Accounts Payable Specialist

Accounts Payable Specialist
University of Puget Sound
Job ID: 6017
Location: Office of Finance
Full/Part Time: Full Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

Staff Posting Details
Appointment: Regular, full time (1.0 FTE)

Position Summary: This position is responsible for processing complete, accurate, and timely accounts payable disbursements, related tax reporting, and university deposits while providing exceptional “front-line” service to all internal and external constituents.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Verify all incoming university disbursement requests and supplier invoices meet established criteria required for processing.
• Accurately enter all university disbursement requests, supplier invoices, and other related documentation into the PeopleSoft accounts payable system according to established timelines and due dates.
• Assist with accurate supplier record maintenance, including review of supplier W-9 forms for tax reporting obligations.
• Manage and process all accounts payable payment runs, both by established schedule according to terms and by off-cycle request.
• Manage and process all accounts payable payment data transmissions with the bank, including but not limited to daily monitoring of accounts payable related positive pay exceptions and taking appropriate actions as needed.
• Provide exceptional service-oriented support to constituents both on and off campus regarding accounts payable related transactions. This includes but is not limited to daily monitoring of and follow up on email requests sent to the accounts payable team or individual team members.
• Review, research, and reconcile monthly supplier statements, including taking appropriate follow-up action to resolve all outstanding items.
• Perform reconciliation of monthly credit card report, as well as accounts payable related balance sheet accounts (including prepaid accounts) as needed for fiscal year end reporting.
• Provide accounts payable related support for external audits, including cutoff procedures.
• Manage physical accounts payable supplier filing system, including daily filing (and/or supervising student or temporary staff filing) of check copies and supporting documentation plus executing and overseeing annual storage retention procedures.
• If needed, participate in hiring and coordinating the training of student staff assistants for the accounts payable area. Supervision responsibilities can extend to assigning tasks, timesheet approval, and coordinating performance development activities with student staff members and Career and Employment Services.
• Discern taxable transactions and prepare 1099 transactions for mandated IRS filings, subject to supervisory review.
• Assist with accurately identifying, tracking, and reporting all unclaimed property owed to and from the university in accordance with filing requirements mandated by the Washington State Department of Revenue.
• Actively participate in and contribute to growing the knowledge of the accounts payable team in the use of the PeopleSoft Accounts Payable module, including assistance with the creation and maintenance of policy, procedure, and process documentation.
• Execute accounts payable related system testing for periodic system upgrades and tax updates.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Student or temporary staff as necessary

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications:

• Requires demonstrated understanding of and ability to apply accounting principles related to accounts payable.
• Requires the understanding and application of federal and state/local tax reporting regulations applicable to payment processing.
• Must be able to demonstrate excellent customer service, including effective verbal and written communication skills. Must be able to communicate accounts payable accounting-related explanations effectively to diverse campus constituents who are not as versed in accounting principles and terminology.
• Must have excellent and effective troubleshooting skills and apply critical and analytical thinking concepts to work assignments and to resolve issues.
• Must have excellent initiative, attention to detail, organizational, and prioritization skills.
• Must have a strong understanding of the concept of “team work” and the importance of supporting common goals.
• Requires the ability to excel in a fast-paced environment, to multi-task, and to continuously reprioritize job tasks while maintaining a friendly, helpful attitude.
• Requires the ability to work overtime hours during peak periods as needed to meet university and regulatory timelines and due dates.
• Three years' work experience with accounts payable, including customer service preferred. Equivalent combination of education and experience considered.
• A high school diploma or equivalent is required. The completion of bookkeeping or accounting courses is preferred.
• Requires experience with complex, computerized accounting systems. Experience with using the Internet and Web-based applications is preferred.
• Requires minimum 1 year experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• 10-key experience is essential.
• Experience using PeopleSoft is highly desirable.
Ability to respectfully work, communicate and provide leadership within a diverse campus community

Compensation and Benefits: Decisions about starting salaries are made based on the extent and relatedness of the candidate's education and experience and on internal equity and market considerations.

Puget Sound offers a generous benefits package. For more information, visit: http://www.pugetsound.edu/about/offices-services/human-resources/overview-of-university-benefit/.

Application Deadline: Review of applications will begin immediately. Search and selection procedures will be closed when a sufficient number of qualified candidates have been identified.

Required Documents:

Resume Letter of Interest

Applications submitted without the required attachments will not be considered.

All offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of a background inquiry and if applicable for the position, drug screen, physical test and functional assessment.

Diversity Statement:

We acknowledge the richness of commonalities and differences we share as a university community; the intrinsic worth of all who work and study here; that education is enhanced by investigation of and reflection upon multiple perspectives. We aspire to create respect for and appreciation of all persons as a key characteristic of our campus community; to increase the diversity of all parts of our University community through commitment to diversity in our recruitment and retention efforts; to foster a spirit of openness to active engagement among all members of our campus community. We act to achieve an environment that welcomes and supports diversity; to ensure full educational opportunity for all who teach and learn here; to prepare effectively citizen-leaders for a pluralistic world.

Puget Sound is committed to an environment that welcomes and supports diversity. We seek diversity of identity, thought, perspective, and background in our students, faculty, and staff. To learn more please visit: http://www.pugetsound.edu/about/diversity-at-puget-sound/

The University of Puget Sound is an equal opportunity employer.


How to Apply
For complete job description and application instructions, visit: www.pugetsound.edu/employment

About Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a selective national liberal arts college in Tacoma, Washington, drawing 2,600 students from 48 states and 20 countries. Puget Sound graduates include Rhodes and Fulbright scholars, notables in the arts and culture, entrepreneurs and elected officials, and leaders in business and finance locally and throughout the world. A low student-faculty ratio provides Puget Sound students with personal attention from faculty who have a strong commitment to teaching and offer 1,200 courses each year in more than 40 traditional and interdisciplinary fields, including graduate programs in occupational and physical therapy and in education. Puget Sound is the only nationally ranked independent undergraduate liberal arts college in Western Washington, and one of just five independent colleges in the Pacific Northwest granted a charter by Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s most prestigious academic honorary society. Visit "About Puget Sound" (http://www.pugetsound.edu/about) to learn more about the college.

As a strategic goal and through our core values, University of Puget Sound is committed to an environment that welcomes and supports diversity. We seek diversity of identity, thought, perspective, and background in our students, faculty, and staff. EOE/AA





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