What are the responsibilities and job description for the Accounts Payable Specialist position at Assistant Buildings Director, Lawndale Christian Health Center - Chicago, IL SelectLeaders | The ...?
Position Summary
The Accounts Payable Specialist holds primary responsibility for the day-to-day accounts payable function and administers related processes, including; vendor management and regulatory reporting, corporate credit card and spend management platform administration, purchasing system integration, accounts payable subledger-to-general ledger reconciliation, and third-party program claims administration. The role requires technical knowledge of integrated financial systems, analytical thinking to identify and resolve cross-system discrepancies, and the ability to maintain productive vendor relationships. This position reports to the Accounting Manager.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Accounts Payable Operations
Owns the day-to-day accounts payable function, including invoice intake, general ledger coding, approval workflow administration, and disbursement via check and electronic payment methods.
Ensures data accuracy and that appropriate approval has been obtained for all non-payroll expense transactions, including vendor invoices, corporate credit card activity, and employee reimbursements.
Monitors general ledger account distribution for reasonableness and coordinates with department leadership when transactions deviate from established coding practices.
Prepares general ledger entries relating to accounts payable, fixed assets, and corporate credit card activity.
Vendor Management and Regulatory Compliance
Owns the vendor onboarding and maintenance lifecycle, including W-9 collection, tax classification, and vendor master file integrity.
Organizes and prepares year-end 1099 vendor reporting and filing; performs and documents preparation activities; escalates unresolved items to the Accounting Manager; filings are reviewed and approved by the Accounting Manager or Controller prior to submission.
Serves as the primary point of contact for vendor inquiries regarding invoice status, payment timing, and account reconciliation; maintains professional vendor relationships on behalf of the organization.
Supports external reporting and audit requests in areas of ownership, including preparation of client schedules for the annual audit.
Corporate Credit Card and Spend Management Platform Administration
Administers the corporate credit card and spend management platform, including user provisioning, cardholder maintenance, and terminations.
Maintains cardholder budgets in the platform as directed by department leadership.
Monitors expense activity against policy and escalates out-of-policy transactions to leadership.
Troubleshoots user-reported issues and coordinates with platform vendor support as needed.
Purchasing System Integration
Coordinates with the Purchasing department to maintain the integrity of the purchase-to-pay process, including purchase order creation, approval, receiving, and invoice matching.
Troubleshoots upstream data entry issues with Purchasing staff to identify root causes and document corrective actions.
Ensures accurate and complete migration of purchase documentation between the purchasing system and the accounts payable system.
Reconciliation and System Integrity
Performs and documents the monthly reconciliation of the accounts payable subledger to the general ledger; escalates unresolved items to the Accounting Manager; reconciliation is reviewed and approved by the Accounting Manager or Controller.
Identifies sync failures between the accounts payable and general ledger systems, resolves routine issues, and escalates failed payments and potential unclaimed property items to the Accounting Manager.
Identifies recurring cross-system discrepancies and surfaces them to the Accounting Manager for resolution.
Third-Party Program Administration
Administers accounts payable activity for third-party contracted programs, including import of claims payment data from external program administration platforms.
Processes pass-through accounts receivable invoices to third-party program sponsors as part of the program administration workflow.
Contacts and maintains working relationships with third-party program representatives to resolve processing exceptions.
Reporting
Provides timely and appropriately detailed reports to the Accounting Manager, Director of Finance and Accounting, CFO, and other leaders regarding accounts payable activity, cash disbursements, vendor activity, and related metrics.
Assists leadership in preparation of external reports relating to accounts payable activity for regulatory and accrediting organizations, including HRSA and applicable federal and state authorities.
Required Skills or Abilities*
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Analytical thinking, with the ability to trace and resolve discrepancies across multiple financial systems.
Technical knowledge of accounts payable processes, general ledger structures, and integrated financial platforms.
Ability to troubleshoot software issues, document root causes, and coordinate with internal users and platform vendors.
Effective written and verbal communication with vendors, internal stakeholders, and leadership.
Ability to maintain productive vendor relationships that reflect positively on the organization.
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multi-cultural healthcare environment.
Ability to strongly embrace and personify the mission of Lawndale Christian Health Center.
Required Knowledge, Experience, or Licensure/Registration
Associate's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field with 2 years of accounts payable experience; or 3 years of progressively responsible accounts payable experience in lieu of degree. Bachelor's degree preferred.
Demonstrated proficiency with integrated financial systems, including general ledger, accounts payable, purchasing, and spend management platforms.
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, with intermediate-to-advanced Excel skills.
Healthcare or non-profit accounting experience preferred.