Accounts Payable Lead

NEVE JEWELS GROUP

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Manager of Accounts Payable owns the AP function for the entire Neve Jewels Group — every supplier invoice, every vendor payment, every expense claim, across every entity and every geography.

This is a foundational role within the newly-established Global Shared Services function. The Manager of AP is one of two operational leaders reporting to the Head of GSS (the other being the Manager of AR) and is directly accountable for AP performance to the business.

This is a hands-on operational leadership role — a broad global remit, and a clear ownership mandate. The Manager of AP will build the AP function, not inherit it.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Delivery

• Own the operational rhythm of the AP function — daily invoice processing, weekly payment runs, month-end close support, monthly vendor reconciliations
• Ensure supplier invoices are processed accurately, on time and to standard across every entity and every currency
• Own payment execution — payment runs delivered on schedule, banking exceptions resolved quickly, no missed payments or duplicate payments
• Own expense management operations — corporate cards, out-of-pocket claims, travel and expense processing
• Ensure vendor reconciliations are performed on defined cadence and exceptions are cleared without ageing

Process Standardisation & Migration

• Support the Head of GSS on the migration of AP from regional finance teams into the shared-service unit — plan the transitions, execute them without disruption to BAU
• Drive process standardisation across entities — same nature of expense handled the same way regardless of geography
• Design and maintain AP standard operating procedures, work instructions and process documentation
• Identify and execute continuous process improvement opportunities

Vendor Management from an Ops Lens

• Own the vendor master data — accurate, complete, controlled, audit-ready
• Manage the vendor onboarding process — KYC, banking details, tax documentation, payment terms
• Own vendor query resolution and escalation — first-line ownership, with escalation to the Head of GSS or business unit stakeholders where required
• Partner with the Supply Chain FBP and business unit stakeholders on supplier payment terms, discipline and commercial arrangements

Performance & Reporting

• Own the AP KPIs — DPO, first-time-right rates, invoice processing time, payment cycle time, ageing, exception rates
• Deliver AP performance MIS to the Head of GSS, regional A&F leads and business stakeholders on a defined cadence
• Ensure AP data is clean, timely and reconciled to the general ledger for month-end close and audit

Controls & Compliance

• Ensure AP operations comply with banking, tax and statutory requirements across all jurisdictions
• Maintain internal control discipline — segregation of duties, approval thresholds, payment authorisation matrix, audit trail
• Partner with the regional A&F leads on tax-related AP compliance (VAT / GST, withholding tax, TDS as applicable)
• Ensure AP is audit-ready at all times — clean documentation, defensible controls, sound reconciliations

Team Managerership

• Build cross-cover and capability depth — the AP function must not have single points of failure
• Recruit additional team members as volume grows and phased hiring approvals come through

Transformation & Automation

• Partner with the Head of GSS and the Finance Transformation function on the AP automation roadmap — invoice OCR, three-way match automation, payment run automation, RPA opportunities
• Identify high-volume, high-friction AP processes suitable for automation and quantify the case for change

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• 4-6 years of progressive finance experience, with at least 3 years in an AP leadership role — team-lead, deputy manager or manager level
• Demonstrable experience leading AP in a multi-entity, multi-currency environment — ideally spanning at least two of: UK, EU, India, ANZ, Middle East, North America
• Track record of process standardisation or shared-service migration in AP — either standing up new AP operations, migrating AP from regional to central, or delivering material AP process improvement
• Experience with high-volume vendor management and payment operations across multiple currencies
• Working knowledge of AP process automation — OCR, RPA, three-way match automation, payment platforms
• Qualified accountant (CA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA) or commerce graduate with strong finance foundation and relevant AP certifications preferred
• Comfort with the operational discipline of AP — someone who takes pride in payment cycle rigour, vendor reconciliation quality, and clean data, not just in the strategic layer above

PROFILE & STYLE

This is an operational leader — hands-on enough to run payment runs when needed, disciplined enough to hold the team to process standard, and pragmatic enough to make progress in a partially-fragmented starting environment. We are looking for someone who takes pride in the operational integrity of AP — clean data, timely payments, disciplined controls, satisfied vendors and stakeholders.

The right person is comfortable operating in a scale-up finance function that is being built around them. They understand that AP is not a glamorous function, but that done well it is a source of real business value — better supplier relationships, better commercial terms, better working capital discipline, and cleaner audits. They take that quiet impact seriously.

They are ambitious about the AP function they will build — not just the operations they will run. They see the migration to shared services as an opportunity, not a threat. They partner well with regional teams whose scope is being taken away from them, and they build finance credibility over time by delivering consistently.

Comfortable being challenged on process rigour. Comfortable challenging vendors, business stakeholders and finance colleagues when the operational discipline requires it.