Accounts Payable Manager

Cognex Corporation; Dadri; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 5,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognex Corporation seeks an experienced Accounts Payable Manager to lead global AP within its Global Shared Services. You will drive end-to-end AP operations, including PO/non-PO invoices, payments, month-end close, and supplier management, across US and European entities, while championing automation and AI-enabled solutions.

You will mentor the AP team, collaborate with Treasury, Procurement, and Corporate Accounting, and push ongoing process improvements and controls to support Cognex's

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 9+ years of progressive Accounts Payable experience.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing AP teams in a shared services or global environment.
• Strong knowledge of Procure-to-Pay processes, AP operations, supplier management, and payment processing.
• Experience supporting U.S. and international AP operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end AP operations for US and European entities with PO and non-PO invoices.
• Oversee AP service delivery, ensuring SLAs, policies, and controls are followed.
• Monitor invoice volumes, aging, exception queues, cycle times, and KPIs.
• Lead process improvements, automation, and digital transformation in AP.
• Partner with Treasury, Procurement, and Finance to optimize cash flow and compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic & Continuous Improvement

AI & Innovation Leadership

Operational Excellence

Business Partnership & Customer Focus

Problem Solving & Change Leadership

Technical & Analytical Expertise

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field

Tools

ERP systems (SAP S/4HANA, SAP Concur, Navan, Levelpath, ServiceNow, BlackLine)

Job description

Global Shared Services | Procure-to-Pay (P2P)

The Role

The Accounts Payable Manager is responsible for leading the global Accounts Payable (AP) function supporting U.S. and European entities while serving as a key leader within the Global Shared Services organization. This role provides oversight of end-to-end AP operations, including invoice processing, payment execution, month-end close activities, supplier management, compliance, and audit readiness.

The successful candidate will lead and develop a high-performing AP team, including the AP Supervisor and AP Specialists, while driving operational excellence, service quality, and continuous process improvement across the Procure-to-Pay (P2P) lifecycle.

This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on operational support and serves as a trusted business partner to Procurement, Treasury, Corporate Accounting, FP&A, Internal Audit, and other stakeholders. The AP Manager will champion standardization, automation, digital transformation, and AI-enabled solutions to improve efficiency, strengthen controls, enhance the employee and supplier experience, and support the organization's broader finance transformation objectives.

The ideal candidate is a strong people leader, coach, and change agent who can balance operational execution with long-term organizational development, continuous improvement, and innovation.

Essential Functions

Global AP Operations & Payments

• Lead end-to-end Accounts Payable operations for U.S. and European entities, ensuring accurate and timely processing of PO and non-PO invoices, payments, and related activities.
• Oversee AP service delivery, ensuring compliance with established service levels, policies, and internal controls.
• Monitor invoice volumes, aging, exception queues, processing cycle times, and operational KPIs to drive efficiency and performance.
• Review and resolve complex invoice, supplier, tax, banking, and payment issues escalated by the AP team.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, purchasing requirements, accounting standards, internal controls, and global P2P procedures.
• Oversee payment processing activities, including ACH, wire transfers, SEPA, checks, virtual cards, and other regional payment methods, while maintaining appropriate approval workflows and segregation of duties.
• Partner with Treasury to optimize payment strategies, manage risk, and support cash flow objectives.
• Drive operational consistency and standardization across legal entities and regions.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for strategic supplier relationships and complex vendor disputes.
• Partner closely with Procurement to support purchasing compliance, supplier onboarding, and vendor master governance.
• Collaborate with business leaders, Controllers, FP&A, Treasury, and operational stakeholders to improve end-to-end P2P effectiveness.
• Ensure supplier inquiries are resolved professionally and within established service-level expectations.
• Drive improvements in supplier experience, communication, and self-service capabilities.
• Build strong partnerships with internal stakeholders while promoting policy compliance and process discipline.

Month-End Close & Financial Reporting

• Lead month-end AP close activities across multiple legal entities, ensuring timely and accurate completion of AP-related accounting activities.
• Review and approve AP accruals, un-invoiced liabilities, cutoff adjustments, and GR/IR account balances.
• Oversee AP account reconciliations, aging reviews, and resolution of outstanding items and exceptions.
• Partner with Corporate Accounting and Controllers to support accurate financial reporting and close execution.
• Ensure AP transactions are recorded accurately and in accordance with accounting policies and regulatory requirements.
• Support quarter-end and year-end financial reporting activities.

