Accounts Payable Manager

Solutions Driven; Leicester Forest East; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Solutions Driven is seeking an Accounts Payable Manager to oversee the European payables process, ensuring accurate invoice processing, timely payments, and strong internal controls across Spanish and Italian entities.

You will lead a small AP team, drive process improvements, manage vendor relationships, and collaborate with Treasury on SEPA payments and compliance with EU regulations and local tax rules.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with integrated systems (AP, AR, GL and Payroll).
• Knowledge of MS Office productivity tools.
• Exposure to automation tools (RPA bots) beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Lead AP team across Spain and Italy entities with clear performance metrics.
• Direct processing of supplier invoices and high‑value payment batches.
• Enforce internal controls and compliance with EU regulations and local tax rules.
• Partner with Treasury to optimize SEPA payment runs and working capital.
• Oversee month-end AP closing, aging summaries, accruals and cash forecasts.
• Drive AP automation and e‑invoicing integration across Southern Europe.
• Act as escalation point for major supplier disputes and maintain audit documentation.

Skills

AP/AR/GL systems

English & Spanish/Italian

MS Office

RPA automation

Vendor management

Cash flow management

Tools

ERP systems

RPA bots

Job description

Purpose of Role:

The Accounts Payable Manager oversees the company’s payment processes, ensuring that all vendor invoices are processed accurately, timely, and in compliance with company policies and relevant regulations. This role is critical to maintaining strong vendor relationships, optimising cash flow, and ensuring internal controls to mitigate risks. The manager leads the AP team, drives process improvements, and ensures alignment with organisational financial goals while supporting audits and reporting requirements

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and develop an Accounts Payable team across Spanish (S.A./S.L.) and Italian (S.r.l./S.p.A.) entities, establishing clear performance metrics and training staff on local regulatory standards.
• Invoice Processing Oversight: Direct the processing of supplier invoices and credit notes, ensuring seamless integration with mandatory national e-invoicing platforms (FACe / Veri*Factu in Spain, SDI in Italy) and approving high-value payment batches.
• Financial Controls & Compliance: Enforce strict internal controls and segregation of duties in compliance with EU regulations, statutory accounting practices (PGC in Spain, OIC in Italy), and local tax authority rules (AEAT, Agenzia delle Entrate).
• Cash Flow Management: Partner with Treasury to optimize SEPA payment runs, balancing working capital needs while complying with statutory late payment legislation (e.g., Spanish Ley de Lucha contra la Morosidad).
• Reporting & Analysis: Oversee month-end AP closing, generating aging summaries, accrual calculations, and cash outflow forecasts for European entities to identify cost‑saving and working capital opportunities.
• Process Optimisation: Drive AP automation and workflow efficiencies across Southern European operations, optimizing ERP invoice‑matching engines and localized e‑invoicing integration.
• Vendor Relationship Management: Act as the primary escalation point for major supplier disputes across Spain and Italy, maintaining strategic vendor relationships while navigating regional commercial norms.
• Audit & Documentation: Maintain audit‑ready digital archives of invoices, approvals, and tax documentation, ensuring full compliance with local IVA (VAT) regulations, tax ID validation (NIF/CIF, Partita IVA), and statutory retention periods.

Strategic Collaboration: Work closely with Procurement, Legal, and Finance teams to align purchasing workflows with regional payables processes and provide executive insight into corporate liability schedules.

Requirements:

• Familiarity with integrated systems (AP, AR, GL and Payroll)
• Knowledge of office productivity tools (MS Office)
• Exposure to automation tools (RPA bots etc.) beneficial

Core Skills

• Fluency in written and spoken English, alongside full professional proficiency in either Spanish or Italian, is required
• Clear communication skills – ability to liaise with internal and external stakeholders
• Customer service orientation – ensuring positive interactions. Service first mentality
• Team Collaboration – working cohesively within cross‑functional teams
• Issue Resolution – Proficient in identifying discrepancies, investigating root causes and resoling errors
• Process improvement mindset – Suggesting and implementing changes to improve efficiency, accuracy and service relating to processes
• Accuracy under pressure – maintaining attention to detail while managing high volumes
• Time Management – prioritisation of tasks to ensure deadlines are met
• Documentation skills – ability to accurately keep records for audit and compliance purposes