Accounts Payable Manager

Wentworth Institute of Higher Education•Boston, MA

24d•$71,000 - $85,000

About The Position

Reporting to the University Controller, the Accounts Payable (A/P) Manager is responsible for the full life cycle of A/P operations. The A/P Manager is the University’s functional expert in accounts payable, and is responsible for executing, managing, and continuously improving accounts payable operations with a strong emphasis on system integrity, compliance, customer service, and process efficiency. This position maintains responsibility for the full life cycle of A/P operations, including invoice processing, payment execution, supplier management, reporting, audit support, regulatory compliance, and process documentation. The A/P Manager will also develop and provide support and training to budget managers and university stakeholders who initiate and approve payments to vendors, employees, staff, and students. This role requires proficiency in the Workday Accounts Payable Module to ensure accurate and timely transaction processing, reporting, payment administration, and adherence to internal controls, university policies and applicable regulations. The successful candidate will join the WIT finance team, which is service-oriented, collaborative, and prioritizes a problem-solving mindset.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
5–8+ years of progressively responsible Accounts Payable or accounting experience.
Strong proficiency in Workday Accounts Payable module
Experience with regulatory compliance, audits, internal controls, and Form 1099 reporting.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and project management skills.
Demonstrated ability to serve as a functional expert and trusted business partner

Nice To Haves

Experience using PaymodeX or similar electronic payment platforms.
Higher education, nonprofit, or fund accounting experience.
Proficiency with additional Workday Financial Management modules, including General Ledger, Budgeting, Reporting, Grants, or Procurement.
Experience participating in ERP implementations, system upgrades, or business process redesign efforts.

Responsibilities

Serve as A/P functional area specialist for Accounts Payable operations.
Manage and maintain responsibility for the full-cycle Accounts Payable process.
Review, validate, approve, and process vendor invoices, purchase orders, employee expense reimbursements, student stipends, and other payment requests in Workday Accounts Payable Module and PaymodeX.
Ensure accuracy of accounting distributions, funding sources, approvals, tax treatment, and compliance with university procurement and financial policies.
Match invoices to purchase orders and receipts; investigate and resolve discrepancies.
Process supplier, employee, and student stipends through ACH, check, wire transfer, and other approved methods.
Lead resolution of complex payment, supplier, workflow, and compliance issues.
Monitor payment schedules and settlement runs to ensure timely disbursement of funds.
Review outstanding invoice requests and reimbursement transactions; proactively follow up on approval delays.
Recommend and implement operational efficiencies and best practices, including suggested implementation of AI technology.
Utilize the Workday Accounts Payable (a module of Workday Financials) to process and monitor Accounts Payable transactions and workflows.
Serve as the primary Workday Accounts Payable functional expert by leading testing, implementation, and validation efforts related to Workday enhancements and upgrades.
Partner with Finance leadership on system enhancements and strategic initiatives, including identifying opportunities to automate manual processes and optimize Workday functionality.
Troubleshoot invoice routing issues, approval bottlenecks, workflow exceptions, and payment processing errors.
Maintain supplier records and support supplier onboarding activities.
Review and maintain required vendor tax documentation, including Forms W-9.
Generate and analyze Accounts Payable reports to support reconciliations, audits, month-end close, and operational analysis.
Develop advanced reporting, dashboards, and analytics.
Ensure compliance with university policies, accounting standards, internal controls, and applicable state and federal regulations.
Evaluate and strengthen internal controls related to payment processing and supplier management.
Maintain organized and audit-ready documentation.
Support internal and external audits by preparing documentation and responding to inquiries.
Coordinate annual Form 1099 review, validation, preparation, and filing.
Develop and maintain current Accounts Payable policies, procedures, and process documentation.
Monitor compliance risks and recommend corrective actions.
Develop, document, and facilitate formal training programs and user resources.
Serve as an escalation point for complex campus or supplier issues.
Provide responsive and professional support to faculty, staff, students, and suppliers.
Collaborate with departments to resolve invoice issues, payment questions, and supplier concerns.
Assist university stakeholders with Workday navigation and Accounts Payable processes.
Lead process improvement initiatives and workflow redesign efforts.
Identify opportunities to increase efficiency, reduce risk, and enhance customer service.
Participate in broader Finance Division strategic initiatives and system implementations.
Analyze departmental operations and recommend performance improvements.
Participate in cross-training efforts to support business continuity.
Recommend and support improvements to Accounts Payable workflows and Workday configurations and testing.
Participate in Finance Division projects and year-end close activities.
Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.