Overview
This role is responsible for high-visibility Accounts Payable (AP) operations within a media agency finance function. The Senior Accounts Payable Specialist oversees the accuracy and efficiency of media owner/vendor payments and reconciliations, as well as company overheads. You will also review and quality-control offshore AP support work, serving as the primary quality control point for invoice coding and payment file preparation.
Responsibilities
- Payment Run Ownership: Own the semi-monthly payment run review process. Audit and validate payment files prepared by the offshore team for accuracy, cash flow alignment, and strict payment approval compliance before submission. Identify opportunities to refine and optimize the payment workflow.
- Supplier Onboarding Compliance: Ensure compliance across supplier onboarding procedures, including vendor master data maintenance, payment term validations, and internal payment approval controls.
- Offshore Team Oversight (Quality Control): Oversee day-to-day offshore AP outputs handling high-volume invoice coding, data entry, and initial payment file preparation. Review for accuracy, provide ongoing guidance, and maintain clear standard operating procedures.
- Media Accounts Payable Reconciliations: Perform high-level matching, auditing, and reconciliations of media owner/vendor invoices against campaign buy data and internal financial systems. Manage complex discrepancies and high-priority accounts.
- Overheads Accounts Payable: Oversee end-to-end processing for company overhead vendor invoices (e.g., IT, subscriptions, consultants, and general operational costs), ensuring proper contract matching and approval workflows.
- Vendor Relations: Serve as the main escalation point for vendor statement reconciliations, billing disputes, and payment status inquiries.
- Mailbox Workflow Management: Manage the AP queue and mailbox, ensuring queries are triaged effectively between the internal team and offshore partners.
- Month-End Close Support: Support month-end close by ensuring accurate and timely AP sub-ledger close, reconciliations, and accruals.
- Process Improvement: Identify and implement improvements to AP processes to increase efficiency and scalability.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner across operations, media, client development, and finance to streamline billing workflows, improve data integrity, and maintain strong internal controls.
Requirements
- Experience: 3–5+ years of progressive, hands-on Accounts Payable experience handling high-volume supplier and vendor invoices, supplier onboarding, and payment runs.
- Delegation/Review: Proven experience auditing payment files, reviewing work, and coordinating workflows with offshore, third-party, or junior team members.
- Industry Background: Media industry or advertising agency experience strongly preferred (OOH experience is a major plus). Experience in a high-volume, multi-vendor transactional environment required.
- Technical System Skills:
- Advanced proficiency in MS Excel (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables)
- Experience with ERP systems such as Sage Intacct or NetSuite preferred
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong analytical skills focused on supplier onboarding standards, approval controls, data accuracy, and payment validation.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills to liaise comfortably across internal leadership, offshore teams, and external vendor partners.
- Ability to identify process bottlenecks, establish streamlined workflows, and manage tight deadlines in a dynamic agency setting.
Compensation & Benefits
- Compensation Range: $75,000 - $85,000 / year (dependent upon experience)
- Unlimited non-accrual vacation policy
- Health, dental, vision, and life insurance
- 401(k) matching program
- Generous parental leave policy
- Collaborative, learning-centric work environment with space to grow skills
Location
Not specified in the provided job description.
Equal Opportunity
The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.