AP Specialist

Description

Role Summary

The Accounts Payable Clerk keeps cash and paperwork moving through the accounting office. The role owns daily mail handling, posts customer payments, supports the AP process from invoice to payment, and prepares and sends vendor remittances. It reports to the Accounting Manager and is a hands-on, detail-driven position suited to someone early in an accounting career.

Key Responsibilities

Mail and document handling

Open, sort, date-stamp and distribute all incoming mail daily

Log and route customer checks, vendor invoices, statements and correspondence to the right owner

Scan and file source documents to the accounting system and shared drives

Prepare and send outgoing mail, including vendor checks and customer correspondence

Cash posting

Post customer payments (checks, ACH, wires, credit cards, lockbox) to customer accounts daily

Match payments to open invoices; research short-pays, overpayments, deductions and unapplied cash

Prepare bank deposits and daily cash logs

Flag credits, disputes and unidentified receipts to the Accounting Manager

Accounts payable support

Enter vendor invoices accurately and on time; perform 2- and 3-way match against POs and receiving

Route invoices for approval and follow up on missing approvals or receipts

Maintain vendor files, including W-9s and payment details, under established controls

Reconcile vendor statements and resolve discrepancies

Answer vendor inquiries on invoice and payment status

Assist with weekly check runs and ACH payment batches

Remittances

Prepare and send remittance advices for check, ACH and wire payments

Track and file returned, voided and uncashed checks

Support escheat (unclaimed property) tracking as directed

Other

Assist with month-end close tasks: AP accruals, aging reviews and account reconciliations

Support 1099 preparation and year-end audit requests

Follow internal controls, including segregation of duties over cash and vendor changes

Cover front-office or other accounting tasks as assigned by the Accounting Manager

Requirements

Qualifications

Required

High school diploma or equivalent

1–2 years of AP, AR, cash posting or general accounting clerk experience

Working knowledge of Excel (sorting, filters, basic formulas) and an accounting/ERP system

High accuracy with data entry and numbers; strong follow-through on open items

Clear, professional communication with vendors, customers and coworkers

Ability to handle confidential financial information with discretion

Preferred

Associate degree or coursework in accounting or business

Experience in a wholesale distribution environment

Familiarity with 3-way match, lockbox and ACH remittance processes

Experience with an ERP such as Sage, Acumatica, NetSuite or similar