Accounts Payable Specialist

Ace Hardware Corporation; Oak Brook (IL); On-site; USD 30,073 - 37,718; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay incentives

401(k) retirement plan with matching

Health, dental, vision, and disability

Paid time off

Job summary

Ace Hardware Corporation is seeking an Accounts Payable Specialist to manage invoice workflows and vendor interactions in a fast-paced environment. You will ensure timely, compliant processing of invoices and payment requests while supporting process improvements across teams.

The role emphasizes accuracy, collaboration, and proactive problem-solving to maintain strong vendor relationships and efficient operations at Ace’s Oak Brook offices.

Qualifications

• Experience in accounts payable or related finance role, high-volume environment.
• Attention to detail with accuracy under competing priorities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities for discrepancies.
• Proficiency in Excel and MS Office applications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with vendors.

Responsibilities

• Process invoices and payments accurately and on time per policies.
• Manage multiple invoice workflows and AP queues for efficiency.
• Respond to vendor inquiries, researching and resolving issues.
• Review data across systems to identify discrepancies and root causes.
• Maintain AP inboxes; organize requests and document actions.
• Partner with Compliance and other departments for vendor support.
• Perform daily controls and audits for accuracy and compliance.
• Support onboarding and knowledge sharing within the team.
• Participate in process improvements and system enhancements.

Skills

High-volume AP

Attention to detail

Analytical problem solving

Excel proficiency

Vendor communication

Multiple systems navigation

Education

Associate degree in Accounting/Finance/Business

Tools

Esker

SAP

Sage Intacct

Job description

Compensation Details: $21.83 - $27.38 per hour

Why should you join our team? We live our values - W.E.L.I.G.H.T (Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork). Gratitude. Humility. Love. You don’t often see values like these in most corporate statements, but Ace is different. These things are important to us. They represent our commitment to the company, our employees, to Ace retailers and to the Ace brand.

Benefits:

• Weekly Pay Incentive opportunities, based on role/grade level (company growth over the past 5 years resulted in incentives being paid out at an average of 122% of your target opportunity!)
• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution for the first year in addition to quarterly contributions and annual discretionary contribution (once eligibility requirements have been met).
• Over the past 5 years, company contributions (matching, quarterly & discretionary) for fully eligible employees have averaged 10% of total eligible compensation
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
• Paid Time Off Programs (incl. vacation, paid sick time, holiday pay)
• We help locally-owned businesses thrive and make an impact in their communities – and we support our employees in doing the same by offering an annual Ace Cares Week, 20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice, opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
• Ace invests in every employee we hire, with a key focus on development and coaching.
• We offer on-site classes, facilitator-led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program, plus a performance management approach that goes beyond the typical yearly review
• Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and more
• Adoption cost reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
• * Benefits are provided in compliance with applicable policies.

Your career at Ace is more than just a job. It’s a chance to be part of something meaningful.

Job Description

The Accounts Payable Specialist manages multiple invoice processing workflows while partnering with vendors, business partners, and internal teams to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant processing of invoices and payment requests. This role supports operational controls, issue resolution, process improvements, and team collaboration.

What You’ll Do

• Process invoices and payment requests accurately and on time while ensuring compliance with company policies, approvals, and supporting documentation.
• Manage multiple invoice workflows and Accounts Payable queues to ensure invoices move efficiently through the process.
• Respond to vendor and internal business partner inquiries, researching and resolving invoice, payment, and account issues.
• Review and analyze data across multiple systems to identify discrepancies, determine root causes, and resolve exceptions.
• Maintain AP inboxes, ensuring requests are organized, actioned promptly, and documented appropriately.
• Partner with Vendor Compliance and other departments to support vendor maintenance, payment inquiries, and issue resolution.
• Perform daily controls and audits to maintain accuracy, compliance, and audit readiness.
• Support training and knowledge sharing by helping onboard team members and reinforcing Accounts Payable policies and procedures.
• Participate in process improvement initiatives, system enhancements, and projects that increase efficiency and reduce rework.
• Collaborate with team members and cross-functional partners to deliver excellent service and support business operations.

Who You Are

• You are a highly organized and detail-oriented professional who thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• You enjoy solving problems, investigating issues, and collaborating with others to deliver accurate and timely results.
• You take ownership of your work, communicate professionally with vendors and business partners, and are committed to providing excellent customer service.
• You can effectively manage multiple priorities, adapt to changing business needs, and continuously look for opportunities to improve processes and drive efficiency.
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and proficiency in Excel help you succeed in this role.

Required Skills

• Experience in Accounts Payable or a related accounting/finance role, preferably in a high-volume environment (10k+ invoices per month).
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain accuracy while managing competing priorities.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to research and resolve discrepancies.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work effectively with vendors and business partners.
• Ability to learn and navigate multiple systems and applications simultaneously.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage workflows, queues, and inboxes effectively.
• Ability to identify root causes, recommend solutions, and drive issues to resolution.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team environment.
• Commitment to accountability, continuous improvement, and delivering excellent customer service.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, processes, and business needs in a fast-paced environment.
• Associate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience preferred.

Preferred Skills

• High-volume corporate Accounts Payable background.
• Proficiency with invoice automation and workflow management platforms such as Esker.
• Familiarity with SAP and Sage Intacct.
• Advanced Excel capabilities, including pivot tables, formulas, data analysis, and reporting.
• Strong track record of researching and resolving complex invoice, vendor, and payment discrepancies.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Ace Hardware Corporation is committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities.

The company recognizes the importance of diversity and leveraging the skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization.

The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability and military or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other action covered by federal or applicable state/local laws.

Disclaimer

The pay range for this position starts as listed in the job posting, but could be higher based on education and experience. Please note, compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each opening. We take into consideration the minimum requirements outlined in the job description, such as an individual’s education, training and experience, the position’s work location, required travel (if any), and external market conditions when determining the final salary for potential new hires. Be aware that salary estimates published via alternate online job boards may not be a true representation of the actual pay range offered for this position. Please refer to the Ace position description for the accurate starting pay range information and feel free to discuss this with a Talent Acquisition professional if you are chosen to move forward with an interview.

This written “Position Description” is not intended to cover all aspects of the position listed. It is meant to cover the basic/general essential job functions of a particular position. Ace Hardware Corporation reserves the right to change job duties, including essential job functions, according to business necessity. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Ace Hardware is the largest retailer‑owned hardware cooperative in the world with over 5,800 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 60 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; and Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com.