Accounts Payable Leader – UK & Ireland

Lagardère Travel Retail; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Holiday allowance

Cash plan

Pension

Life assurance

Job summary

Lagardère Travel Retail is seeking an Accounting Manager - Accounts Payable to lead the AP function across UK & Ireland for a fast-paced travel retail business.

You will drive timely supplier payments, strong controls, VAT compliance, and continuous improvement, while coaching a team of Accounts Assistants and Senior Accounts Assistants. This role partners with Operations, Procurement and external auditors, and supports month-end close, system upgrades and performance metrics to deliver value.

Qualifications

• Qualified Accountant (ACCA/CIMA/ACA) or equivalent experience.
• Strong SAP experience.
• Proven experience managing an Accounts Payable function in a multi-site, high-volume environment.
• Strong people leadership including coaching and developing finance teams.
• Experience leading process improvement, transformation, or operational excellence initiatives.
• Strong understanding of VAT, financial controls, and accounting principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operation of the Accounts Payable function across UK and Ireland entities.
• Ensure timely and accurate processing of supplier invoices, employee expenses, payment runs, and vendor account reconciliations.
• Maintain robust controls to ensure compliance with company policies, financial regulations, VAT requirements, and audit standards.
• Monitor accounts payable performance against KPIs, driving accountability and continuous improvement.
• Manage supplier escalations and resolve complex queries professionally and effectively.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Education

Qualified Accountant (ACCA/CIMA/ACA)

Tools

SAP

Excel

Financial systems

Job description

Lagardère Travel Retail is seeking an Accounting Manager - Accounts Payable to lead the AP function across UK & Ireland for a fast-paced travel retail business.

You will drive timely supplier payments, strong controls, VAT compliance, and continuous improvement, while coaching a team of Accounts Assistants and Senior Accounts Assistants. This role partners with Operations, Procurement and external auditors, and supports month-end close, system upgrades and performance metrics to deliver value.