Accounts Payable Specialist (Remote)

Overview

This remote, full-time role supports payroll administration and full-cycle accounts payable for multiple U.S. entities. The position involves maintaining accurate financial records, resolving transaction discrepancies, supporting compliance requirements, and ensuring reliable processing across different systems and workflows.

Location: United States
Workplace: Remote
Employment Type: Full-time

Responsibilities

Payroll Processing and Administration

• Manage end-to-end U.S. payroll processing through ADP and TriNet across multiple entities, ensuring accurate and timely payroll execution.
• Process payroll changes including new hires, terminations, salary adjustments, employment status updates, bonuses, commissions, retroactive adjustments, and off-cycle payments.
• Review payroll registers and preview reports before submission, compare results with previous payroll periods, and resolve discrepancies before payments are processed.
• Coordinate with People Operations to maintain accurate employee records and ensure changes are correctly reflected across payroll platforms.
• Manage payroll data workflows across professional employer organization (PEO) and direct payroll provider arrangements.
• Reconcile payroll funding, payroll tax deposits, and employee benefit deductions, investigating and resolving differences with payroll providers.
• Support quarterly and annual payroll tax reporting, W-2 processing, and reconciliation of Form 941 and state payroll filings to the general ledger.
• Prepare payroll journal entries and payroll-related accruals, including paid time off (PTO) and bonus accruals.
• Respond to employee payroll inquiries while maintaining confidentiality of compensation and personal information.

Accounts Payable and Purchasing

• Manage full-cycle accounts payable, including vendor invoice processing, purchase order administration, invoice matching, and payment preparation.
• Create purchase orders in Ramp and coordinate approval workflows with stakeholders across Research and Development, Operations, and General and Administrative functions.
• Enter, review, and code vendor invoices in Ramp, ensuring accurate allocation to the appropriate general ledger accounts, departments, and locations.
• Perform three-way matching of purchase orders, invoices, and receiving documentation; resolve exceptions with vendors and internal requesters.
• Maintain vendor master records, including collection of W-9 forms, banking documentation, validation of vendor information, and audit-ready recordkeeping.
• Prepare vendor payment runs for management review and approval while maintaining accurate accounts payable aging reports.
• Monitor outstanding invoices and payment obligations to support timely supplier payments and reliable purchasing operations.
• Reconcile vendor statements and investigate discrepancies involving invoices, payments, credits, and account balances.
• Process corporate credit card transactions and employee expense reports through Ramp, ensuring accurate expense coding and compliance with established expense policies.

Vendor Compliance and Supply Chain Screening

• Perform restricted and denied party screening for new vendors and suppliers as part of the vendor onboarding process.
• Conduct periodic re-screening of existing vendors according to established compliance schedules.
• Document screening results and retain supporting evidence in accordance with audit and government customer documentation expectations.
• Escalate potential screening matches or ambiguous results to Legal and Trade Compliance and place vendor onboarding on hold pending clearance.
• Maintain vendor screening logs and support internal and external compliance reviews without independently adjudicating potential matches.

Accounting Controls and Process Improvement

• Develop and document standard operating procedures, desktop instructions, checklists, and accounting calendars for payroll, accounts payable, and vendor management activities.
• Establish repeatable workflows that support operational continuity and allow other accounting personnel to cover assigned responsibilities.
• Prepare supporting documentation, financial schedules, and transaction records for audits, accounting reviews, and due diligence requests.
• Maintain segregation of duties by preparing and recording transactions while ensuring purchasing approvals, invoice approvals, payment releases, payroll funding authorization, and entry reviews remain with designated management.
• Identify and escalate situations that could compromise established internal accounting controls.
• Investigate recurring invoice coding questions, vendor onboarding delays, reconciliation issues, and inefficient manual processes.
• Recommend process improvements that strengthen transaction accuracy, financial controls, and accounting workflow efficiency.
• Support the continued development of accounting operations, with potential expansion into general ledger activities and month-end close responsibilities.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• At least 3 years of combined payroll and accounts payable experience, including a minimum of 2 years of direct responsibility for hands-on payroll processing rather than payroll data entry support.
• Demonstrated experience processing payroll through a third-party payroll platform such as ADP, TriNet, Paylocity, Rippling, Gusto, or a comparable system.
• Practical experience administering multi-state U.S. payroll.
• Full-cycle accounts payable knowledge, including three-way invoice matching, purchase order-based purchasing, and vendor master management.
• Hands-on experience using a cloud-based ERP or mid-market accounting system such as Intuit Enterprise Suite, QuickBooks Online Advanced, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or a comparable platform.

Required Skills

• Ability to independently process payroll transactions, review payroll registers, reconcile payroll-related amounts, and investigate discrepancies before payroll submission.
• Strong understanding of accounts payable workflows, vendor invoice coding, purchase order processing, payment preparation, and vendor account reconciliations.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including lookup functions, pivot tables, and reconciliation of large financial data sets.
• Ability to maintain accurate accounting records, investigate transaction discrepancies, and identify errors before they affect financial reporting or payment processing.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to establish documented procedures, manage competing priorities, and operate effectively when existing processes are limited.
• Demonstrated discretion when handling confidential employee compensation, payroll information, and sensitive financial records.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain accounting codes, transaction discrepancies, and payroll issues to non-accounting stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, take ownership of assigned processes, and raise errors or control concerns promptly.
• Interest in developing general ledger accounting and month-end close capabilities as the accounting function expands.

Education & Certifications

• Associate's or bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification is welcome but not required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience processing payroll through both a professional employer organization (PEO) and a direct payroll provider.
• Experience with Ramp or a comparable spend management platform, including Brex, Navan, Coupa, or Bill.com.
• Exposure to export controls, denied party screening, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Training on the screening process is available.
• Experience preparing accounting journal entries and performing general ledger reconciliations; these capabilities are beneficial but not required initially.
• Experience working in a multi-entity accounting environment.
• Previous accounting or finance experience in manufacturing, hardware, industrial operations, aerospace, or defense-related environments.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation

• Annual base salary: $62,000–$88,000 (depending on work location and experience).

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance benefits.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching contributions.
• Professional development reimbursement.
• Potential equity participation for most full-time positions, subject to eligibility.
• Professional growth opportunities involving general ledger accounting, month-end close, and progression toward Staff or Senior Accountant responsibilities.

Location & Travel

• Location: United States
• Workplace: Remote
• Travel: Occasional travel to company sites; frequency and duration not specified.