AR & AP Team Leader

Wilhelmsen group; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 80,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

A global maritime industry group is seeking an AR & AP Team Leader in Kuala Lumpur to oversee AR Cash Application and AP Payments execution. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years in finance processing, with a background in managing transactional accounting teams. Experience with ERP systems and strong English skills are essential. This role offers opportunities for leadership and process improvement within a large organization.

Qualifications

• Minimum +5 years of experience in finance processing in a high-volume environment.
• Experience managing transactional activities (AP, AR, Cash).
• Master's or Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead AR Cash Application and AP Payments execution globally.
• Oversee day-to-day workloads for AP Payments and AR Cash App.
• Ensure timely and accurate cash posting in ERP.

Skills

Finance processing

Leadership

Accounting principles

Enterprise systems usage

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

ERP Systems (IFS, SAP, Oracle)

Job description

Join our global team for a career filled with opportunities to solve challenges both small and large, local and global, simple and complex.

About Us

Wilhelmsen is a global maritime industry group founded in 1861. We have the biggest maritime network in the world, with a presence in over 540 offices globally. Our mission is to shape the maritime industry by delivering innovation, sustainability and unparalleled customer experiences to enable global trade and a more sustainable future. We serve over half of the worldwide merchant fleet with products and services, and supply crew and technical management for some of the most complex vessels in the world.

Global Business Services (GBS) is an in‑house service provider specializing in HR, Finance and Technology for Wilhelmsen - providing high quality, scalable, reliable solutions that drive efficiency, enhance customer experience and cost‑efficient business support services

Job title

AR & AP Team Leader, FSS

Purpose

Provide day‑to‑day leadership of AR Cash Application (posting/allocations) and AP Payments execution globally. Despite the historical title, this role does not perform outbound credit collection; it ensures timely, accurate cash posting and payment execution, strong financial controls (SoD, bank portal/H2H approvals, Manual approvals), and drives standardisation, automation, and continuous improvement. This role is also responsible for improving operational effectiveness, developing team members and contributing to projects and process improvements.

Main responsibilities

Leadership & People

• Plan, prioritise, and oversee day‑to‑day workloads for AP Payments and AR Cash App (posting, matching, clearing), ensuring SLA adherence.
• Coach, develop, and performance‑manage team members; lead recruitment and onboarding.
• Provide escalation support to stakeholders across global time zones.

AP Payments (External & Sub — Agents)

• Own end‑to‑end payment execution cycles: payment proposals/runs, manual/urgent payments, sub‑agent/external vendor settlements, inter‑entity settlements as applicable.
• Ensure bank portal/H2H approval workflows follow Segregation of Duties and Chart of Authority.
• Oversee payment cut‑offs, currency controls, and sanctions/OFAC screening; prevent duplicates and unauthorised payments.
• Liaise with banks on rejects/returns, file connectivity (H2H), and format issues.
• Maintain clean vendor/open items and investigate aged debit balances/credit notes.

AR Cash Application (Posting & Allocations)

• Ensure timely and accurate cash posting in ERP (e.g., IFS) and timely clearing/matching; minimize unapplied/undistributed cash and suspense items.
• Coordinate remittance capture, lockbox/bank statement imports, and allocation rules; work with customers/local teams on short/over payments and unidentified receipts.
• Support balance sheet substantiation for AR cash‑related accounts.

Controls, Close & Compliance

• Safeguard SoD across ERP and bank portals; ensure adherence to Corporate Accounting Guidelines and entity‑level requirements.
• Support month‑end/year‑end activities relevant to payments and cash application; deliver reconciliations, ageing, and clearing status.
• Prepare for and support internal/external audits; remediate findings promptly.
• Manage data privacy and confidentiality in line with policy.

Process, Projects & Transition

• Lead/participate in any new transitions (if any) and continuous improvement initiatives (automation, templates, WI updates, ServiceNow queue hygiene).
• Partner with IT/Process Owners on H2H/bank connectivity, payment formats, and ERP enhancements; pilot and roll out standard solutions across entities.
• Document and maintain Work Instructions (WIs) and playbooks; ensure training & cross‑skilling.
• Track and deliver project milestones, benefits, and change‑management outcomes.

Others

• Treating all information received as strictly confidential
• Fulfilling all other tasks delegated by the Superior

Qualifications

Mandatory requirements

• +5 years of experience in finance processing in a high volume environment, preferably with a concentration in leading transactional accounting teams within an SSC/BPO environment
• +2 years of management experience
• Master or Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance or equivalent accounting certification is preferred
• Demonstrated experience and general knowledge of accounting principles
• Extensive experience in managing transactional activities (i.e. AP, AR, Cash etc.)
• Previous experience in migration of processes and/or system implementation preferred
• Experience of using enterprise systems preferred (e.g. IFS, SAP, Oracle)
• Excellent English skills required, written and verbal. Additional European language skills will be advantageous

How to apply

Sounds interesting? If you see yourself fitting into this role, please let us know why the role interest you. Apply online through our career portal at https://www.wilhelmsen.com/careers/ under Current Vacancies by creating a ‘Candidate Home’ account and thereafter upload your resume and expected salary.

Please note that all positions at Wilhelmsen are subject to reference and ID checks. For certain roles, additional background screening may be required.