Program Manager Jobs

About The Position

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Analytics, or related field.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in accounts payable, finance operations, compliance, or a related function.
• At least 3 years in a management, program leadership, or senior analyst role with direct ownership of controls, audit, or transformation initiatives.
• Demonstrated expertise in SOX compliance program management, including control design, testing coordination, deficiency management, and audit engagement leadership.
• Proven track record of leading enterprise-level transformation or system implementation projects (P2P, ERP, automation) with cross-functional scope.
• Advanced financial reporting, data analysis, and dashboard development skills using Excel (Power Query, macros, advanced modeling) and/or BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, Cognos).
• Direct experience managing or supervising staff, with demonstrated ability to develop talent, set expectations, and drive accountability.
• Strong working knowledge of GAAP, internal controls frameworks, and audit readiness requirements as they relate to the AP and P2P lifecycle.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex data into executive-ready narratives, strategic recommendations, and board-level reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with autonomy in high-complexity environments with competing priorities, tight deadlines, and enterprise-level stakeholder expectations.
• Familiarity with Emburse (Chrome River) for expense reporting and invoice management.
• Proficiency in data visualization and BI platforms (Power BI, Tableau, Cognos).
• Proven experience owning corporate card program governance, reconciliation, and vendor management.
• Experience with duplicate payment detection tools, audit recovery programs, or vendor banking validation platforms (Trustpair, GIACT, EFTsure).
• Experience with process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen) or ISO documentation standards.
• Demonstrated track record of measurable impact: KPI improvement, cost recovery, controls maturity uplift, or transformation delivery in a prior role.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Prior management or program leadership experience in a law firm or professional services environment (strongly preferred).
• Direct experience with Elite 3E or comparable legal industry ERP/financial management systems.
• Experience with procure-to-pay (P2P) platforms such as Zycus, Coupa, or equivalent, including implementation leadership, UAT ownership, or reporting design.
• Professional certifications: CAPP, APM, CPA, CISA, PMP, or equivalent (or in progress).

Responsibilities

• Own the AP SOX compliance program end-to-end, including control design and documentation, testing coordination, deficiency management, remediation oversight, and ongoing control effectiveness monitoring.
• Maintain and continuously strengthen the AP controls matrix, ensuring alignment with evolving regulatory requirements, firm policy changes, and operational process updates.
• Lead all audit engagements for the AP function (internal and external), including audit planning, evidence delivery, control walkthroughs, finding responses, and remediation tracking.
• Design and implement control enhancements, policy updates, and segregation-of-duties frameworks.
• Establish a controls governance cadence, including quarterly self-assessments, risk heat maps, and compliance dashboards.
• Partner with Internal Audit, the Controller’s Office, and external auditors as the AP function’s primary compliance authority.
• Drive a controls-first culture across the AP team through training, communication, and accountability frameworks.
• Lead program management for AP’s highest-priority transformation initiatives, such as P2P implementation, T&E platform modernization, Virtual payables expansion, and payment channel optimization.
• Own project governance for all AP-sponsored programs, including milestone tracking, dependency management, risk identification, stakeholder communication, and executive status reporting.
• Translate business requirements into functional specifications and system design inputs for P2P, automation, and workflow enhancement projects.
• Lead user acceptance testing (UAT) strategy and execution for system implementations.
• Manage cross-functional workstreams spanning AP, Procurement, IT, Finance, and external vendors.
• Develop and execute change management strategies to drive adoption and minimize disruption.
• Build business cases and ROI frameworks for proposed AP investments, process changes, and technology enhancements.
• Design, build, and own the AP performance measurement framework, including KPI definitions, data architecture, dashboard development, and reporting packages.
• Deliver executive-ready reporting on a monthly and quarterly cadence, translating operational data into clear narratives, trend analysis, and strategic recommendations.
• Own budget vs. actuals variance analysis for AP operations, identifying cost drivers and recommending corrective actions.
• Develop predictive and diagnostic analytics, such as DPO modeling, early payment discount capture optimization, vendor concentration risk, and cash flow impact analysis.
• Partner with Procurement to deliver enterprise spend analytics and vendor strategy insights.
• Build and maintain ad hoc analytical models to support strategic decision-making.
• Establish data governance standards for AP reporting, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and auditability.
• Own the enterprise exception management program, including classification taxonomy, escalation protocols, resolution tracking, root cause analysis, and trend reporting.
• Lead the duplicate payment detection and recovery program.
• Perform root cause analysis on recurring exceptions, control failures, and process breakdowns, translating findings into systemic improvements.
• Design and implement preventive controls and monitoring mechanisms to reduce exception volume and financial exposure.
• Own strategic oversight and governance of the firm’s corporate and virtual card programs, including policy enforcement, program performance reporting, and bank relationship management.
• Drive program optimization for card programs, including spend enablement strategies, rebate maximization, virtual card expansion, and integration architecture.
• Monitor card spend trends, flag policy violations and anomalies, and deliver program performance reports and recommendations.
• Manage card lifecycle operations, including onboarding, limit adjustments, deactivation workflows, and compliance monitoring.
• Lead AP’s contribution to month-end and year-end reconciliation activities, including subledger-to-GL reconciliation, bank reconciliation support, and intercompany clearing.
• Investigate and resolve reconciliation variances, aging items, and unmatched transactions.
• Develop and maintain reconciliation frameworks and tracking tools.
• Directly manage 1–3 team members, setting performance expectations, conducting regular 1:1s, and delivering constructive feedback and career development guidance.
• Build team capability through structured training plans, cross-training initiatives, and progressive responsibility assignments.
• Foster a team culture rooted in analytical rigor, intellectual curiosity, and professional accountability.
• Address performance issues directly and professionally, partnering with HR on corrective action as needed.
• Serve as the AP function’s senior analytical and compliance voice in cross-departmental meetings, governance committees, and transformation steering groups.
• Build and sustain trusted partnerships with Internal Audit, External Audit, Procurement, Treasury, Tax, IT, and the Controller’s Office.
• Represent the AP function with the analytical depth and executive presence to influence decisions, defend positions, and drive enterprise alignment.
• Meet or exceed defined targets for reporting accuracy, timeliness, audit readiness, and project milestone delivery.
• Maintain continuous visibility with the Senior Manager on deliverable status, emerging risks, and resource needs.
• Model a standard of analytical rigor, controls discipline, and professional accountability that elevates the broader AP team.

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life/AD&D
• Long Term Care
• Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Account
• Healthcare Concierge and Advocacy
• Lifestyle Spending Account
• Voluntary 401(k) Plan and Profit Sharing
• 10 Paid Holidays per year
• Generous PTO Program
• Family Support including Paid Parental Leave, Fertility Benefits, Breast Milk Shipping, Back-up Child Care, Elder Care, and Tutoring
• Wellbeing programs (Employee Assistance Program, Relationship Support, Mental Health, Menopause and Midlife Health and Well-Being Events)
• Retirement Plan Consulting
• Anniversary Bonus Program
• Professional Development Programs
• Transportation and Commuter Benefits
• International Travel Insurance
• Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Accident Insurance
• Auto/Home/Pet Insurance
• Prepaid Legal Insurance
• Employee Discounts
• Opportunity to earn bonuses based on individual contribution and firm profitability.