Senior Accounts Payable Specialist - American Water Works

Requisition ID: 106493

Share Our Purpose. Be Yourself. Feel Valued.

People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.

We are Beautifully Different. We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.

About American Water

American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people across 14 regulated jurisdictions and 18 military installations. American Water's 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

As one of the fastest growing utilities in the U.S., American Water expects to invest $30 to $34 billion in infrastructure repairs and replacement, system resiliency and regulated acquisitions over the next 10 years. The company has a long-standing history of executing its core operations, aligned with sustainable best practices, through its commitments to safety, affordability, customer service, protecting the environment, an inclusive workforce and strengthening communities.

American Water has been recognized on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Indexfor the fifth consecutive year, ranked 18th on Barron's 100 Most Sustainable U.S. Companies 2023 List, earned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act designation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense® Excellence Award, among additional state, local and national recognitions.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

American Water has a Full-Time opening for a Senior Accounts Payable Specialist. If you have a passion for Analyzing all Accounts Payable Transactions and Related Data to Ensure Compliance, Timeliness, and Accuracy of Payments, Then This Role is For You! APPLY TODAY for Immediate Consideration!

Primary Role

The Sr. Accounts Payable Specialist will apply understanding and knowledge of PTP's transactions, systems, and services to meet business needs. Analyze all Accounts Payable transactions and related data to ensure compliance, timeliness, and accuracy of payments. Collaborate with internal clients and external customers to continually evaluate efficiency opportunities or make enhancement recommendations within current PTP systems and services. Prepare ad hoc and ongoing reports for the department while continually evaluating and recommending improved reports. Maintain and update department's Policies and Practices (including staff training). Aid in delivering quality service to the PTP's customers. Assist with ensuring all of Accounts Payable's transactions are processed in accordance with USGAAP, SOX, regulatory and tax policies, and internal policy and procedures. Deliver excellent customer service to Accounts Payable's internal clients and external customers. Perform other assigned Accounts Payable tasks under the direction of Accounts Payable management.

Key Accountabilities

• Monitor aging PTP transactions in workflow and troubleshoot
• Validate transactions are processed in accordance with USGAAP, SOX, regulatory and tax policies, and internal policy and procedures.
• Reconcile sub ledger account activity to the general leger. Process correcting journal entries.
• Address, resolve, and/or escalate supplier/customer inquiries Analyze vendor statements
• Prepare ad hoc and ongoing reports for the department, while consistently evaluating and recommending improved reporting reports.
• Assist with month end closing, by calculating accruals, preparing journal entries and performing miscellaneous A/P reconciliations as requested
• Assist with new process implementations.
• Identify and suggest implementation of process and system enhancements to continuously improve operations.
• Maintain and update Department Policies/Practices
• Capture and report all department metrics. Analyze fluctuations in metrics and make recommendations for improvement. Collect external data to benchmark department's performance.
• Provide ongoing department training, and new employee AP focused orientation
• Willingly accept work outside normal scope or responsibility.

Knowledge/Skills

• Must be detail oriented with the ability to demonstrate a high degree of accuracy
• Ability to assess problems, resolve or escalate issues as necessary Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills with attention to detail Strong problem solving, planning, and organization skills, including ability to multi-task, and prioritize in a fast paced environment
• Must have the ability to interact diplomatically and respectfully with co-workers, customers, and department management
• Solid understanding of Accounts Payable Department's practices and processes.
• Advanced knowledge and use of office productivity tools (MS Office, Lotus Notes, etc.)
• Strong experience with Accounts Payable software/systems.

Experience/Education

• Relevant business Bachelor's Degree preferred.
• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum two years prior job-related experience preferred.
• Utilities industry or shared services experience a plus SAP, Great Plains, Open Text, or ImageNow experience a plus
• Unclaimed property software - Tracker a plus3-way match invoice resolution a plus 1099 tax from experience a plus
• Travel and expense reimbursement or purchasing card processing a plus

Work Environment

• Office

Competencies

Champions safety

Collaborates

Cultivates innovation

Customer obsessed

Drives Results

Nimble learning

Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.