Accounts Payable Team Lead

DWF; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work pattern

Equal opportunities employer

Supportive team culture

Job summary

DWF, based in Manchester, is seeking a finance leader to take ownership of the Accounts Payable and Disbursements function. You will lead and develop the teams, driving efficiency and implementing improvements across processes and systems.

The role emphasizes KPI reporting, system changes, and collaboration with senior stakeholders as the function grows, with a hybrid working pattern (three days in the office, two days remote).

Qualifications

• Experience leading a finance or transactional team.
• Strong resource planning skills and ability to manage priorities.
• Proven track record of driving change and process improvements.
• Excellent stakeholder management and business partnering skills.
• Knowledge of supplier reconciliations, payment runs and P2P processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operation of AP and Disbursements teams, ensuring workloads are managed and invoices and reconciliations are completed to SLAs.
• Support performance and development of team members; report monthly KPIs to senior Finance stakeholders.
• Oversee supplier statement reconciliations and weekly payment runs; resolve invoice/payment queries.
• Identify opportunities to automate processes and support new system implementations; assist with audits.

Skills

Team leadership

Change management

Stakeholder engagement

Process improvement

Automation awareness

Purchase-to-pay

Job description

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a key finance function, leading and developing our Accounts Payable and Disbursements teams while helping shape how the team operates as it continues to grow and evolve. You'll have plenty of scope to improve processes, support system changes and build strong relationships across the business.

Based in Manchester, the role offers hybrid working with three days per week in the office and two days working from home.

Responsibilities

You'll lead the day-to-day operation of the Accounts Payable and Disbursements teams, ensuring workloads are effectively managed and invoices, payments and reconciliations are completed accurately and in line with agreed SLAs and deadlines. You'll support the performance and development of team members, build a positive team culture and report monthly KPIs to senior Finance stakeholders.

You’ll also oversee supplier statement reconciliations, creditor balances and weekly payment runs across AP, Disbursements and Expenses, resolving invoice, purchase order and payment queries with internal and external stakeholders. Alongside this, you’ll identify opportunities to improve and automate processes, support new system implementations, deliver training on process changes and assist with the annual audit where required.

What will help you succeed in this role?

Essential

• Experience managing, developing and motivating a finance or transactional team.
• Resource planning skills, with the ability to balance workloads and competing priorities.
• Experience leading teams through change, process improvement or transformation.
• Problem-solving and root cause analysis skills, with an eye for automation and efficiency.
• Excellent stakeholder management and business partnering skills.
• Confidence influencing senior stakeholders, fee earners and budget holders and building effective working relationships.
• Knowledge of supplier reconciliations, payment runs and purchase-to-pay processes.

Desirable

• Previous experience within Accounts Payable, Disbursements or a high-volume transactional finance environment.
• Experience supporting finance system implementations or system changes.
• Experience reporting against operational KPIs and service levels.
• Exposure to process automation or continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience working within a professional services environment.

What we offer?

We are committed to ensuring that each member of our team feels valued and duly rewarded during their time at DWF.

We are an equal opportunities employer that celebrates diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. We aim to create a positive experience for all candidates and offer any adjustments or additional support needed. If you’re excited about the opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all the requirements, please apply anyway. You may be the right candidate for the role or others across the wider team.

About us

DWF is a leading global provider of integrated legal and business services. We empower people to be themselves within an inclusive and supportive environment, enabling everyone to achieve their full potential in line with their abilities and career aspirations.