Accounts Payable Travel & Expense Manager

Michael Baker International•Greenville, SC

5d•$100,000 - $110,000

About The Position

Michael Baker International is seeking an experienced Accounts Payable & Travel & Expense (AP/T&E) Manager to lead the company’s accounts payable and travel and expense operations within its Shared Services team. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Shared Services, the manager is responsible for timely, accurate, compliant, and customer-focused service delivery across the organization. The role oversees daily operations, develops team members, strengthens internal controls, supports process improvements, and partners with Finance, Accounting, Procurement, Project Teams, and other stakeholders. The manager leads and develops AP and T&E staff; oversees end-to-end accounts payable, vendor maintenance, payment processing, expense reviews and reimbursements; supports close activities and audit requirements; and ensures compliance with company policies, accounting requirements, audit standards, and applicable tax regulations. The role also maintains process documentation, analyzes operational metrics, handles escalations, supports T&E and AP systems, and drives automation, workflow improvements, standardization, and other Shared Services initiatives. Building effective relationships with employees, vendors, internal customers, and business leaders is an important part of the position.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
At least 3 years of progressive experience in accounts payable, travel and expense, finance operations, or Shared Services.
At least 2 years of supervisory, team lead, or management experience.
Strong knowledge of accounts payable processes, expense reimbursement controls, vendor management, accruals, reconciliations, and month-end close support.
Experience working with ERP, AP workflow, and/or T&E systems.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and financial reporting tools.
Demonstrated ability to manage deadlines, competing priorities, and high-volume transaction environments.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and customer service skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a Shared Services environment.
Experience within professional services, engineering, architecture, construction, consulting, or another project-based organization.
Familiarity with project accounting environments.
Experience with AP automation, invoice workflow tools, and T&E platforms such as Concur, Chrome River, or similar systems.
Experience supporting process transformation, system implementations, or operational standardization initiatives.
Knowledge of Form 1099 reporting and vendor tax documentation requirements.
CPA, CMA, or another relevant professional certification is a plus but is not required.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop AP and T&E team members; manage workloads, priorities, performance expectations, training, and professional development.
Promote a service-oriented culture focused on accuracy, responsiveness, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Serve as an escalation point for complex accounts payable, vendor, employee reimbursement, and policy-related matters.
Oversee end-to-end accounts payable processes, including invoice intake, coding, approvals, payment processing, vendor maintenance, and issue resolution.
Ensure vendor invoices are processed accurately and on time in accordance with company policies, approval requirements, and contractual terms.
Monitor AP aging, payment timing, exception queues, and unresolved items.
Partner with Procurement, Accounting, Project Accounting, and business units to resolve invoice discrepancies and improve workflow efficiency.
Support month-end and year-end close activities, including accruals, reconciliations, reporting, and audit support.
Oversee vendor tax documentation and annual reporting support, including Form 1099 processes, as applicable.
Manage expense report reviews, approvals, audit controls, and reimbursement timing.
Ensure employee expense submissions comply with company travel and expense policies, and guide employees and managers on policies, documentation, and system use.
Identify T&E trends, exceptions, and opportunities to improve policy compliance and the employee experience.
Support the administration and optimization of T&E systems and related workflows.
Maintain and strengthen internal controls for AP and T&E, ensuring compliance with company policies, accounting requirements, audit standards, and applicable tax regulations.
Develop and maintain process documentation, desk procedures, and training materials.
Prepare and analyze operational metrics, including invoice cycle time, payment timeliness, expense report turnaround time, exception rates, and team productivity.
Update the Vice President of Shared Services on operational performance, risks, improvement opportunities, and key initiatives.
Identify, recommend, and implement improvements to increase efficiency, accuracy, transparency, and scalability.
Support automation initiatives, workflow enhancements, system upgrades, and Shared Services transformation efforts.
Partner with IT, Finance, Procurement, and other stakeholders to improve systems, reporting, data quality, and user experience.
Promote best practices, consistency, and standardization across AP and T&E processes.
Build effective working relationships with internal customers, vendors, employees, and business leaders.
Resolve vendor inquiries, payment issues, and employee reimbursement questions in a timely and professional manner.
Communicate proactively about process changes, policy updates, deadlines, and service expectations.