AP Specialist - Denton

Accounts Payable Specialist

Permanent

37.5 Hours Per Week

Salary: £30,000 - £32,000 DOE

Denton (M34)

A BIT ABOUT US

In June 2021, Just Childcare was acquired by the Partou group of companies, followed by their acquisition of All About Children in September 2022. The merger of both organisations will establish Partou UK as one of the largest childcare providers in the UK. Through organic growth and targeted acquisition, plans are in place to significantly grow the UK estate, making it an exciting and rewarding time to be part of the journey ahead.

We will continue to invest significantly in the quality of care that we provide as our offering and the optimisation of our early years learning experience that each one of our parent’s children can rightly expect to rely on through its curriculum delivery. We are on a clear growth trajectory whereby continuous further professionalisation and quality improvement go hand in hand with expansion, through the development of new locations, acquisitions, automation, and processes over time.

WHY THIS ROLE IS IMPORTANT TO US

The Accounts Payable Specialist plays a key role in ensuring the accurate and timely processing of supplier invoices and payments across the organisation. As the senior member of the Accounts Payable (AP) team, the postholder provides technical expertise, supports day-to-day operations, and acts as a bridge between the Finance Transactions Manager and the wider AP team. They will drive process improvements, maintain strong financial controls, and ensure compliance with company policies and statutory requirements. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Operational Delivery

• Oversee daily invoice processing, ensuring accuracy, correct coding, and adherence to approval policies.
• Manage the shared AP inbox and workflow queues, ensuring timely response to queries.
• Prepare and review payment runs, ensuring accuracy, appropriate authorisation, and fraud controls.
• Maintain supplier master data, ensuring accuracy and completeness of information.
• Process complex or high-value invoices, intercompany transactions, and credit notes.
• Perform regular supplier statement reconciliations, resolving discrepancies promptly.

Financial Control & Month-End Support

• Support month-end close by preparing accruals, reconciliations, and aged creditor reports.
• Ensure VAT and other statutory requirements are correctly applied and recorded.
• Maintain documentation of all AP processes and internal controls.
• Assist with internal and external audits, providing requested data and explanations.

Team Support & Leadership

• Act as first point of contact for AP Administrators, providing day-to-day guidance, training, and support
• Help allocate workload and monitor productivity to meet processing and payment deadlines.
• Deputise for the AP Manager during absences on operational matters.
• Contribute to team development by sharing best practice and supporting new joiners.

Process Improvement & Systems

• Identify opportunities to streamline and automate AP processes.
• Support implementation of new financial systems or workflow tools.
• Ensure strong internal controls and segregation of duties are maintained.
• Produce regular reporting and analysis on AP performance and KPIs.

Supplier & Stakeholder Relationships

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers to resolve issues and maintain goodwill
• Collaborate with Procurement, Finance, HR, and Operations to resolve invoice and purchase order discrepancies.
• Ensure supplier onboarding and bank detail verification procedures are followed to prevent fraud. 

 KNOWLEDGE, SKILL & EXPEREINCE 

Essential:

• Demonstrable experience in an Accounts Payable role within a medium or large organisation.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end AP processes, purchase-to-pay cycle, and VAT requirements.
• High accuracy and attention to detail, with a focus on delivering quality results to deadlines. • Proficiency with accounting systems (e.g., Sage, Xero, NetSuite, SAP, or similar) and Excel.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to build relationships internally and externally.
• Experience supporting or mentoring junior team members.
• AAT qualification or equivalent finance training.

Desirable:

• Experience in a multi-site, service-based organisation.
• Knowledge of invoice automation tools or finance system implementations.