Regional Accounts Payable Executive

Cognita Asia Holdings Pte Ltd; As Sudiyah; On-site; OMR 15,380 - 23,070; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development opportunities

Holistic curriculum

Strong community support

Job summary

Cognita Asia Holdings Pte Ltd is looking for a Regional Accounts Payable Executive to join their team in Oman, focusing on processing payment transactions and managing supplier invoices across schools.

The role requires a strong background in accounts payable and excellent stakeholder management skills, ensuring compliance with international standards. You will be key in enhancing operational efficiency while maintaining strong relationships with vendors and partners.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years’ experience in accounts payable or finance operations.
• Proven track record of managing supplier relationships.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Process payments in accordance with Cognita policy.
• Ensure timely and accurate processing of supplier invoices.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to resolve payment-related queries.

Skills

Accounts Payable Processing

Communication Skills

Vendor Management

Risk Management

Education

Accounting and Finance Degree

Tools

NetSuite

Job description

King’s College Riyadh is seeking a Regional Accounts Payable Executive for July 2026, working across both Riyadh Schools.

King’s College Riyadh:

• Brings 140 years of educational excellence to Saudi Arabia
• Offers a holistic curriculum, adapted from King’s UK to suit the Saudi context
• Provides exceptional pastoral care and a strong sense of community
• Creates outstanding career development opportunities within an international school network

The partnership with King’s College UK is central to the school’s success. Collaboration in areas such as vision and ethos, curriculum design, professional development, and co‑curricular activities ensures the highest international standards. Pupils and staff in Riyadh benefit directly from the expertise and reputation that King’s College has built over nearly a century and a half.

The school balances academic achievement with a strong emphasis on sport, music, the arts, and a wide range of activities. Central to this is its commitment to pastoral care: pupils thrive when they feel happy, supported, and secure. Staff work to foster a warm, inclusive community where every child has trusted peers and adults to turn to, ensuring they feel valued and connected.

Together, Cognita Schools provide a uniquely global education that goes beyond grades, developing academic excellence alongside adaptability, agency, and the positive attitudes that prepare young people to grow, thrive, and find success in a rapidly evolving world.

Cognita Middle East has 14 schools within its portfolio, including:

• RGS Guildford Dubai
• Repton Dubai
• Repton Al Barsha and Repton Abu Dhabi
• Horizon English School, Horizon International School
• Ranches Primary School and Al Ain English Speaking School in the UAE
• Dasman Bilingual School in Kuwait
• Downe House Riyadh and King’s College Riyadh in Saudi Arabia
• Downe House Muscat and Cheltenham Muscat in Oman
• King’s College Doha in Qatar

Job Overview

The Regional Accounts Payable Executive processes payment transactions, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant processing of supplier invoices and payments for our schools and business units. The role liaises between schools, vendors, banking partners, and the internal finance team and supports process improvement initiatives, digital initiatives, supplier relationship management, cashflow tracking, month‑end support, and alignment with Cognita Middle East Procure to Pay policy.

Key Accountabilities

Accounts Payable Operations

• Process payments in accordance with Cognita policy, including invoice receipt, invoice compliance checks, 3‑way matching, submission for approval, and preparing payment runs.
• Ensure timely and accurate processing of all supplier invoices and employee payroll and expense claims.
• Prepare reconciliation of accounts payable ledgers and resolve discrepancies promptly.

Compliance & Controls

• Ensure all accounts payable activities comply with Cognita policies, country‑level laws and regulations, and ethical standards.
• Coordinate and verify compliance documents for all payment transactions and vendor management.

Process Improvement and Systems

• Support continuous improvements in accounts payable processes, leveraging ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite) and digital platforms.
• Support development and implementation of standard operating procedures to enhance efficiency and control.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to resolve payment‑related queries.
• Build strong relationships with vendors, banks, auditors to ensure timely resolution of issues.

Risk Management

• Identify and mitigate operational, financial, and reputational risks.
• Support implementation of contingency plans to address risks such as payment delays, compliance breaches, or system failures.

Responsibilities

Accounts Payable Operations

• End‑to‑end process: handle payment transactions from invoice receipt through verification, approval, and final payment preparation.
• Invoice & Expense Processing: process supplier invoices, payroll, and employee expense claims promptly and accurately.
• Ledger Reconciliation: regularly reconcile accounts payable ledgers, investigating and resolving discrepancies.
• Audit Trail Maintenance: maintain comprehensive records and supporting documentation for all transactions.

Compliance & Controls

• Policy Adherence: ensure all activities strictly comply with internal policies and legal requirements.
• Vendor Management & Payment Compliance: manage compliance documents for new vendors and each transaction.
• Audit Support: provide necessary documentation for internal and external audits.

Process Improvement and Systems

• Continuous Improvement: identify inefficiencies and support automation initiatives.
• ERP & Digital Platform Utilization: ensure effective use of NetSuite and streamline workflows.
• Standard Operating Procedures: maintain compliance with SOPs to reduce risk and increase consistency.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Internal Collaboration: work with finance, procurement, operations, and academic teams to resolve payment queries efficiently.
• Vendor Relationship Management: act as key point of contact for accounts payable matters and ensure timely resolution of issues.
• Service Excellence: maintain a customer‑service mindset and deliver timely responses to all stakeholders.

Risk Management

• Risk Identification: identify operational, financial, and reputational risks in the accounts payable function.
• Mitigation & Contingency Planning: support contingency plans to address identified risks and ensure business continuity.
• Control Environment: review and update controls to address emerging risks.

Qualifications

• More than 3‑5 years’ experience in accounts payable or finance operations, ideally in an education or multi‑site environment.
• Proven track record of delivering results and managing supplier relationships.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Awareness of compliance, controls, and risk mitigation within accounts payable.
• Experience with ERP systems (especially NetSuite) and digital finance platforms.
• Accounting and Finance Degree level (preferred).

If you are driven by challenge and aspire to make a lasting impact, we invite you to apply and be a key player in shaping the future of King’s College Riyadh and Cognita schools.

Cognita is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers, and other third parties to share this commitment. Safer recruitment practices and pre‑employment background checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.