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