Specialist, Accounts Payable

FINRA • Rockville, MD

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Specialist, Accounts Payable in FINRA’s Finance department is responsible for the accurate and timely processing, tracking, and management of supplier invoices, expense items and payment activities for FINRA. This position works closely and interacts frequently with internal stakeholders and external parties, taking primary responsibility for assigned invoice processing workflows, supplier relationships, and process improvement initiatives. Essential Job Functions: Invoice Processing & Reconciliation Complete end-to-end invoice processing through automated systems and ERP platforms (Workday), ensuring accurate GL coding, streamlined approval routing, and timely payment. Manage workflow queues and prioritize high-volume transactions based on payment terms, cash flow considerations, and early payment discount opportunities while ensuring compliance with organizational policies, internal controls, and regulatory requirements. Serves as a point of contact for accounts payable inquiries from internal and external stakeholders, delivering timely and professional responses. Proactively identify, recommend, and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, reduce cycle times, strengthen controls, and improve vendor satisfaction through continuous improvement initiatives, system upgrades, and automation projects. Perform invoice reconciliation activities, including three-way matching of purchase orders, receipts, and invoices. Identify and resolve discrepancies, payment blocks, and system exceptions by partnering with procurement, finance, and other stakeholders to prevent payment delays and ensure SLAs are consistently met or exceeded. Vendor & Expense Management Contribute to vendor master data management, including vendor setup, maintenance, updates, and tax compliance validation (W-9/W-8). Audit and approve employee expense reports through designated expense management systems, ensuring policy compliance, appropriate documentation, and accuracy while providing guidance on policy interpretation and best practices. Compliance, Audit Support & Financial Reporting Maintain comprehensive audit trails and documentation for all accounts payable transactions, ensuring compliance with internal controls and retention policies. Contribute to month-end and year-end close processes, including accrual preparation, account reconciliations, aging analysis, and variance reporting, supporting accurate financial statement reporting and audit requests. Additional Responsibilities Demonstration of FINRA’s values. Collaboration, both in-person and virtually, in furtherance of FINRA’s mission of investor protection and market integrity.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business, or Finance, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum of four (4) years of accounts payable experience in an automated environment with exposure to various ERP financial systems.
• Experience with purchase order processing.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook).
• Experience with business process-driven ERP systems (Workday experience preferred).
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills with ability to respond professionally to inquiries.
• Ability to multitask effectively and shift priorities based on business urgency.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and take ownership of assigned responsibilities.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with automation technologies, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), or similar automated AP systems is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Complete end-to-end invoice processing through automated systems and ERP platforms (Workday), ensuring accurate GL coding, streamlined approval routing, and timely payment.
• Manage workflow queues and prioritize high-volume transactions based on payment terms, cash flow considerations, and early payment discount opportunities while ensuring compliance with organizational policies, internal controls, and regulatory requirements.
• Serves as a point of contact for accounts payable inquiries from internal and external stakeholders, delivering timely and professional responses.
• Proactively identify, recommend, and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, reduce cycle times, strengthen controls, and improve vendor satisfaction through continuous improvement initiatives, system upgrades, and automation projects.
• Perform invoice reconciliation activities, including three-way matching of purchase orders, receipts, and invoices.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies, payment blocks, and system exceptions by partnering with procurement, finance, and other stakeholders to prevent payment delays and ensure SLAs are consistently met or exceeded.
• Contribute to vendor master data management, including vendor setup, maintenance, updates, and tax compliance validation (W-9/W-8).
• Audit and approve employee expense reports through designated expense management systems, ensuring policy compliance, appropriate documentation, and accuracy while providing guidance on policy interpretation and best practices.
• Maintain comprehensive audit trails and documentation for all accounts payable transactions, ensuring compliance with internal controls and retention policies.
• Contribute to month-end and year-end close processes, including accrual preparation, account reconciliations, aging analysis, and variance reporting, supporting accurate financial statement reporting and audit requests.
• Demonstration of FINRA’s values.
• Collaboration, both in-person and virtually, in furtherance of FINRA’s mission of investor protection and market integrity.

Benefits

• Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.
• Non-exempt employees are also eligible for overtime pay in accordance with federal, state, or local law.
• As part of its dedication to employee wellness, FINRA provides comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance.
• Additional insurance includes basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental life, spouse/domestic partner and dependent life, and spouse/domestic partner and dependent accidental death and dismemberment, short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, disability and legal.
• FINRA offers immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match and eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, and other benefits that support employee wellness, such as adoption assistance, backup family care, surrogacy benefits, employee assistance, and wellness programs.
• Time Off and Paid Leave FINRA encourages its employees to focus on their health and wellness in many ways, including through a generous time-off program of 15 days of paid time off, 5 personal days and 9 sick days, unless otherwise required by law (all pro-rated in the first year).
• Additionally, we are proud to support our communities by providing two volunteer service days (based on full-time schedule).
• Other paid leave includes military leave, jury duty leave, bereavement leave, voting and election official leave for federal, state or local primary and general elections, care of a family member leave (available after 90 days of employment); and childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment).
• Full-time employees receive nine paid holidays.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level