Specialist - Accounts Payable

Reports to: Manager - Accounts Payable

Salary Range: $43,976 - $52,982

Pay Grade: 705

Duty Days: 239

PCN: 26643-26646

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

POSITION PURPOSE Performs complex, specialized accounting functions to ensure the accurate and timely processing of the school districts financial obligations. This role is responsible for reviewing, verifying, and reconciling invoices, purchase orders, and expense reports in strict compliance with district policies, state education codes, and federal guidelines.

Essential Job Functions

• Reviews and processes vendor invoices, check requests, and employee travel reimbursements; matches invoices to purchase orders (POs) and receiving documents to ensure accuracy before authorizing payments.
• Enters accounts payable data, organizes weekly payment runs, and processes checks, ACH, wires, or urgent manual payment requests.
• Verifies that all expenditures comply with local school board policies, state procurement laws, and federal grant regulations (such as Title programs).
• Reconciles vendor statements and monthly accounts payable ledgers to proactively resolve pricing, quantity, missing-payment, or duplicate-payment errors.
• Maintains accurate vendor records, researches billing discrepancies, responds to vendor payment-status inquiries with professional customer service, and prepares annual 1099 forms.
• Maintains organized physical and digital records to support audit, compliance, and payment review needs; prepare documentation and pull records for annual district audits.
• Assists with month-end and year-end closing processes for the finance department to ensure strict timeline adherence.
• Provides clear guidance to school principals, department heads, and administrative staff regarding purchase order statuses, spending guidelines, and expense procedures.

PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS

• All Fort Worth ISD employees must maintain a commitment to the Districts mission, vision, and strategic goals.
• Exhibits high professionalism, standards of conduct and work ethic.
• Demonstrates high quality customer service; builds rapport/relationship with the consumer.
• Demonstrates cultural competence in interactions with others; is respectful of co-workers; communicates and acts as a team player; promotes teamwork; responds and acts appropriately in confrontational situations.

Other Duties As Assigned

• Performs all job-related duties as assigned and in accordance with Board rules, policies and regulations. All employees are expected to comply with lawful directives in rare situations driven by need where a team effort is required.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Knowledge of District organizational units and business functions.
• Knowledge of accounting practices and procedures used in the District.
• Knowledge of office procedures and of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and arithmetic.
• Skill at the intermediate level, working with Microsoft Office 365, especially Outlook, Excel, and Word.
• Skill in data entry with minimal errors, including operating 10-key and keyboard.
• Skill in using multi-function telephone, telephone techniques, and phone etiquette.
• Skill in interpersonal relationships, including using tact, patience, and courtesy.
• Skill in working with initiatives that require collaboration with District and outside agencies and organizations.
• Skill in performing mathematical and financial calculations with accuracy.
• Ability to maintain accurate records, follow procedures, and meet strict deadlines.
• Ability to reconcile data entry to source documents and review work for accuracy.
• Ability to accurately prepare and maintain records, files, and reports.
• Ability to process and handle confidential information with discretion.
• Ability to use software to access databases, email, create spreadsheets, and do word processing.
• Ability to organize and coordinate work, including maintaining attention to details and quality, and prioritize work while meeting multiple deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both oral and written forms.
• Ability to engage in self-evaluation with regard to performance and professional growth.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others contacted in the course of work.

Travel Requirements

• Travels to school district buildings and professional meetings as required.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS. WORK HAZRDS

• Tools/Equipment Used: Standard office equipment, including computer and peripherals.
• Posture: Prolonged sitting and standing; occasional stooping, squatting, kneeling, bending, pushing/pulling, and twisting.
• Motion: Frequent repetitive hand motions, including keyboarding and use of mouse; occasional reaching.
• Lifting: Occasional light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds).
• Environment: Works in an office setting; may require occasional irregular and/or prolonged hours.
• Attendance: Regular and punctual attendance at the worksite is required for this position.
• Mental Demands: Maintains emotional control under stress; works with frequent interruptions.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Education:
• Accredited High School diploma, GED, or Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency.
• Certification:
• None
• Experience:
• 3 years of clerical experience in an accounting, accounts payable, or related setting required;
• Experience working in a public school district, municipality, or government agency preferred.

This document is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.