Manager - Accounts Payable Operations

Leadership of end-to-end accounts payable operations, quality governance, audit readiness, finance controls, stakeholder management and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end AP operations covering invoice processing, payments, vendor reconciliations, vendor master controls, exception management and period-end deliverables.
• Manage the two Assistant Manager portfolios for transaction management and QC / audit support, ensuring clear ownership, coordination and timely closure of deliverables.
• Own operational governance across SLAs, turnaround time, productivity, ageing, backlog, error trends and service-quality metrics.
• Review high-risk and high-value transactions, reconciliations, exception logs and aged open items; ensure root-cause analysis and sustainable corrective actions.
• Act as the senior escalation point for complex vendor, process, control and stakeholder issues.
• Lead internal, statutory and client audit support, including evidence readiness, query resolution and closure of agreed actions.
• Strengthen AP controls, SOPs, review checklists and process documentation; ensure consistent adherence across the team.
• Drive automation, standardisation and process improvement using SAP / ERP data, Excel, Power Query and management dashboards.
• Partner with business, procurement, controllership, treasury, tax and other finance stakeholders to resolve dependencies and improve outcomes.
• Coach and develop team members through structured reviews, feedback, cross-training and succession planning.

Required Skills

• Advanced Excel (Mandatory): Power Query, PivotTables, XLOOKUP, SUMIFS / COUNTIFS and dashboarding.
• Strong end-to-end AP operations, vendor reconciliation and payment-process knowledge.
• Hands-on experience with SAP AP module and ERP-based reporting.
• Sound working knowledge of GST, TDS and AP-related finance controls.
• Experience in audit coordination, quality review, control testing and issue remediation.
• Strong team leadership, stakeholder management and escalation-handling skills.
• Ability to manage high-volume AP environments with competing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and process-improvement orientation.
• High attention to detail with a structured and control-focused working style.

Candidate Profile

• Preferably Qualified CA or experienced graduate with more than 5 years of relevant experience in AP operations, shared services, in-house finance, controllership or audit-led finance roles.
• Proven experience leading AP teams and managing managers / team leads, operational SLAs and governance routines.
• Strong knowledge of end-to-end AP processes, reconciliations, controls and audit requirements.
• Experience in high-volume and complex operating environments.
• Audit background or significant experience supporting internal, statutory or client audits is preferred.
• Ability to balance operational delivery, control requirements and stakeholder expectations.
• Confident communication with auditors, client leadership and senior stakeholders.