Accounts Payable Specialist

At Ben E. Keith Company, our legacy is strong—and our future is even stronger.

For more than a century, we’ve been leaders in fine food and premium beverage distribution, known for delivering excellence and building lasting partnerships. Today, our Food Division spans multiple states, and our Beverage Division brings top beverage brands to communities across Texas.

But what truly sets us apart is our commitment to people. We invest in our employees, empower growth, and create opportunities to make an impact—because when our people succeed, so do our customers and our business. Since 1906, that’s been our promise.

Position Summary and Responsibilities:
The Accounts Payable Specialist is primarily responsible for high-volume invoice processing and related activities to ensure the accurate and timely processing of purchase order (PO) and non-purchase order (non-PO) invoices for payment to vendors. This role is responsible for invoice validation, exception resolution, proof of delivery (POD) matching, and responding to inquiries from divisions and suppliers. The Accounts Payable Specialist also supports expense reporting, sales and use tax submissions, and month-end closing activities while maintaining accuracy, efficiency, and compliance with established procedures.

• Prepare invoices received by mail for high-resolution scanning and processing.
• Perform image evaluation and quality assurance to ensure invoices are clear, complete, and suitable for processing.
• Verify the accuracy of information captured by the optical character recognition (OCR) engine, including validating multiple invoice fields for both PO and non-PO invoices.
• Process a high volume of invoices and prioritize urgent items to ensure timely processing and adherence to established deadlines.
• Review invoices for accuracy, completeness, appropriate purchase order matching, and proper taxation of goods and services.
• Perform proof of delivery (POD) matching to validate supporting documentation and facilitate accurate invoice processing.
• Identify, investigate, and resolve processing exceptions, including duplicate submissions, data discrepancies, missing information, and other invoice errors.
• Review invoices for duplicate receipt and processing, taking appropriate action to prevent duplicate payments.
• Respond to email inquiries from divisions, branches, and suppliers regarding invoice status, processing issues, and payment-related questions.
• Serve as a liaison between Accounts Payable, divisions, branches, and suppliers to resolve discrepancies and communicate processing requirements.
• Support month-end closing activities through auditing, reconciliation, and timely resolution of outstanding invoice issues.
• Maintain accurate documentation and follow established Accounts Payable procedures, internal controls, and processing standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve processing accuracy, efficiency, and workflow consistency.
• Perform other duties as assigned based on the needs of the business or by the Shared Services Manager and/or Supervisor.

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers and suppliers.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and commitment to processing accuracy.
• Ability to manage high volumes of work while prioritizing urgent requests, meeting deadlines, and maintaining quality.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to investigate discrepancies and resolve invoice processing exceptions.
• Ability to review and validate multiple data fields, identify errors, and ensure invoice information is accurate and complete.
• 5+ years of Accounts Payable experience preferred.
• Experience with SAP preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook, and 10-key data entry by touch.
• Ability to learn and use relevant internal applications and invoice processing systems.
• Ability to work independently, follow established procedures, and complete assignments within defined guidelines.
• Ability to adapt to changing processes, priorities, and business needs.
• High school diploma required; associate degree or equivalent experience preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards, including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards.
• Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards
• Position consists of general office duties including sitting, standing, walking, filing, and typing.
• Occasional lifting may be required.

We offer employees the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in collaborative, results-driven environments supported by competitive benefits, including:

• Medical, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance
• 401(k) with Company Match + 100% Company-Paid Profit Sharing
• Paid Time Off & Holidays
• Wellness, EAP & Educational Assistance

At Ben E. Keith, we value a diverse and inclusive workforce where different perspectives drive better decisions and innovation. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer and a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, considering all qualified applicants, including minorities, females, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.