Freight Pay Specialist

Ascend Performance Materials; Chennai District; Hybrid; INR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascend Performance Materials is seeking a Freight Pay Specialist to collaborate with supply chain, finance, and logistics procurement, ensuring timely payments to carriers and accurate audit processes. You will manage D&D invoices, SOA reviews, and payment approvals within SAP.

You will coordinate with internal stakeholders, resolve discrepancies, and drive process improvements to reduce cycle times and costs. A strong background in freight payment and vendor management is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field is required.
• 5-10 years of experience in freight payment, transportation accounting, logistics operations, accounts payable, or supply chain finance.
• Proficiency with SAP and freight payment platforms is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Review and manage Demurrage & Detention (D&D) invoices, including validation, dispute resolution, and payment submission.
• Review carrier and vendor Statements of Account to verify invoices are received, processed, approved, and paid.
• Investigate and resolve open balances, aged invoices, payment discrepancies, and billing disputes with carriers and internal stakeholders.
• Prepare and submit supporting documentation for outstanding balance inquiries and carrier payment requests.
• Manage freight invoice processing activities within SAP, Transportation Management Systems (TMS), and freight audit platforms.
• Coordinate with Finance and Accounts Payable to ensure freight invoices are posted, approved, and paid within terms.
• Serve as primary contact between Ascend, carriers, and third-party Freight Audit & Payment providers for invoicing and reconciliation.
• Monitor freight invoice exception queues and drive timely approvals and resolution.
• Support continuous improvement to reduce invoice cycle times and improve carrier satisfaction.
• Maintain strong relationships with carriers, logistics providers, and finance teams.

Skills

Freight invoice auditing and payment

Carrier account reconciliation

Accounts payable and vendor management

Advanced Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables,

Strong analytical and problem-solving

Attention to detail and accuracy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

SAP (preferred)

Job description

Position Overview:

The Freight Pay Specialist works directly with supply chain, finance, and logistics procurement to ensure Ascends third party Freight Payment and Audit system functions seamlessly and as per the agreed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This position will ensure that freight payments to carriers are processed within terms to avoid credit issues. The position will also be responsible for distributing invoices with exceptions to the proper internal approvers.

Targeted Outcomes:

• Establish and maintain a disciplined carrier account management process that ensures Statements of Account are reviewed regularly, payment discrepancies are resolved promptly, and carrier relationships remain in good standing without service disruptions.
• Develop expertise in Ascend’s freight payment, audit, and approval processes while serving as the primary point of coordination between carriers, internal stakeholders, and third-party Freight Audit & Payment providers to ensure accurate and timely invoice processing.
• Own and standardize the Demurrage & Detention (D&D) invoice management process, ensuring invoices are validated, approved, disputed when appropriate, and submitted for payment in a timely manner to support compliance and reduce unnecessary costs

Key Responsibilities:

• Review and manage Demurrage & Detention (D&D) invoices, including validation, dispute resolution, approval coordination, and payment submission to ensure timely processing and cost control.
• Review carrier and vendor Statements of Account (SOA) on a scheduled basis to verify invoices have been received, processed, approved, and paid accurately.
• Investigate and resolve open balances, aged invoices, payment discrepancies, duplicate payments, and billing disputes with carriers and internal stakeholders.
• Prepare and submit supporting documentation for outstanding balance inquiries and carrier payment requests.
• Manage freight invoice processing activities within SAP, Transportation Management Systems (TMS), and freight audit and payment platforms.
• Coordinate with Finance and Accounts Payable teams to ensure freight invoices are posted, approved, and paid within established payment terms.
• Serve as the primary point of contact between Ascend, carriers, and third-party Freight Audit & Payment providers for invoice, payment, and account reconciliation matters.
• Monitor freight invoice exception queues and work with business stakeholders to drive timely approvals and issue resolution.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing invoice cycle times, improving payment accuracy, and enhancing carrier satisfaction.
• Maintain strong working relationships with carriers, logistics providers, finance teams, and external service partners to support efficient execution of freight payment operations.

Team:

• Reports to: Supply Chain Director

Required Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5-10 years of experience in freight payment, transportation accounting, logistics operations, accounts payable, supply chain finance, or a related field.

Required Skills:

• Freight invoice auditing and payment processing
• Carrier account reconciliation
• Accounts payable and vendor management
• SAP (preferred)
• Advanced Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP, data analysis)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Attention to detail and accuracy