Senior Payables & Compliance Analyst

Salary range is $26.44/hour - $62.50/hour with a midpoint of $40.87/hour. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including:

• Health Benefits: We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401a - 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457b - up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: Employees accrue 25 days of paid time off annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Employees at the director level and up accrue additional days. We also observe 12 paid holidays and provide up to 2 paid floating holidays and up to 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12-16 weeks of parental leave for new parents.
• Pet Insurance discount.
• ORCA Card: All full-time employees will receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Sound Transit will pay up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services.
• Compensation Practices: We offer competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity. In addition to compensation and benefits, you'll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues.

GENERAL PURPOSE:

In a rapidly growing, challenging processing environment, the Senior Payables & Compliance Analyst oversees activities of the centralized travel and expense team to ensure timely processing of payments; supports the Accounting Operations Manager in the oversight of the agency vendor maintenance and onboarding program and processes; leads or participates in projects to improve financial software processes, procedures, and reporting that directly affect the group or department; assist with customer concern resolution for the Accounts Payable department. Analyzes vendor data and implements process improvement across P2P and the agency. Analyzes systems to ensure running adequately and leads all UAT efforts as needed for ERP and other payable systems.

Under general direction, provides subject matter expertise for the Agency's travel program, the travel and expense software application(s), and the Agency's policies and procedures for the same. Ensures that all transactions and employee expense reimbursements comply with Agency policies. Assist with processing travel and expense reimbursements. Ensures compliance with purchasing card reconciliation requirements and processes the purchasing card payments. Assists with the validating, testing, and end-user training, ensuring that all system related functionality is working effectively.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following duties are a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Manage and design vendor master controls around vendor setup and maintenance. Ensuring that vendors are appropriately setup in accordance with state and federal regulations related to 1099 setup.
• Ensuring appropriate controls are implemented at the vendor level ensuring protection of vendor banking information related to ach and wire payments.
• Following protocols around vendor banking changes.
• Ensure data integrity and internal controls are adhered to around vendor sensitive data including but not limited to vendor tax identification number, banking instructions and addresses.
• Manage vendor payment programs and vendor outreach initiatives.
• Validating vendors and taking fraudulent preventative measures.
• Reconcile travel, P-Card, and accounts payable accounts.
• Performs weekly/monthly analytics to ensure KPIs are on track and troubleshoots issues in the AP process and presents to management his findings and recommends solutions.
• Ensures travel, purchasing card reconciliation, and expense reimbursement compliance through a variety of continuous audit and monitoring techniques to ensure accuracy and compliance with Agency policies and procedures such as:
  • Monitoring of pre-authorization requests and system expectations.
  • Analysis of transactional information and trends and patterns of behavior requiring additional follow-up.
  • Ensures reconciliation of approved travel and purchasing card charges or items ready to be paid and comparison to pre-authorizations where required.
  • Reporting and disputing fraudulent travel card charges and requesting reversals and credits, as needed.
  • Resolves issues concerning declined travel card charges by reviewing card transaction and authorization logs; approves merchant exceptions.
• Interacts with managers, directors, and senior leadership to resolve issues of a highly sensitive and confidential matter.
• Trains and assists employees on the Employee Travel Procedure.
• Trains and assists Account I in managing travel and p-card programs including but not limited to request, expense reports, travel reservations and adherence to all related policy and procedures.
• Responsible for drafting and maintaining changes to the Travel Procedure.
• Continuously reviews procedures and proposes solutions for improvements.
• Day to day administration of application supporting the Agency's travel and purchase card programs including, but not limited to Concur and Bank of America Works.
• Understands complex system requirements.
• Maintains the Concur Mobile App.
• Monitors the adoption rate and promotes use and ease of the system.
• Delivers training sessions and additional system information to assist end users.
• Gather metrics and data analysis to better understand trends and behavior.
• Maintains the integration of the data and setup between systems (Concur, Bank of America Works, and the ERP system).
• Develops and maintains standard operating procedures, process flows, analytics, and project status reports.
• Analyzes and troubleshoots data integrity issues, generating reports, and coordinating system changes and resolutions.
• Finding technical solutions to business problems.
• Provides support to the division on matters as directed; maintains awareness of new trends and developments in the fields related to area of assignment; ensures Finance processes, policies, and practices are interpreted and applied consistently and effectively; ensures accountability and compliance with all current and applicable state and federal laws, Agency policies and procedures, rules and regulations.
• Coordinates and participates in a variety of other accounting projects and services and may serve on various committees as assigned.
• Champions and models Sound Transit's core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.
• Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit's Equity & Inclusion Policy.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to follow the Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties and responsibilities, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree in Accounting or closely related field and four years of accounts payable experience; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience with governmental procurement practices as relates to accounts payable and JD Edwards experience preferred.

Preferred Licenses or Certifications:

• Concur Certified Association and/or Certified Vendor Management Expert.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Principles and practices of accounts payable; journal entries and accounting reconciliations; and Agency procurement practices, and expense processing.
• Pertinent state and federal regulations; Agency policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• Basic accounting, bookkeeping, and mathematical principles and practices.
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Accounting software including Agency accounting software and accounts payable module.
• Principles and procedures of financial record keeping/reporting and files and information retrieval systems.
• Customer service methods and techniques.
• Utilizing personal computer software programs affecting assigned work and in compiling and preparing spreadsheets.
• Interpersonal skills; networking and maintaining inter- and cross-departmental relationships.
• Inquisitive approach to investigate data and processes.
• Interpreting and administering policies and procedures.
• Preparing and maintaining accounts payable and related accounting records.
• Researching accounts payable transactions and reconciling accounts payable problems.
• Identifying and resolving problems in a timely manner using sound judgment.
• Responding to inquiries and in effective oral and written communication.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills:

• Knowledge of vendor management controls.
• Knowledge of discount programs and vendor outreach programs.
• Experience managing travel and expense programs.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a hybrid office environment.
• This position is responsible for interacting with others over the phone and utilizing third party websites. May be subject to hearing, talking and seeing.
• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or other protected class.