Senior Accounts Payable Specialist

Senior Accounts Payable Specialist

Leeds - (hybrid - minimum 2 days a week in the office)

Permanent

Summary

We're seeking a Senior Accounts Payable Specialist to join our Finance Shared Services team based in our Leeds office. You'll be responsible for owning and delivering the end-to-end subcontractor Accounts Payable process, ensuring payments are accurate, compliant, and delivered in line with business and statutory requirements.

As a subject matter expert (SME) in subcontractor processing and CIS, you'll play a key role in maintaining strong financial controls, resolving escalations, supporting the wider team, and driving continuous improvement across the AP function.

Key Deliverables

• Deliver accurate and timely processing of subcontractor invoices, ensuring correct application of CIS, VAT, and coding in line with company standards
• Successfully prepare and deliver weekly BACS payment runs and ensure all manual payments (CHAPS/TT) are processed accurately and within deadlines
• Ensure full compliance with HMRC CIS regulations, VAT requirements, and internal financial controls, always maintaining audit-ready documentation
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date supplier master data, ensuring integrity, correct onboarding, and adherence to governance processes
• Act as the primary escalation point for supplier and internal queries, ensuring timely resolution and minimal impact on payment timelines
• Build and maintain effective working relationships across Finance, Procurement, Commercial, and Operational teams to resolve issues and improve processes
• Identify and implement efficiencies and improvements to enhance productivity, reduce errors, and streamline AP processes
• Support internal and external audits, proactively identifying and mitigating compliance or process risks
• Contribute to system enhancements, testing, and automation initiatives, ensuring improvements are effectively implemented
• Act as a subject matter expert, providing guidance and mentoring to colleagues and supporting overall team capability

What we're looking for

• Proven experience in Accounts Payable, ideally within a subcontractor/CIS environment
• Strong understanding of CIS regulations and BACS payment processes
• Experience using financial systems (e.g. Access Dimensions, COINS or similar
• High attention to detail and strong focus on accuracy and compliance
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to manage workload independently and meet deadlines

Desirable

• Experience delivering process improvements or automation initiatives
• Exposure to audit processes and financial controls frameworks
• Experience mentoring or supporting team development

Next Steps:

As a business, we're on a journey to build on our culture where everyone is included, treated fairly and with respect. This starts with recruitment and how we bring people into the organisation.

We'll do our best to outline the recruitment process to you ahead of time with plenty of notice. If you require any accommodations to participate in the application or interview process, please let us know and we will work with you to ensure your needs are met.

About Us:

We are one of the leading independent engineering and services businesses in the UK. Founded in 1921, with a turnover of £500m and 3000 employees, we are proud of our history of developing great people through our investment in training.

Working across a variety of sectors within the building and infrastructure industry, our innovative, responsible and forward-thinking approach allows us to work on fantastic ground-breaking projects, providing solutions using the latest tools and technologies.

Progression is something we value, and we will make sure that when you join us you have a clearly defined development path, supported by regular reviews, training and ongoing support to enable you to be the best you can be.