Senior Accountant - Accounts Payable (m/f/d) 100%

DECATHLON Belgium NV; Bussigny; On-site; CHF 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Decathlon Switzerland seeks a Senior Accounts Payable & AP Leader to join in Geneva or Lausanne, overseeing the AP team and driving process transformations. The candidate will manage the end-to-end AP cycle, ensure closing excellence, and lead ERP migration projects with a strong emphasis on controls and supplier relationships.

The role requires leadership experience, strong accounting knowledge, and fluency in French and English, with German a plus for cross-store collaboration.

Qualifications

• 5 to 7+ years of experience in Accounts Payable and General Accounting.
• At least 2 years in a leadership, team lead, or senior coordination role.

Responsibilities

• Lead and structure the Accounts Payable team to support growth.
• Own and optimize end-to-end O2P processes and workflows.
• Mentor and develop local team members across the country.
• Monitor KPIs (DPO, invoice processing times, automation rates) and report to management.
• Oversee AP cycle, including blocks, holds, ageing, accruals, prepayments, and manual entries during closing.
• Maintain strong supplier relationships through clear, professional communication.
• Drive ERP migration and P2P transformations with change management initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with Swiss accounting standards, local regulations and governance.

Skills

Team Leadership

Process Optimization

Data Analysis

Project Management

ERP Transformation

Change Management

Vendor Relations

Tools

Oracle

P2P platforms

BI tools

Excel

Google Sheets

Job description

Mission

Decathlon Switzerland is growing fast (+50 stores, ~500M€ GMV end of 2026).

To support this growth and the transformation of our finance and procurement ERP, we are seeking a dynamic professional to join our team as an Senior Accounts Payable & AP Leader, based in our Geneva or Lausanne offices.

Directly reporting to the accounting leader, you will play a strategic and operational role: leading and structuring the Accounts Payable team while ensuring seamless daily operations and driving process transformations.

Your Mission & Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Structuring
• Structure O2P (Order to Pay) Processes: Build an efficient organization by defining responsibilities and optimizing workflows capable of supporting strong business growth.
• Lead & Mentor Team: Support, develop, and train local teammates across the country.
• Performance Management: Ensure high performance across key KPIs (DPO, invoice processing times, automation rates) and provide regular reporting to management.
• Operational Excellence & Internal Control
• End-to-End AP & Closing Oversight: Oversee the complete Accounts Payable cycle, serving as the escalation point for complex issues (invoice blocks, holds, ageing) and ensuring monthly/yearly closing excellence (accruals, prepayments, manual entries).
• Supplier Relations & Communication: Maintain strong supplier relationships through clear, smooth, and professional communication.
• Process Harmonization & Performance Recovery: Structure, document, and deploy a standardized Procurement process while diagnosing operational issues and leading targeted recovery plans to boost reliability across the value chain.
• Internal Control & Governance: Establish a robust internal control framework (delegation of authority matrix, segregation of duties, purchase order validation) to mitigate risks and billing errors.
• Process Transformation & ERP Migration
• Transformation Leader: Act as a key project stakeholder in the migration and transformation of our ERP and Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) systems.
• Change Management: Lead change management initiatives for the finance team and provide operational guidelines/training to internal non-finance stakeholders.
• Standards & Compliance: Ensure full compliance with Swiss accounting standards, local regulations, and Group governance guidelines throughout system changes.
• Data Quality Governance: Guarantee data quality for purchases, including vendor data, invoicing, and reporting.

Profil

Professional Background

• 5 to 7+ years of experience in Accounts Payable and General Accounting, including at least 2 years in a leadership, team lead, or senior coordination role.

Systems, ERP & Reporting Tools

• Strong working knowledge of core accounting systems, such as Oracle.
• Hands-on experience with expense and P2P platforms, alongside group reporting and BI tools.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and Google Sheets. Experience leading or participating in ERP migrations and system implementations is a significant asset.

Languages

• Fluency in French and English is mandatory. Working proficiency in German is a strong advantage for seamless communication with our Swiss-German stores and business partners.

Leadership & Organizational Drive

• Proven ability to build and structure processes from scratch, mentor and upskill junior team members and champion organizational change.

Analytical Acumen

• Strong affinity for data and numbers, a continuous improvement mindset, and a structured approach to solving complex problems.

Sport Enthusiast

• A genuine passion for sports, embodying the active, dynamic and team-oriented culture of the company.