Accounts Payable Manager

Roles and responsibilities

The Finance Manager - Accounts Payable is responsible for all expense processing, auditing, and process management activities across DH Group Services (GS), covering diverse industries. The role will also support the Lead - Invoice to Pay in enabling value creation within the DH GS Finance sub-function through continuous improvement and optimization of existing processes. The role will lead own team to foster customer centricity and service excellence, aligned to DH GS shared vision

Key Responsibilities:

• Functional Execution Excellence:

• Guide internal teams to ensure adherence to processes, guidelines, and protocols for all expense processing, auditing and process management in line with set standards & protocols
• Track relevant key performance indicators, identify operational gaps in meeting team goals and guide internal teams to help achieve it.
• Support the Lead – Invoice to Pay in reviewing the finance function activities and guide internal teams in the implementation of improvements within the existing accounts payable process flows
• Interface and act as the first point of contact with relevant finance function stakeholders, resolve issues and escalate challenges as required.
• Guide internal teams and support execution of special projects and initiatives to ensure continuous value addition by GS Finance in line with business goals.
• Provide inputs basis needs of the Expense Management team in developing the sub-functional budget to the Lead – Invoice to Pay and ensure adherence to set limits

Expense Report Submission Process:

• Review and process expense reports in a timely manner as per agreed SOPs and within agreed SLAs
• Assess and ensure availability of all required information and receipts in expense reports
• Highlight gaps in expense filings and work with internal teams to close issues or errors in expense reports
• Approve expense reports in a timely manner, ensuring compliance with DH HQ and vertical policies and procedures
• Manage any exceptions or issues that arise during the approval process
• Work with Team Lead - Disbursements to ensure timely payment of approved expenses to employees

Expense Report Auditing Process:

• Monitor assessment of expense reports for accuracy and compliance with DH HQ and vertical policies and procedures
• Track the verification process to ensure legitimacy of all expenses, including receipts and documentation; ensure gaps are closed
• Review and publish the expense audit report basis existing checklist basis established expense disbursement guidelines
• Analyze reports on highlighted non-compliant expenses or potential fraud and lead internal teams to investigate as needed
• Manage challenges and support the Lead – Accounts Payable with managing escalations around expense discrepancies or issues with expense reports

Expense Policy Management Process:

• Monitor adherence to expense disbursement policies and processes, including expense types, disbursement limits and timelines
• Organize and review awareness sessions with DH internal teams to improve compliance to existing expense management policies
• Communicate policy changes to employees and ensure their understanding and compliance
• Provide inputs to the Lead – Accounts Payable on expense policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulations and best practices.

Desired candidate profile

• Review timely addressal and closure of employee queries directed to the AP helpdesk.
• Drive collaboration with DH GS procurement function to ensure accurate entry of vendor payment data into the system and process vendor data amendments as required.

Internal Controls & Governance:

• Review internal controls and monitoring reports to ensure compliance with DH policies and external regulations
• Monitor adherence to the risk assessment framework and checklists across all operations, systems, and processes; review risk assessment outcomes and identify relevant internal controls to close vulnerabilities
• Provide inputs on developing and monitoring implementation of effective anti-fraud policies and procedures to minimize financial risks across Finance GS operations
• Review investigations into suspected fraudulent activities, highlight key concern areas and identify mitigation measures to close the same
• Collaborate with other DH HQ and business vertical teams, as required, to address incidents of detected fraud

Continuous Improvement and Process Optimization:

• Stay updated on the latest market trends, changes and developments and identify improvement opportunities relevant for the sub-function
• Identify and recommend opportunities for cost reduction and efficiency improvement within existing processes
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of process improvements.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of process improvements

People Management:

• Manage the team and monitor individual objectives and priorities in line with the DH GS finance and overall GS objectives, and are met within the set milestones
• Provide day-to-day management and supervision to direct reports and support them in achieving their operational objectives
• Monitor upskilling and continuous development initiatives within one’s own team in line with the capability requirement and service priorities of the DH GS finance function
• Foster a customer centric and service mindset culture within one’s own team, encouraging innovation and high performance.

Candidate Qualifications, Experiences & Skills:

• Bachelors’ degree in Commerce / Business Administration (Finance)
• Minimum of 6-8 years of experience in finance function, with at least 2 years of experience in leading teams
• Good understanding of finance processes and policies
• Strong understanding of expense management activities within invoice to pay processes, ERP (and related technologies) is preferable
• Experience working in a finance shared services is preferred
• Experience working in the Middle East region is preferred
• Financial & compliance know-how
• Expense review management
• Expense audit management
• Financial reporting accounting & reporting