Accounts payable personnel specialize in recording, organizing and paying bills that are owed by the organization they work for. Usual tasks include posting transaction details in accounting software, assuring all revolving accounts are up to date and coding financial documents.
In your own job listing for an accounts payable job description, make sure to mention you are looking for a detail-oriented person to fill the position. Employees in accounts payable positions need to look at every detail in the financial records to make sure they are accurate.
Accounts payable personnel also need to be knowledgeable about and efficient with financial computer software. Refer to this accounts payable job description template for more information regarding writing a professional job description.
Accounts Payable Job Summary
Do you enjoy keeping track of financial details and keeping them confidential while working in a positive and fast-paced environment? If you do, we have an accounts payable clerk position for you! We are looking for a person to support our accounting department with their high volume of accounting tasks in order to ensure efficient and timely processing of all transactions with our vendors. You will be interacting with personnel from all over the corporation, and you will be able to use your math and computer spreadsheet skills at the same time. Within our supportive corporate environment, there are many opportunities to advance in your career.
Job Responsibilities
- Receive invoices from vendors, review and then process them, using accounting software and standard company procedures to document purchases to assure maximum consistency of the information
- Perform all coding tasks, purchase order generation and requisition deliveries according to company purchasing policies so that accurate automated reports can be extracted from the information
- Maintain professionalism and confidentiality with all job tasks in order to safeguard company knowledge and resource suppliers as well as industry positioning
- Assist accountants by completing accounts payable tasks to support check runs, periodic projects such as month end reconciliation, spending analyses and audits
- Analyze discrepancies with invoices and research information to discover the source of the problem, making sure all disbursements are correct and suggesting procedure changes so the problem is unlikely to happen again
- Utilize clear and professional communication in the course of performing job duties
- Exercise integrity and transparency in financial documentation, reporting other personnel if there is a suspicion of fund misappropriation
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- A high school diploma
- Strong basic mathematical skills
- An excellent communicator, both verbally and in writing
- Computer literacy with Microsoft Excel and Word
- Analytical and problem-solving skills to fully address accounts payable issues
Preferred:
- An associate degree or a certificate in business accounting
- Prior experience in an accounts payable department
Accounts Payable Job Responsibilities
A well-written accounts payable job description is not complete without focusing on the meatiest section: the responsibilities. Adhere to the best practices already discussed, such as using bullet points to make it easy to read. Attract the attention of jobseekers with a strong action verb at the beginning of each bullet point. Detail the core 6-8 duties or tasks rather than drafting a laundry list of every single duty and task. Incorporate components of the job that make it distinctive, such as core deliverables or exciting projects.
Why should you take the time to devise an accounts payable job responsibilities section that makes it easy for jobseekers to imagine themselves in the role? It improves the quality of your applicants. The better you describe the position, the more likely only qualified and interested candidates apply. This saves you time and effort in the hiring process. As an added bonus, you gain better job satisfaction and employee retention, so you do not have to restart the process all over again in the near future.
If you are searching for what duties to include in your accounts payable job description, the following should help:
- Pay vendors on time and ensure the available of sufficient funds
- Devise ways to save money through monitoring opportunities for discounts or changing vendors
- Document invoices and payments and review data for discrepancies
- Run weekly, monthly and yearly reports and prepare them for management to use during meetings
Accounts Payable Job Specifications
Avoid the temptation to simply copy and paste the qualifications and skills from one accounts payable job description to another. Spend the time to consider what the essential criteria really are for the position. This might include one or more discussions with various staff members.
There is no reason to limit yourself to just the absolute minimum accounts payable job specifications. Instead, use two lists: a preferred and a required. A preferred list provides additional information to jobseekers about the expected background of applicants.
Dismissing this small section is a mistake. Through devising the foundational qualifications required, you provide a way to accurately assess candidates. Those who do not have the criteria will generally not apply, and you easily can screen out those who do. This reduces your time and effort while improving the quality of your candidates. This assists you in the ultimate goal: a better new hire and a stronger company.
Looking at examples of job qualifications assists you in writing a stronger accounts payable job description. Below are a few common ones you might wish to include:
- High school diploma or equivalent; college diploma in accounting preferred
- 2-4 years of experience in accounts payable
- Proficient in automated accounting software
- 10-key by touch