Accounts Payable Manager

AeroVironment, Inc.; Simi Valley (CA); On-site; USD 118,000 - 179,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401(k) with company matching

9/80 work schedule

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. is seeking an Accounts Payable Manager to lead day-to-day AP operations, coach the AP team, and ensure accurate supplier payments across the organization.

Responsibilities include overseeing invoice processing, PO matching, month-end close, and supporting the Oracle Fusion rollout while maintaining strong internal controls and compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• Seven or more years of progressive Accounts Payable or procure-to-pay experience, in a multi-entity environment.
• Three or more years of people-management or AP team-leadership experience.
• Hands-on Oracle Fusion Cloud Payables experience; Oracle Fusion Procurement and Expenses a plus.
• Experience with ERP platforms such as Costpoint, Unanet, NetSuite, or equivalents.
• Experience in a publicly traded company and/or government contracting, aerospace/defense, or other regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of end-to-end AP processes: invoice processing, PO matching, payments, reconciliations.
• Demonstrates understanding of AP internal controls, SOX requirements, audit support, and segregation of duties.
• Advanced Excel skills and proficiency with office tools; experience with project-management and reporting tools.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day AP operations and ensure timely, accurate processing across the AP function.
• Coach and develop AP staff; set priorities, balance workloads, train, and foster a service-oriented team.
• Oversee invoice intake, coding, PO matching, approvals, exceptions, and payment processing.
• Review AP aging, payment holds, supplier inquiries, and reimbursements; resolve escalated issues.
• Support Oracle Fusion rollout and cross-unit integration while maintaining daily operations.
• Maintain AP controls, month-end close, and SOX compliance.
• Collaborate with Treasury, Procurement, Accounting, and IT on process improvements.

Skills

AP management

SOX controls

Excel proficiency

Vendor relations

Analytical skills

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/Business Admin

Tools

Oracle Fusion Payables

Costpoint

Unanet

NetSuite

Job description

Worker Type Regular Job Description Summary The Accounts Payable Manager supports the Senior Manager, Accounts Payable in leading day-to-day Accounts Payable operations across the organization. This role manages the Accounts Payable team and is responsible for the timely, accurate, and compliant processing of invoices, supplier payments, employee reimbursements, and related AP activities. Reporting to the Senior Manager, the Accounts Payable Manager is a hands-on operational leader who balances service, accuracy, internal controls, and continuous improvement. The role will also support the Senior Manager's Oracle Fusion rollout across all other AV business units currently operating in other ERP systems by providing AP subject-matter expertise and helping ensure a smooth transition from legacy environments.

