Accounts Payable Specialist

Auren; Madrid; On-site; EUR 32,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Auren in Madrid is seeking an Accounts Payable Specialist to manage the end-to-end purchase-to-pay cycle for the local entity. You will handle vendor relationships, invoice processing, payments, and reconciliations in SAP, ensuring timeliness and accuracy in line with local requirements and hub SLAs.

The role requires 2-4 years in AP, solid knowledge of Spanish VAT, and experience in a shared services or centralized finance environment.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years in accounts payable, purchase ledger, or procure-to-pay in a structured finance environment.
• Experience processing high-volume invoices with multi-level approval workflows.
• SAP FI (A/P) experience preferred.
• Experience in a Shared Services Centre or centralized finance hub is a differentiator for all variants.
• Background in industrial, manufacturing, or B2B services is preferred.
• Solid understanding of Spanish VAT (IVA) rules: invoice requirements under the SII system, self-assessed VAT on intra-EU services, and VAT deductibility.
• Familiarity with Spanish payment infrastructure: SEPA credit transfers, direct debit (SEPA B2B/Core), and domestic banking platforms.
• Language: Spanish native or bilingual (primary working language); English B2

Responsibilities

• Receive, validate, and process vendor invoices in accordance with PO, delivery notes, and approval workflows.
• Ensure accurate coding of invoices to the correct cost center, GL account, and project code in SAP.
• Manage the invoice approval workflow and chase approvers to avoid payment delays.
• Execute payment runs on schedule: weekly or bi-weekly depending on jurisdiction and vendor terms.
• Process urgent payments outside the standard payment run when required and authorized.
• Maintain accurate vendor master data in SAP: bank details, payment terms, contact information, and tax identifiers.
• Manage vendor queries: payment status, invoice discrepancies, statement reconciliations, and credit notes.
• Escalate vendor disputes or unresolved discrepancies to management within agreed timeframes.
• Reconcile vendor statements monthly and resolve open items before closing.
• Perform month-end A/P close activities: accruals, GR/IR, and balance sheet clearing.
• Ensure A/P sub-ledger is reconciled to GL at period end.
• Support audit with documentation, transaction evidence, and reconciliations.

Skills

Accounts payable

High-volume invoicing

Vendor management

Hub environment readiness

Tools

SAP FI (A/P)

Job description

Role Purpose

The Accounts Payable Specialist is a core transactional finance role within the Finance Shared Services Hub, responsible for the end-to-end purchase-to-pay cycle for their assigned jurisdiction. Based in Madrid, each Specialist manages vendor relationships, invoice processing, payment execution, and reconciliation for their entity, ensuring timely and accurate payment runs in compliance with local requirements and hub-wide SLAs.

Key Responsibilities

• 1. Purchase-to-Pay Cycle
• - Receive, validate, and process vendor invoices in accordance with purchase orders, delivery notes, and approval workflows
• - Ensure accurate coding of invoices to the correct cost center, GL account, and project code in SAP
• - Manage the invoice approval workflow and chase approvers proactively to avoid payment delays
• - Execute payment runs on schedule: weekly or bi-weekly depending on jurisdiction and vendor terms
• - Process urgent and exceptional payments outside the standard payment run when required and authorized
• 2. Vendor Management
• - Maintain accurate vendor master data in SAP: bank details, payment terms, contact information, and tax identifiers
• - Manage vendor queries: payment status, invoice discrepancies, statement reconciliations, and credit notes
• - Build and maintain professional working relationships with key vendors in the assigned jurisdiction
• - Escalate vendor disputes or unresolved discrepancies to management within agreed timeframes
• 3. Reconciliation & Controls
• - Reconcile vendor statements monthly and resolve open items before closing
• - Perform month-end A/P close activities: accruals for un-invoiced goods and services, GR/IR reconciliation, and balance sheet clearing
• - Ensure the A/P sub-ledger is fully reconciled to the general ledger at each period end
• - Support internal and external audit by providing documentation, transaction evidence, and reconciliations on request
• 4. Reporting & KPIs
• - Prepare weekly A/P aging reports and flag overdue items, disputed invoices, and payment blockers
• - Track and report DPO by vendor and by payment category
• - Contribute to the working capital dashboard by providing accurate A/P data to the Working Capital & Finance Analyst
• - Support the cash flow forecast by providing reliable short-term payment commitments for the assigned jurisdiction
• 5. Process & Compliance
• - Follow hub-wide A/P procedures and SLAs, and flag deviations or process gaps to the Head of Finance Operations
• - Ensure invoices are processed and paid in compliance with local tax and regulatory requirements for the assigned jurisdiction
• - Participate in process improvement initiatives within the hub — suggest and test improvements to reduce processing time and error rates
• - Maintain full documentation of processes for audit readiness and business continuity purposes

Requirements

• - 2-4 years in accounts payable, purchase ledger, or procure-to-pay in a structured finance environment
• - Experience processing high-volume invoices with multi-level approval workflows
• - SAP FI (A/P module) experience preferred
• - Experience in a Shared Services Centre or centralized finance hub is a differentiator for all variants
• - Background in industrial, manufacturing, or B2B services is preferred- Solid understanding of Spanish VAT (IVA) rules: invoice requirements under the SII system, self-assessed VAT on intra-EU services, and VAT deductibility
• - Familiarity with Spanish payment infrastructure: SEPA credit transfers, direct debit (SEPA B2B/Core), and domestic banking platforms
• - Language: Spanish native or bilingual (primary working language); English B2