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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for AP Coordinator

💰 $45,000 - $65,000

AccountingFinanceAccounts PayableOperations

🎯 Role Definition

The AP Coordinator (Accounts Payable Coordinator) is responsible for managing the full cycle accounts payable process to ensure timely, accurate invoice processing and payment to vendors while maintaining strong internal controls and vendor relationships. This role coordinates invoice receipt, coding, approval routing, three-way matching, payment runs (ACH/wire/check), month-end accruals and reconciliations, and audit support. The ideal candidate leverages ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, QuickBooks), AP automation and OCR tools, and best-practice controls to reduce cycle time, improve cash forecasting, and support scale during peak periods.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Accounts Payable Clerk / AP Specialist
  • Accounting Assistant / Junior Accountant
  • Billing Specialist or Invoice Processor

Advancement To:

  • Senior Accounts Payable Specialist / AP Supervisor
  • Accounts Payable Manager / AP Team Lead
  • General Ledger Accountant or Staff Accountant

Lateral Moves:

  • Procurement / Purchasing Coordinator
  • Accounts Receivable Specialist
  • Treasury Analyst or Finance Operations Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage end-to-end accounts payable operations by receiving, validating, coding, and entering high volumes of vendor invoices into the ERP system while ensuring adherence to company policies, vendor terms, and payment schedules.
  • Execute accurate three-way matching between purchase orders, receipts/receiving documents, and vendor invoices to prevent duplicate payments and ensure PO compliance for goods and services.
  • Prepare, schedule, and execute payment runs (ACH, wire transfers, virtual card, and check disbursements) while optimizing payment timing for cash flow and taking advantage of early payment discounts where available.
  • Reconcile the AP subledger to the general ledger monthly, investigate variances, post necessary journal entries or accruals for period-end close, and provide supporting schedules to the accounting manager.
  • Maintain vendor master data including W-9/1099 tax information, payment terms, remittance addresses, and banking details while enforcing segregation of duties and secure handling of sensitive vendor information.
  • Respond to vendor inquiries, resolve invoice discrepancies and disputes, and coordinate with procurement, receiving, and business units to obtain missing documentation and approvals.
  • Process employee expense reimbursements and corporate card allocations, verifying policy compliance, supporting documentation, and accurate GL coding prior to reimbursement.
  • Manage vendor statement reconciliations and follow up on outstanding items, returns, or credits to ensure timely resolution and accurate vendor balances.
  • Implement and maintain internal controls for AP processes, including approval workflows, duplicate payment prevention, access controls, and adherence to SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley) or internal audit requirements.
  • Support and lead month-end and year-end close activities for accounts payable, including the preparation of accrued liabilities, cut-off testing, and schedule preparation for external and internal audits.
  • Partner with Treasury to provide AP aging reports, cash requirements, and payment forecasts to optimize working capital and plan for upcoming payment obligations.
  • Administer and optimize AP automation tools (OCR invoice capture, workflow automation, e-invoicing) to reduce manual entry, increase straight-through processing, and measure automation ROI.
  • Create and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), policy documentation, and training materials for AP workflows to ensure consistency and cross-training across the team.
  • Monitor AP aging and KPIs (days payable outstanding, invoice cycle time, number of exceptions) and prepare regular management reporting with actionable recommendations to improve process efficiency.
  • Support 1099 processing and tax compliance efforts by preparing vendor 1099 reports, ensuring proper tracking of reportable payments, and collaborating with tax teams and external providers.
  • Conduct periodic vendor audits and onboarding due diligence, including vendor set-up forms, anti-fraud checks, and verification of banking details to mitigate payment fraud and vendor risk.
  • Assist in project work such as ERP upgrades, integrations with procurement systems, payment vendor rollouts, and process improvement initiatives; participate in user acceptance testing and change management.
  • Train and mentor junior AP staff, delegate tasks, review work for accuracy, and foster continuous improvement through feedback and skills development.
  • Maintain records retention for AP documentation, ensuring invoice and payment records are stored according to company policy and audit requirements and accessible for review.
  • Coordinate with internal audit and external auditors during reviews by preparing supporting documentation, explaining procedures, and implementing recommended control improvements.
  • Monitor compliance with vendor contracts, review invoice terms for accuracy, and escalate recurring contract or pricing discrepancies to procurement/contract management teams.
  • Evaluate and recommend improvements to supplier invoice handling, payment methods, and reconciliation processes to reduce processing time and eliminate manual touchpoints.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc financial and vendor analyses requested by finance leadership, including spend categorization, vendor consolidation opportunities, and invoice aging deep-dives.
  • Assist in cross-functional projects to streamline procure-to-pay processes by collaborating with procurement, receiving, IT, and process improvement teams.
  • Act as a subject matter expert for AP tools and reporting, providing training and documentation for other departments that submit or approve invoices.
  • Participate in continuous improvement initiatives such as lean events, automation pilots, and policy refreshes to increase AP throughput and accuracy.
  • Support special reporting for grants, cost centers, or restricted funds by ensuring vendor charges are posted to correct project and funding codes.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Accounts payable processing: invoice receipt, coding, PO matching, three-way match, and AP subledger reconciliation.
  • ERP systems experience: NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or QuickBooks; experience with module navigation, vendor master maintenance, and journal entry posting.
  • Payment systems & methods: ACH, wire transfers, virtual card, check issuance, and global payment processing best practices.
  • AP automation tools: exposure to OCR scanning, e-invoicing, workflow engines (Coupa, Tipalti, AvidXchange, Chrome River) and experience improving straight-through processing rates.
  • Excel proficiency: vlookups/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, conditional formatting, data cleansing, and basic macros to analyze AP aging and KPIs.
  • Month-end close and accruals: preparing AP accruals, cut-offs, reconciliations, and audit schedules for timely close.
  • Tax and compliance: familiarity with 1099 reporting, VAT/GST basics where applicable, and internal control frameworks (SOX compliance experience a plus).
  • Vendor management: vendor onboarding, remittance setup, vendor statement reconciliation, and dispute resolution.
  • Account reconciliation and GL posting: ability to reconcile subledger to GL and prepare journal entries with supporting documentation.
  • Data integrity & security: managing sensitive banking information, segregation of duties, and fraud prevention controls.
  • Reporting & KPI tracking: building and presenting AP aging, DPO, invoice throughput, and exception trend reports for leadership.
  • Basic SQL or reporting tool knowledge (Power BI, Tableau) helpful for extracting and analyzing AP data.

Soft Skills

  • Strong attention to detail and accuracy when reviewing invoices, coding accounts, and reconciling ledgers.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills to manage vendor relationships and collaborate with cross-functional partners.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to balance recurring deadlines (payment runs, month-end) and ad-hoc requests.
  • Problem-solving orientation and persistence in researching discrepancies and driving issues to resolution.
  • Team player with coaching ability to train junior staff and scale AP processes.
  • Adaptability and openness to process change and automation initiatives.
  • Professional integrity and discretion when handling confidential vendor and banking information.
  • Customer-service mindset with the ability to provide clear guidance to internal approvers and external vendors.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or equivalent work experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or closely related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Business Administration
  • Economics
  • Supply Chain / Operations (helpful for procure-to-pay coordination)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2 to 5 years of hands-on accounts payable experience in a corporate environment, public accounting, or shared services center.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years of progressive AP experience with exposure to ERP systems (NetSuite, SAP, Oracle), AP automation platforms, and month-end close responsibilities; prior experience in a high-volume or multi-entity environment and familiarity with SOX/internal control requirements preferred.
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