Accounts Payable Lead — Own & Elevate the Ledger

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

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.