VP - Head of Spend Operations (Finance)

PJT Partners•New York, NY

11d•$175,000 - $200,000

About The Position

PJT Partners is seeking to hire a Head of Spend Operations to own and innovate the firm’s accounts payable (AP) and corporate expense functions end-to-end. This role requires not only the core competency of accuracy, timeliness, and governance of all outbound vendors and employee spending but also a proven ability to deploy large-scale innovation programs in this space, focusing on data & analytics, performance indicators, and improving the overall employee experience. The Head of Spend Operations will partner closely with the Head of Finance Operations & Transformation to modernize and automate the procure-to-pay and travel-and-expense (T&E) stack. This individual will collaborate across Finance, Procurement, COO functions, and Technology, operating with a high degree of autonomy and ownership.

Requirements

6-10 years of relevant experience in accounts payable, spend / expense operations, procure-to-pay, or finance transformation, ideally within financial services or another regulated, fast-paced environment.
Minimum 5+ years in a people-management role, leading and developing teams across multiple locations including onshore and offshore / outsourced staff with direct accountability for performance and day-to-day service delivery.
Demonstrated track record of running a high-volume AP and/or T&E function with measurable improvements in timeliness, accuracy, and control.
Experience modernizing or automating finance operations (e.g., AP automation, expense platforms, ERP / spend-management systems such as Workday, Concur, Coupa, SAP, or Oracle).
Strong command of internal controls, SOX, and compliance frameworks.
Excellent quantitative and analytical skills, with fluency translating spend data into actionable insight. (e.g. Leveraging AI or EPM tools: Anaplan, Adaptive, Pigment).
Exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust with executive stakeholders and influence cross-functionally.
A self-starter who thrives on autonomy, ownership, and ambiguity to grow alongside the function.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
Advanced Proficiency in the Microsoft Suite (Excel, PowerPoint) and comfort with data and automation tools; a builder’s mindset toward process improvement.

Nice To Haves

Relevant certifications (e.g., CPA, APP / CAPP, Lean / Six Sigma) a plus.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end accounts payable operations ensuring all payments are accurate, timely, and policy compliant.
Manage recurring spends understanding gaps in expected payments, proactively reach out to cost center owners and/or vendors to ensure invoices are received timely.
Maintain accurate vendor master data, including banking details and tax documentation.
Oversee corporate card and T&E program, including expense report review, reimbursement timeliness, and resolution of escalated issues.
Design, document, and enforce AP and expense policies, approval matrices, and spend controls.
Maintain a strong internal control environment aligned to SOX framework and the firm’s record-retention obligations; partner effectively with internal and external audit.
Lead data & analytics program for detection of anomalies, fraud, and out-of-policy spend through automated controls and exception monitoring.
Provide controller and tax teams with required reporting to support applicable tax and regulatory requirements, including 1099 / sales-and-use tax and IRS accountable-plan substantiation.
Drive continuous modernization and automation of the procure-to-pay and T&E stack, reducing manual processing, cycle times, and cost-per-invoice.
Assist with platform selection and implementation — RFPs, vendor evaluation, and rollout — for AP, expense, and spend-management tools, ensuring fit with the function’s operational requirements.
Build spend visibility through KPI dashboards, aging and exception reporting, and vendor / category spend analytics.
Identify and execute continuous-improvement initiatives that increase straight-through processing and operational efficiency.
Oversee spend operations team spanning onshore and offshore locations, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
Manage day-to-day delivery across distributed onshore and offshore teams ensuring consistent service levels, clear handoffs, and clear accountability across time zones.
Communicate function performance, risks, and the transformation roadmap to senior Finance leadership.