Senior Accounts Payable Manager

East West Bank•Pasadena, CA

About The Position

The Senior Accounts Payable Manager oversees the full-cycle Accounts Payable function, including vendor record maintenance, invoice and payment processing, 1099 reporting, and regulatory compliance. This role also leads key areas such as fixed asset accounting, personal property tax filings, expense trend analysis, and the monthly AP accrual process. The manager works closely with bank business units, external vendors, and an offshore AP team located in Shanghai to ensure accuracy, consistency, and exceptional service delivery. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail‑oriented, and an excellent communicator who thrives in a collaborative, fast‑paced, high‑volume environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field.
5+ years of Accounts Payable experience, including 3+ years in a supervisory or management capacity.
Strong background in vendor maintenance, invoice processing, and payment operations.
Hands-on experience with 1099 reporting and AP-related tax compliance.
Working knowledge of fixed asset accounting and personal property tax requirements.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across internal departments, vendors, and international teams.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple competing priorities.
Proficiency with ERP systems and AP automation tools.

Nice To Haves

Experience supervising or partnering with offshore teams.
Work experience in a public company or SOX-compliant environment.
Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and data analysis.
Prior experience with PO/PR workflows (strongly preferred due to future implementation plans).
Background in the banking or financial services industry.

Responsibilities

Supervise, train, and develop AP staff and manage day-to-day workflow across onshore and offshore teams.
Collaborate effectively with the offshore AP team in Shanghai, ensuring consistent communication, aligned processes, and accurate deliverables.
Serve as the escalation point for complex invoice, vendor, payment, or workflow issues.
Oversee full-cycle AP, including invoice intake, approvals routing, and payment processing
Ensure timely and accurate vendor payments in line with company policies and regulatory requirements.
Maintain accurate AP aging and follow up on outstanding items and discrepancies.
Manage vendor relationships and maintain a high level of service with both internal and external stakeholders.
Oversee vendor onboarding, documentation, W‑9/W‑8 collection, and tax identification verification.
Maintain vendor master data, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with internal controls and regulatory rules.
Ensure segregation of duties and strong internal controls over vendor changes and approvals.
Manage annual 1099 reporting, ensuring accuracy and timely filing in compliance with IRS regulations.
Support internal and external audits with AP schedules, walkthroughs, and control documentation.
Maintain strong adherence to GAAP, internal controls, and company policies.
Oversee fixed asset accounting, including asset additions, disposals, capitalization policies, depreciation, and reconciliations.
Coordinate annual personal property tax filings, ensuring accurate asset reporting and timely submission.
Partner cross‑functionally with other accounting teams to ensure asset-related transactions flow properly into the GL.
Evaluate AP processes and identify opportunities for automation, streamlining, and greater efficiency.
Work with IT and Finance to implement systems enhancements or AP automation tools.
Develop and monitor AP KPIs and reporting metrics for performance management.
Serve as a primary liaison to bank business unit customers, providing exceptional support for AP and vendor-related inquiries.
Communicate clearly and professionally with vendors, internal stakeholders, and offshore team members.
May perform other duties as assigned