Manager, Accounts Payable

Follett Higher Education; Westchester (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Follett Higher Education in Westchester, IL seeks an Accounts Payable Manager to lead a high-volume AP operation. You will oversee invoice processing, vendor relationships, and controls while mentoring the AP team to achieve accuracy and timely payments.

You'll drive process improvements, monitor month-end close, and support audits and reporting, partnering with cross-functional teams to sustain scalable, compliant AP operations across the organization.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years of progressive Accounts Payable experience.
• 5+ years of management or supervisory experience in AP.
• Ability to lead, coach and develop AP professionals.
• Experience working with vendors/partners/offshore resources on accounts.
• Experience managing a mix of full-time employees, contractors and/or offshore resources.
• Strong knowledge of end-to-end Accounts Payable lifecycle: invoicing, approvals, payments, vendor maintenance, reconciliations, issue resolution.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of AP professionals (FTE and contractors) to execute high standards of performance.
• Provide ongoing development, performance reviews, and onboarding to ensure efficient operations.
• Manage vendor relationships, inquiries, disputes, and payment term negotiations.
• Support month-end and year-end close activities and financial reporting.
• Drive AP process improvements and implement internal controls and audit requirements.
• Handle special AP projects and analyze the cycle for efficiency opportunities.

Skills

Accounts Payable

Vendor relations

Team leadership

Process improvement

Internal controls

Auditing/compliance

Month-end close

Job description

#26-30453

Westchester, Illinois, USA

Job Category

Finance

Full-Time/Part-Time

Full-time

Overview

Follett Higher Education is a leading educational service provider and omnichannel retailer that provides students, faculty and staff, parents, and fans with the course materials, learning tools, and retail services needed to successfully support the collegiate journey. Follett Higher Education supports over 6 million students through its 1,100 physical and 1,750 eCommerce campus stores across North America.

Job Description

The Accounts Payable Manager is responsible for overseeing all accounts payable operations, ensuring accurate and timely processing of vendor invoices, managing vendor relationships, and maintaining compliance with company policies and accounting standards. This role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to lead and mentor AP team members while implementing process improvements and controls.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a team of engaged Accounts Payable team members, both FTE and contractors, with the ability to execute a high standard of initiatives and processes while driving high operational standards to produce business results.
• Ongoing development, communication, and feedback, managing performance, reviews and goals, training, interviewing and selecting talent, as well as onboarding and scheduling to ensure efficient team operations.
• Vendor relationship management, including inquiries, dispute resolution, and negotiation of payment terms.
• Month-end and year-end close activities, reconciliations, accruals, and financial reporting support.
• Assists/implements company initiatives, process improvements, and special AP projects.
• Analyzes accounts payable cycle to develop more efficient procedures and use of resources while maintaining a high level of accuracy/efficiency.
• Implementing and monitoring internal controls, compliance procedures, and audit requirements; recommending process improvements and system enhancements.
• Additional responsibilities and special projects as assigned.

Requirements

• 8-10 years of progressive Accounts Payable experience, including experience in a high-volume or complex business environment.
• 5+ years of management or supervisory experience, with demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing Accounts Payable professionals.
• A demonstrated ability to support and influence a team.
• Experience with working with vendors/partners/offshore resources on accounts
• Experience managing a combination of full-time employees, contractors, and/or offshore resources.
• Strong knowledge of the end-to-end Accounts Payable lifecycle, including invoice processing, approvals, payment processing, vendor maintenance, reconciliations, and issue resolution.