Compliance, Controls & Audit

• Ensure compliance with SOX requirements, internal controls, company policies, and regulatory obligations.
• Oversee vendor master controls, supplier banking validations, tax documentation, and payment security processes.
• Monitor compliance with 1099, VAT, e-Invoicing, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate operational and compliance risks across AP processes.
• Support internal, external, and SOX audits, including audit testing, documentation, and remediation activities.
• Maintain a strong control environment while driving process efficiency and standardization.

Process Improvement, Transformation & Innovation

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across the AP organization with a focus on simplification, standardization, automation, and scalability.
• Champion a culture of operational excellence, encouraging employees to identify opportunities to improve service, efficiency, controls, and stakeholder experience.
• Drive finance transformation initiatives and support the evolution of Global Shared Services operating models.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovative solutions that improve productivity and reduce manual effort.
• Lead implementation and optimization efforts for systems including SAP S/4HANA, Concur, Navan, Levelpath, ServiceNow, BlackLine, and other AP technologies.
• Use data, metrics, and analytics to identify trends, root causes, and process improvement opportunities.
• Partner with Finance, Procurement, IT, and Shared Services leadership to implement high-impact transformation initiatives.

AI & Digital Enablement

• Serve as a champion and advocate for AI-enabled Accounts Payable transformation.
• Identify opportunities to leverage artificial intelligence, automation, intelligent document processing, analytics, and workflow technologies to improve operational effectiveness.
• Develop and promote digital-first ways of working across the AP organization.
• Coach and educate team members on emerging technologies and opportunities to enhance productivity through AI and automation.
• Drive adoption of AI-assisted tools for invoice processing, exception management, supplier support, reporting, and workflow management.
• Ensure appropriate governance, controls, compliance, and auditability for AI-enabled processes.
• Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation, and continuous learning.

Metrics & Performance Management

• Establish and monitor AP KPIs, dashboards, and service-level performance metrics.
• Analyze operational results, identify risks and improvement opportunities, and drive data-based decision‑making.
• Present performance insights to leadership and implement action plans to improve efficiency, service quality, and customer satisfaction.

Team Leadership, Coaching & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing Accounts Payable team, fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Manage talent initiatives including hiring, onboarding, performance management, succession planning, and employee development.
• Build organizational capability through training, knowledge sharing, leadership development, and career growth opportunities

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Core Competencies

• Leadership & Talent Development – Builds, develops, and retains high-performing teams through coaching, accountability, and engagement.
• Strategic & Continuous Improvement Mindset – Balances operational execution with transformation, process improvement, and business objectives.
• AI & Innovation Leadership – Drives automation, AI adoption, and digital transformation to deliver measurable business value.
• Operational Excellence – Ensures accuracy, compliance, efficiency, and service quality through strong process discipline.
• Business Partnership & Customer Focus – Builds trusted cross-functional relationships and delivers exceptional stakeholder and supplier experiences.
• Problem Solving & Change Leadership – Resolves complex issues and successfully leads business, process, and technology change.
• Technical & Analytical Expertise – Leverages ERP systems, automation tools, financial controls, and data analytics to drive results.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 9+ years of progressive Accounts Payable experience.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing AP teams in a shared services or global environment.
• Strong knowledge of Procure-to-Pay processes, AP operations, supplier management, and payment processing.
• Experience supporting U.S. and international AP operations.
• Knowledge of VAT regulations, e-Invoicing, and international AP requirements.
• Strong understanding of SOX, internal controls, audit requirements, segregation of duties, and compliance frameworks.
• Experience with enterprise systems such as SAP S/4HANA, SAP Concur, Navan, Levelpath, ServiceNow, BlackLine, or similar platforms.
• Demonstrated success leading process improvement, transformation, automation, or operational excellence initiatives.
• Proven ability to coach, mentor, and develop employees and leaders.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience using metrics and data to drive operational performance and decision-making.
• Ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and partner effectively with senior leadership