Accounts Payable Manager

Tiger Brands; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Tiger Brands is seeking an experienced AP leader to drive the AP Leadership & Digital Team Capability in Gauteng. You will lead and coach the AP team, own end-to-end service delivery including month-end close, and own Zycus eInvoicing and Merlin AI configurations.

You will improve automation, monitor AI capture and exceptions, and own the AP cash flow forecast with Treasury. The role requires 6–8 years in AP/P2P, 3–5 years of people management, and hands-on experience with automated AP platforms

Qualifications

• 6-8 years in AP/P2P shared services.
• 3-5 years managing people.
• Hands-on with an automated AP/P2P platform (e.g. Zycus).
• Track record using data and automation to improve AP.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coach the AP team; reshape roles and build system and data skills.
• Own end-to-end AP service delivery and SLAs for the group, incl. month-end close and creditor reconciliations.
• Own Zycus eInvoicing and Merlin AI configuration, workflows and Oracle integration.
• Monitor AI invoice capture, matching and workflow exceptions; triage and fix root causes.
• Own AP cash flow forecast with Treasury using aging and payment data.
• Own AP dashboards (Zycus, Power BI) to track cycle time, touchless rate, DPO and discounts.
• Safeguard vendor master and bank detail changes; support audits and controls.

Skills

Zycus fluency

Merlin AI

Oracle

Power BI

Copilot

Data analytics

Systems thinking

Team leadership

Cash flow acumen

Stakeholder mgmt

Governance & fraud

Education

BCom / Accounting degree

Data analytics certification

Tools

Zycus

Merlin AI

Oracle

Power BI

Copilot

Job description

What You Will Do

AP Leadership & Digital Team Capability

• Lead and coach the AP team as exception handlers and analysts; reshape roles and build system and data skills.
• Own end-to-end AP service delivery and SLAs for the group, incl. month-end close and creditor reconciliations.

Zycus System Ownership & Optimisation

• Business owner of Zycus eInvoicing and Merlin AI, incl. configuration, workflows, user access and Oracle integration.
• Assess system performance with IT and Zycus; own testing, change requests and the enhancement roadmap.

Automation & Exception Management

• Monitor AI invoice capture, matching and workflow exceptions; triage, resolve and fix root causes in process flows.
• Tune match tolerances, approval rules and AP Smart Desk query routing to lift touchless processing.

Group Payments & Cash Flow

• Own group payment runs: approve proposals and ensure timely payment as per agreed terms, incl. discounts.
• Own the AP cash flow forecast with Treasury, using ageing and payment data to reduce variances.

AP Data Analytics & Insights

• Own AP dashboards (Zycus, Power BI): cycle time, touchless rate, exceptions, DPO, discounts and duplicates.
• Turn data into insight for Finance, Treasury and suppliers; use spend and payment analytics to find leakage.

Governance, Risk & Controls

• Safeguard vendor master and bank detail changes; use analytics to detect duplicate or fraudulent payments.
• Maintain system controls, segregation of duties and workflow access; support internal and external audits.

What You Will Bring To The Table

Key attributes and competencies

• Digital fluency in Zycus, Merlin AI, Oracle, Power BI and Copilot
• Data analytics: builds and interprets dashboards, KPIs and trends
• Systems thinking across end-to-end P2P process flows and integrations
• Assesses system performance and challenges vendors
• Leading a hybrid team of people and automation through change
• Cash flow and commercial acumen with a payment-integrity mindset
• Stakeholder management across suppliers, Treasury, IT and Finance
• Strong control, governance and fraud-risk awareness

Experience

• BCom / Accounting degree; data analytics certification a plus
• 6-8 years in AP/P2P shared services; 3-5 years managing people
• Hands-on with an automated AP/P2P platform (e.g. Zycus)
• Track record using data and automation to improve AP

In accordance with the employment equity plan of Tiger Brands and its employment equity goals and targets, preference may be given, but is not limited, to candidates from under-represented designated groups.