Accounts Payable Supervisor

Ara; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) seeks an IMSSP Accounts Payable Supervisor to lead the AP team, ensure timely vendor payments, and enforce internal controls. You will drive improvements, collaborate with Finance, Contracts, and Programs, and support audits and close activities.

The role requires 8–10 years of AP experience with 3+ years in supervision, a related degree, and proficiency with Excel and office tools. Office-based role with standard hours.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• 2–4 years of related experience in accounts payable.
• Eight to ten years of progressive Accounts Payable experience with 3+ years of supervisory experience.
• Strong understanding of AP best practices and internal controls.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, coach, mentor, and develop AP staff.
• Oversee accurate and timely processing of vendor invoices and payments.
• Review invoice coding for accuracy and policy compliance.
• Maintain vendor records and documentation.
• Support month-end and year-end close activities.
• Develop KPIs and monitor AP performance and aging.
• Ensure compliance with FAR/DFARS and IRS reporting requirements.
• Lead process improvements and automation initiatives in AP.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Communication skills (written & verbal

Leadership

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office Suite

SharePoint

Concur

Deltek Costpoint

Job description

The IMSSP Accounts Payable Supervisor provides leadership and operations of the IMSSP Accounts Payable activities, ensuring the accurate and timely processing of company policies, government contracting requirements, and accounting standards.

This position supervises and develops Accounts Payable staff, drives process improvements, supports internal controls, and partners with Corporate Accounting and Finance, Contracts and Procurement, Program Managers, and business units to resolve issues and improve Accounts Payable operations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership-

• Supervise, coach, mentor, and develop IMSSP Accounts Payable staff.
• Assign and manage daily workload priorities to maintain required service levels, providing timely oversight and accountability for team members.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide ongoing coaching and professional development.
• Foster a collaborative, customer-focused culture that emphasizes accountability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Assist with recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and training new IMS accounting employees.
• Develop cross-training plans to ensure adequate coverage and business continuity.

Accounts Payable Operations-

• Oversee the accurate and timely processing of vendor invoices, employee expense reports, and payment requests.
• Review invoice coding for accuracy and compliance with company policies.
• Ensure timely payment of vendors while maximizing available payment terms.
• Oversee the timely resolution of complex invoice discrepancies and payment issues while maintaining positive vendor relationships.
• Monitor Accounts Payable aging and outstanding liabilities.
• Support month-end and year-end close activities.
• Reconcile Account Payable accounts and investigate variances.
• Maintain vendor records and ensure required documentation is complete.

Compliance & Controls-

• Ensure compliance with company policies, applicable FAR/DFARS requirements, internal controls, and government contracting regulations by overseeing AP processes, ensuring staff follow established procedures, maintaining appropriate documentation, identifying potential compliance concerns, and escalating issues as appropriate.
• Support internal and external audits, as needed.
• Ensure compliance with IRS reporting requirements.

Process Improvement-

• Partner with various business units to identify opportunities to improve value to business units supported and efficiency through automation and standardization.
• Develop and maintain internal IMSSP documented procedures AP Invoice Workflow, Imprest, Computer Usage.
• Lead Sector Level Accounts Payable automation and workflow optimization initiatives.
• Develop and monitor departmental key performance indicators (KPIs), including invoice cycle time, aging, payment accuracy, and productivity.
• Support implementation, testing and enhancement of accounting systems.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for Accounts Payable inquiries.
• Partner with Corporate Accounting and Finance, Contracts and Procurement, Program Managers, and business units to resolve payment issues and standardize Accounts Payable processes in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve operational efficiency and ensure consistent application of company policies.

Required Qualifications-

• Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation andmust meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information;requirements include being a U.S. citizen.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field and 2-4 years of related experience.
• Eight to ten years of progressive Accounts Payable experience with three or more years of supervisory to team leadership experience.
• Strong understanding of Accounts Payable best practices and internal controls.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong organizational and time management abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Qualifications-

• Experience with SharePoint, Concur, and Deltek Costpoint is strongly preferred.
• Experience working within a government contracting environment preferred.
• Experience supporting DCAA-compliant accounting practices.
• Experience with automated invoice workflow systems.
• Experience developing departmental metrics and reporting.
• Continuous improvement or Lean process improvement experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities-

• Ability to lead and motivate a high-performing team.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to build effective working relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to resolve conflict professionally and effectively while fostering positive working relationships.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines.
• Strong organizational and time management abilities.
• Strong analytical and reconciliation skills.
• Ability to identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Strong attention to details.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Working Conditions-

• Primarily office environment.
• Ability to sit, stand, and use standard office equipment for extended periods.

Who is ARA?

Do you want to work for a purpose? Applied Research Associates, Inc. (aka ARA) is an employee-owned international research and engineering company. We have been providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences since 1979. ARA has over 2,279 employee owners and continues to grow rapidly. Together, our offices throughout the U.S. and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense, civil, and health technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement.

ARA also prides itself, on having a challenging culture where innovation & experimentation are the norm. The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. Employee ownership ensures you have a voice with what happens in the company. We are also very proud of our Women’s Initiative Network (WIN), whose purpose is to motivate, support, and encourage professional career development for women to maximize career and professional accomplishments.

To learn more about our generous benefits program including health, life & disability, retirement, flexible spending, rewards & recognition, work/life balance, professional development and relocation visithttps://www.ara.com/benefits/

Qualifications

Education

Required

Bachelors or better in Accounting or related field.

Experience

Required

2-4 years:

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.