Expense & Compliance Manager

BDO USA; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

BDO USA is seeking an Expense and Compliance Manager in Grand Rapids, MI, to lead our expense reimbursement and card programs, ensuring policy compliance and strong internal controls across PCard, VCard, and T&E processes.

The role collaborates with Accounts Payable, Procurement, Financial Systems, Tax, and Internal Audit to support data integrity and efficient end-to-end expense management, with a focus on automation and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Finance or Accounting preferred.
• 5+ years in expense management or accounts payable.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience preferred.
• Experience in a multi-entity or multi-location environment preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads expense reimbursements & card compliance programs, ensuring policy adherence.
• Oversees PCard, VCard, and T&E card program governance.
• Monitors compliance metrics, internal controls, and risk related to expenses.
• Partners with Accounts Payable, Procurement, Tax, Financial Systems, and Internal Audit to ensure data integrity.
• Develops KPIs and reporting to track program performance and adherence to policies.
• Drives process improvements and automation across expense and card workflows.

Skills

Expense management

Accounts payable

Procure-to-pay

Leadership

Communication

Analytical thinking

Data analysis

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting

Tools

Oracle Cloud Fusion Expense

Advanced Excel

Automation tools

Workflow systems

Job description

Job Summary

The Expense and Compliance Manager leads the firm’s expense reimbursement and card programs, including PCard, VCard, and T&E cards, with accountability for policy compliance, internal controls, and process effectiveness. This role drives standardization, automation, and continuous improvement across expense and card-related activities while maintaining a strong control environment over employee and card-based disbursements.

The role partners closely with Accounts Payable, Procurement, Financial Systems, Tax, Internal Audit, and business stakeholders to support data integrity, policy compliance, and an efficient end-to-end expense management process.

Job Duties

Expense Reimbursements & Card Program Oversight

• Leads the firm’s expense reimbursement and card compliance programs, ensuring adherence to corporate policy and regulatory requirements
• Oversees the administration, governance, and oversight of PCard, VCard, and T&E card programs
• Oversees expense reimbursement review and approval processes to ensure accuracy, completeness, and policy compliance
• Monitors card usage and expense activity to identify exceptions, enforce compliance, and address policy violations
• Monitors evolving regulations and business needs affecting expense reimbursements and card programs, and implement updates as needed
• Develops and maintains short- and long-term roadmaps for the Expense & Compliance function to support strategic priorities, process maturity, and continuous improvement

Process Improvement & Automation

• Identifies and implements process improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and user experience
• Leverages system capabilities, such as Oracle, or equivalent tools, to automate expense reimbursement and card workflows
• Partners with Financial Systems and Procure to Pay process leads to support system enhancements, upgrades, testing, and process optimization for expense and card programs

Controls & Risk Management

• Designs, implements, and maintains internal controls over expense reimbursements and card-related disbursements
• Monitors compliance metrics, identify trends, and proactively mitigate risks related to employee expenses and card usage
• Supports internal and external audit requests with timely and accurate responses
• Maintains documentation, controls, and escalation processes for policy exceptions and noncompliance

Data, Reporting & Insights

• Develops and maintains KPIs and reporting to track compliance, processing efficiency, card program performance, and policy adherence
• Provides leadership with insights and recommendations based on expense, card, and compliance data

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partners with Accounts Payable, Procurement, Tax, Financial Systems, and firm leadership to align expense and card-related processes
• Communicates policy updates, process changes, and compliance expectations clearly across the firm
• Supports training and awareness efforts to strengthen employee understanding of expense reimbursement and card program requirements

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Leads and develops the Expense & Compliance team
• Sets clear performance expectations and provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and development
• Fosters a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and customer service
• Manages staffing, workload prioritization, and performance management processes
• Supports team hiring, onboarding, and training
• Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required; focus in Finance or Accounting, preferred

Experience:

• Five (5) or more years of experience in expense management, accounts payable, corporate card administration, and/or procure-to-pay, required
• Three (3) or more years of people leadership experience, preferred
• Experience in a multi-entity or multi-location environment, preferred

License/Certification:

• N/A

Software:

• Experience with Oracle Cloud Fusion Expense, preferred
• Advanced Excel and data analysis skills, required
• Familiarity with automation and workflow tools, preferred

Language:

• N/A

Other Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of expense reimbursements, card program administration, compliance, and internal controls
• Ability to translate policy into effective processes and controls
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Strong customer service orientation