Position Responsibilities

• Day-to-Day AP Operations Support the Accounts Payable Senior Manager in overseeing daily AP operations and ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant processing across the AP function.
• Manage, coach, and develop AP staff; establish clear priorities, balance workloads, provide training, and foster a service-oriented and accountable team environment.
• Oversee invoice intake, coding, purchase-order matching, approvals, exception management, and payment processing to ensure adherence to policy, appropriate approval, and timely supplier payment.
• Review AP aging, payment holds, supplier inquiries, and employee reimbursement requests; resolve escalated issues and identify opportunities to improve service levels and discount capture.
• Oversee supplier onboarding and maintenance, including review of payment terms, banking information, and tax documentation in accordance with established controls.
• Support check runs, ACH and wire payments, and other payment activities; ensure accurate execution, appropriate approvals, and timely resolution of payment exceptions.
• Monitor AP performance metrics, aging trends, workflow bottlenecks, and recurring issues; communicate operational results and risks to the Senior Manager.
• Partner with Procurement, Treasury, Accounting, and business-unit teams to resolve invoice, receipt, supplier, and payment issues.
• Close, Controls, and Compliance Ensure timely and accurate AP month-end close activities, including aging review, accrual support, account reconciliations, and timely resolution of discrepant items.
• Maintain effective AP internal controls, policies, procedures, and segregation-of-duties practices that support SOX compliance, audit readiness, and applicable company requirements.
• Coordinate preparation and review of 1099 reporting and other AP-related tax or compliance activities.
• Support internal and external audit requests by ensuring documentation is complete, accurate, and readily available.
• Review and improve AP processes, controls, and standard operating procedures to reduce risk, increase efficiency, and strengthen the user and supplier experience.
• Oracle Fusion Implementation Support Support the Accounts Payable Senior Manager in the Oracle Fusion rollout across all other AV business units currently operating in other ERP systems while maintaining continuity of daily AP operations.
• Serve as an AP subject-matter expert for requirements gathering, future-state process design, workflow review, testing, training, and issue resolution.
• Partner with Finance Systems, IT, Procurement, Treasury, and external implementation partners to validate AP configuration, integrations, workflows, reports, and role-based access against approved business requirements.
• Coordinate assigned AP implementation-readiness activities, including action plans, open-item tracking, defect triage, resource needs, cutover checklists, and go-live readiness inputs for the Senior Manager.
• Facilitate AP process reviews and conference-room pilots; document process gaps, configuration decisions, control impacts, and recommended resolutions.
• Assist with AP data-conversion activities, including data validation, reconciliation, exception research, and business signoff for supplier records, open invoices, payment information, and other AP data.
• Participate in system integration testing, user acceptance testing, mock conversions, cutover readiness, and post-go-live hypercare as assigned by the Senior Manager.
• Validate end-to-end AP scenarios in Fusion, including invoice intake, purchase-order matching, approvals, payment processing, supplier maintenance, expense and P-Card interfaces, month-end close, and reporting.
• Track AP defects and enhancement requests through resolution; confirm fixes meet business requirements and do not disrupt operational controls or service levels.
• Help develop and deliver process documentation, job aids, and training for AP team members, approvers, requesters, and other business users.
• Identify operational risks and improvement opportunities during the transition from legacy ERP systems to Oracle Fusion; elevate material issues promptly to the Senior Manager.
• Continuous Improvement and Collaboration Identify and implement practical process improvements, automation opportunities, reporting enhancements, and metrics that improve AP efficiency, accuracy, visibility, and control effectiveness.
• Create and maintain AP procedures, desk guides, and training materials; ensure the team is trained on current policies, systems, and processes.
• Collaborate with Treasury, Procurement, Accounting, Tax, Internal Audit, Finance Systems, and business-unit leaders to resolve operational issues and advance process improvements.
• Serve as a trusted AP subject-matter expert and communicate operational status, risks, and recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Education and Experience Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Seven or more years of progressive Accounts Payable or procure-to-pay experience, including experience in a complex, multi-entity environment.
• Three or more years of people-management or AP team-leadership experience.
• Experience supporting an ERP implementation, enhancement, or system conversion in an AP functional role is preferred.
• Hands-on Oracle Fusion Cloud Payables experience is preferred; experience with Oracle Fusion Procurement and Expenses is a plus.
• Experience with Costpoint, Unanet, NetSuite, or comparable ERP platforms is preferred.
• Experience in a publicly traded company and/or government contracting, aerospace and defense, or other regulated environment is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of end-to-end AP and procure-to-pay processes, including invoice processing, purchase-order matching, supplier master data, payment processing, AP close, reconciliations, accruals, and 1099 reporting.
• Demonstrated understanding of AP internal controls, SOX requirements, audit support, and segregation-of-duties principles.
• Familiarity with Oracle Fusion Payables and ERP implementation concepts, including workflow, testing, data conversion, reporting, and role-based security, is preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite; experience using project-management, reporting, and issue-tracking tools.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to reconcile detailed transaction data and resolve root causes.
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex system and process topics for varied audiences.
• Demonstrates ownership, sound judgment, and a high degree of accuracy in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Able to balance day-to-day operational priorities with project and change-management activities.
• Builds collaborative, accountable teams and creates an environment of continuous improvement.
• Willing and able to support implementation milestones, cutover windows, and post-go-live hypercare as business needs require.
• Physical Demands Ability to work in an office environment (Constant) Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent).

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

Demonstrates ownership, sound judgment, and a high degree of accuracy in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Able to balance day-to-day operational priorities with project and change-management activities. Builds collaborative, accountable teams and creates an environment of continuous improvement. Willing and able to support implementation milestones, cutover windows, and post-go-live hypercare as business needs require.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.

AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants.

Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants.

Clearance Level – No Clearance

No Clearance

Salary

• $117,500 - $179,250

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction.

Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements.

A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15.

Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

ITAR U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder), asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or a person approved for an export license from the appropriate governing agency.

Benefits

• AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown.
• For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.
• We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

About AV

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best. We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve. Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next. If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best. We don't just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve. Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next. If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

Careers at AeroVironment