Accounts Payable Manager — Automation & Process Leader

Excellerate; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Excellerate is seeking a proactive Accounts Payable (AP) Manager to lead end-to-end AP processing for a national client, ensuring timely and complete vendor payments and accurate reporting. You will strengthen internal controls, drive data integrity, and lead optimisation and automation initiatives to improve efficiency and scalability across finance and operations.

Work with the Account Finance Lead, Lease Administration Team, and Utilities Team to validate charges and maintain governance of

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 5+ years of Accounts Payable experience, including 2+ years in a leadership or management role.
• Strong experience managing creditors’ ageing, reconciliations, and payment completeness.
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) and AP automation tools.
• Demonstrated experience in process optimisation, control enhancement, and automation initiatives
• Proven ability to improve data integrity and drive operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage all AP processes, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of payments.
• Drive and maintain clean creditors’ ageing, ensuring outstanding balances are actively managed and resolved.
• Identify control weaknesses, operational risks, and inefficiencies, and implement corrective actions.
• Strengthen vendor and account master data controls, ensuring data accuracy and governance.
• Lead process optimisation and support automation initiatives within AP.
• Manage and coach the AP team, ensuring accountability and adherence to best practices.
• Collaborate with the Account Finance Lead, Lease Administration Team, and Utilities Team to validate charges and ensure completeness of financial obligations.
• Escalate material risks or control gaps to senior management where required.

Skills

Accounts payable management

Team leadership

Process optimisation

Automation initiatives

Data integrity and governance

Internal controls

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

Tools

SAP

Oracle

NetSuite

AP automation tools

Job description

Excellerate is seeking a proactive Accounts Payable (AP) Manager to lead end-to-end AP processing for a national client, ensuring timely and complete vendor payments and accurate reporting. You will strengthen internal controls, drive data integrity, and lead optimisation and automation initiatives to improve efficiency and scalability across finance and operations.

Work with the Account Finance Lead, Lease Administration Team, and Utilities Team to validate charges and maintain governance of