ Accounting/ Customer Service
• 3 - 5 years of relevant experience in Payable Accounts, preferably in a Shared Services environment
• A degree is not required but accounting coursework is preferred.
• ERP systems, with Oracle Fusion preferred.
  
  

Technological Skills: Quick to learn and utilize new office support technology systems and software packages.

• Effective Communication: Skilled in understanding, interpreting and conveying procedures, policies, information, ideas, and instructions. Able to interact professionally with a diverse range of customers.
• Intermediate to advanced skills in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint
• Fulfill all required HR processes and administrative tasks (working time reports, overtime compensation, holiday planning, My Performance, Personal Development Plan - PDP)
• Reliable and committed to work schedule, punctuality and attendance is an essential quality for this position.
• Flexibility to work additional hours with little notice based on volume and/or vacation coverage
• Ability to exercise tact, courtesy, alertness and good judgment when responding to internal and external inquiries.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to identify the issue and propose a solution
• Ability to work independently as well as a team environment.
• Possess initiative and good work ethic
• Organizational skills, managing time effectively and the ability to prioritize required
• Work closely with internal and external customers, including vendors, business partners
• Someone that can roll up their sleeves and dive in
• Practices attentive/active listening and continually adheres to procedures and strict compliance controls.
• Provides the highest quality of quality (accurate and error free) and exceeds deadlines/ instructions.
• Receptive to manager/peer feedback to continuously improve quality.
• Demonstrates professional, timely, open and clear communication with peers and/or vendors.
• Is seen as a positive team player, is cooperative, supportive, respectful, adaptable to change and happily collaborates with everyone.
• Is cool under pressure, is considered mature; can handle stress; maintains happy disposition, is a settling influence in a crisis and supports team members.
• Able to adapt to a continually changing environment (e.g., new processes), open to global/diverse team members and adaptable to different personalities/cultures.
• Reliable - Adheres to and follows attendance policy closely by arriving on time (punctuality is key!), having excellent attendance (not calling off) and always ensuring proper work coverage (flexible to cover team members when scheduled off)
• Responsible for invoice processing within established timeframes and business rules, practices, and policies to ensure accurate and timely payment to suppliers.
• Partner with internal and external business operators
• Processes invoices and inquiries in a centralized, high-volume environment to ensure timely payment. Conducts research and analysis to resolve invoice discrepancies.
• Entry of proper expense distribution data to general ledger accounts, timely and accurate payments that make full use of available discounts and ensure filing and storage of records.
• The role will partner with third party support, Clubs, as well as internal partners including the Accounts Receivable and Payroll departments to ensure that items are addressed timely.
  
  

This is a hybrid role that requires on-site presence at our Irving, TX office.