Accounts Payable Manager

About Wakefern

Wakefern Food Corp. is the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States and supports its co-operative members' retail operations, trading under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, and Morton Williams banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

Employing an innovative approach to wholesale business services, Wakefern focuses on helping the independent retailer compete in a big business world. Providing the tools entrepreneurs need to stay a step ahead of the competition, Wakefern’s co-operative members benefit from the company’s extensive portfolio of services, including innovative technology, private label development, and best-in-class procurement practices.

About You

Summary

The Manager – A/P Shared Services is an initiative-taking and driven member of the Wakefern team, and an expert on Accounts Payable especially regarding the retail grocery industry. The A/P Shared Services Department works in multiple Accounts Payable environments for both Wakefern and our Retail ShopRite stores. This position will be instrumental in transforming our legacy AP systems into SAP and implementing automation tools for both Oracle and SAP. The Manager will be primarily responsible for designing consistent, efficient processes across all the functional payments to bring efficiencies and economies of scale to the department that will leverage cross-training and expanded spans of control. This position has four direct reports with a total department of approximately thirty associates.

The Manager A/P – Shared Services is a Member of the Finance Leadership Team and contributes to the design of short-term and long-term strategies for continuous improvement in Accounts Payable.

Essential Functions

• Support the deployment of SAP Hana 4 for the PTP cycle. Participate and collaborate with the design team, implementation partners, Tech, and procurement for successful deployment.
• Drive change management and adoption of the new system.
• Oversee processing of invoice payments in a timely manner for both our warehouse and retail operations using various systems and forms of automation including EDI and third-party Automation tools.
• Develop key KPIs and reporting benchmarks to monitor performance.
• Ensure automated reporting of accounts payable information is provided accurately and timely to key stakeholders to enable them to manage the business in an efficient and economic manner.
• Keep up to date with Accounts Payable System practices in the industry, identify and work with Leadership and other departments as necessary to update or execute automated processing tools as appropriate.
• Ensure supervisors provide timely updated information to procurement areas, as necessary.
• Participate in cross-functional team to develop efficient vendor onboarding process.
• Partner with vendors, procurement, and members independently to resolve disputes, answer questions and support day-to-day operations.
• Oversee the training, development, cross training, and evaluation of associates.
• Participate in Finance Leadership sessions and create developmental opportunities for team members.
• Draft new company accounting policies procedures where applicable.
• Completion of special projects and additional duties as assigned.

Additional Functions

Relationship, Stakeholder, & Team Management

• Contributing member of the Wakefern Finance Leadership Team.
• Maintain a close, working relationship with leadership to address their issues and concerns as it relates to their Accounts Payable obligations.
• Manage the integration of new entities into A/P Shared Financial Services (including AP Automation).
• Liaise and facilitate effective cross-departmental working relationships.
• Provide a work atmosphere conducive to productivity, good morale, motivation, and responsive customer service.

Process Improvement

• Identify process and service improvements aligned with stakeholder needs and opportunities.
• Liaise and work as the primary point person with Indirect Procurement to continue to refine best practice hand-off and follow up points between the two departments while maintaining production working relationships.
• Drive standardized processes and efficiencies across A/P Shared Financial Service to create consistent procedures that result in materially correct financial statements based on agreed-upon thresholds.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. If requested, reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• A four-year college degree in accounting required.
• 5 years of experience managing accounts payable, general accounting and financial systems.
• Knowledge of Oracle EBS, SAP, and AP Automation tools.
• Familiarity with Wakefern or a Co-Operative environment a plus.
• Initiative-taking requiring minimal supervision.
• Excellent organizational, problem solving, customer service interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to manage and influence conflicting desired outcomes to reach acceptable solutions for all parties.
• Strong personal computer skills and experience required.
• Knowledge of accounting theory, financial systems (retail and wholesale), computerized systems and control procedures.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

• Availability to work a varied, flexible schedule to meet business demands.
• Ability to monitor computer screens for long periods of time.
• Ability to work a hybrid schedule as established by the division (4 days on-site, 1 day remote).

Core Competencies

• Communicate Effectively: Communicates thoughts and ideas in a well-organized manner, encouraging two-way communication.
• Build Relationships: Creates cross-functional partnerships through the development and maintenance of constructive and cooperative relationships.
• Stay Competitive: Demonstrates a mindset of continuous improvement while exhibiting passion and enthusiasm for their work.
• Embrace Change: Looks for new ways of working by supporting advancements in processes and technology.
• Develop You: Identifies and capitalizes on opportunities for personal and professional career growth.
• Drive for Results: Supports divisional and strategic objectives through achievement of work goals.

Leadership Competencies

• Think Strategically: Create a compelling vision, develop a strategy and empower others to achieve it
• Influence Others: The ability to effectively collaborate, inspire, persuade and align others
• Drive Change: Create the vision and drive the momentum for change
• Talent Planning: Build organizational and associate capability to achieve business goals
• Take Accountability: Drive a culture of ownership throughout the organization

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this position is $130,000-$160,000. Placement in the salary depends on several factors, including experience, skills, education, geography, and budget considerations.

Wakefern is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, well-being, and professional development of our Associates. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan with company match, paid time off, holidays, and parental leave. Associates also enjoy access to wellness and family support programs, fitness reimbursement, educational and training opportunities through our corporate university, and a collaborative, team-oriented work environment. Many of these benefits are fully or partially funded by the company, with some subject to eligibility requirements.

About The Work

This job description is intended to set forth the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of the work performed by associates for this position. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates to do this job. Associates may be assigned additional responsibilities as necessary. The Company reserves the right to revise this job description at any time and to require associates to perform other tasks as circumstances or conditions of its business, competitive considerations or the work environment changes. This document describes the position currently available and is not an employment contract.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. If requested, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The position covered by this Job Description is expressly declared to be “at will,” meaning Wakefern has the right to terminate the incumbent’s employment at any time, with or without cause. Any written or oral promises or representations to the contrary are expressly disavowed and should not be relied upon by any associate. Any change to this “at will” employment status must be in writing and signed by the Vice President of Human Resource.