Accounts Payable Lead

Macildowie Recruitment and Retention; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary up to £43,000

Permanent role based in Long Eaton

Five days office-based

Job summary

Macildowie Recruitment and Retention is seeking an experienced Purchase Ledger Lead to own and develop a high-volume AP function based in Long Eaton. You will lead and coach an established team, ensuring accurate processing of 6,000–7,000 invoices monthly and robust financial controls.

The role requires hands-on expertise in accruals, prepayments, reconciliations and month-end reporting, with strong stakeholder management and a proactive approach to improving efficiency and systems.

Qualifications

• Proven experience supervising or managing a Purchase Ledger or Accounts Payable team.
• Strong, practical knowledge of end-to-end Purchase Ledger processes.
• Hands-on experience with accruals, prepayments, reconciliations, payment runs and month-end reporting.
• Confidence managing high transaction volumes and competing deadlines.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and constructively challenge.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach to resolving problems.
• The ability to introduce change while bringing an established team with you.
• Strong Excel skills and a good understanding of financial controls.

Responsibilities

• Leading, motivating and developing an established Purchase Ledger team, encouraging accountability and proactive problem-solving.
• Overseeing high-volume invoice processing, supplier reconciliations, payment runs and query resolution.
• Managing month-end activities, including accruals, prepayments, reconciliations and reporting.
• Ensuring supplier payments are processed accurately and in line with agreed terms and cash flow requirements.
• Monitoring outstanding invoices, resolving discrepancies and driving improvements in processing efficiency.
• Maintaining strong financial controls, including VAT compliance, import/export duties and foreign currency transactions.
• Working closely with operational, commercial and finance stakeholders to resolve issues and improve communication.
• Identifying opportunities to streamline processes and improve departmental performance.
• Supporting the integration of additional business activities following recent acquisitions.
• Contributing to wider systems improvements and future ERP developments.

Skills

Purchase Ledger management

Accounts Payable

Excel skills

Stakeholder management

Month-end reporting

Accruals & prepayments

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Accounts Payable Lead

Location: Long Eaton
Salary: Up to £43,000
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: 5 days office-based

Macildowie are working with this client based in Long Eaton, operating within the commercial vehicle sector, to recruit an experienced Purchase Ledger Lead.

This is an excellent opportunity to take ownership of a busy Purchase Ledger function within a growing, evolving business that is investing in its people, processes and systems.

With ambitious growth plans, recent acquisitions and further operational improvements underway, the business is looking for a confident, hands‑on leader who can bring structure, accountability and fresh ideas to an established team.

This isn't a role for someone who simply wants to maintain the status quo. It's an opportunity to make a genuine impact.

The Role

As Purchase Ledger Lead, you'll take responsibility for the day-to-day running of a high-volume Purchase Ledger function, processing approximately 6,000-7,000 invoices per month.

You'll be responsible for leading and developing an experienced team, ensuring financial controls are maintained, deadlines are met and processes continue to evolve as the business grows.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading, motivating and developing an established Purchase Ledger team, encouraging accountability and proactive problem‑solving.

• Overseeing high-volume invoice processing, supplier reconciliations, payment runs and query resolution.

• Managing month‑end activities, including accruals, prepayments, reconciliations and reporting.

• Ensuring supplier payments are processed accurately and in line with agreed terms and cash flow requirements.

• Monitoring outstanding invoices, resolving discrepancies and driving improvements in processing efficiency.

• Maintaining strong financial controls, including VAT compliance, import/export duties and foreign currency transactions.

• Working closely with operational, commercial and finance stakeholders to resolve issues and improve communication.

• Identifying opportunities to streamline processes and improve departmental performance.

• Supporting the integration of additional business activities following recent acquisitions.

• Contributing to wider systems improvements and future ERP developments.

About You

We're particularly interested in speaking with experienced Purchase Ledger Leads, Accounts Payable Team Leaders, Supervisors or hands‑on Managers looking for a new challenge.

You'll ideally bring:

• Proven experience supervising or managing a Purchase Ledger or Accounts Payable team.

• Strong, practical knowledge of end‑to‑end Purchase Ledger processes.

• Hands‑on experience with accruals, prepayments, reconciliations, payment runs and month‑end reporting.

• Confidence managing high transaction volumes and competing deadlines.

• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and constructively challenge.

• A proactive, solutions‑focused approach to resolving problems.

• The ability to introduce change while bringing an established team with you.

• Strong Excel skills and a good understanding of financial controls.

• Experience working in a fast‑paced, operationally focused business would be advantageous.

What's on Offer?

• Salary up to £43,000.

• Permanent opportunity based in Long Eaton.

• Five days office‑based, conveniently located near the train station.

• Opportunity to take ownership of an established Purchase Ledger function.

• Scope to lead, coach and develop an experienced team.

• Involvement in business growth, process improvement and future systems developments.

• The opportunity to make a genuine impact on how the department operates.