Accounts Payable Specialist

We are looking for an Accounts Payable Specialist to join a wholesale distribution organization in Oakland, California on a contract basis with the potential to become permanent.

This role requires working onsite five days per week and offers the opportunity to support a fast-moving finance operation with a strong focus on accuracy, responsiveness, and vendor support. The ideal candidate brings hands-on experience managing high-volume invoice activity and is comfortable working across teams to keep payment processes on track.

Responsibilities:

• Manage a large volume of supplier invoices from receipt through final processing while ensuring accuracy and adherence to company guidelines.
• Examine invoices for correct general ledger coding, required approvals, supporting backup, and matching against purchase orders or receipts when applicable.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to clear exceptions, resolve approval bottlenecks, and address discrepancies that may delay processing.
• Respond to vendor questions related to payment timing, account balances, invoice status, and outstanding issues in a courteous and timely manner.
• Support recurring payment cycles by preparing and processing disbursements such as checks, ACH transactions, and wire transfers.
• Maintain vendor master data and assist with onboarding documentation, including tax forms and banking details, to help ensure complete and accurate records.
• Reconcile vendor statements, investigate open items, and follow through on aged balances to keep accounts current.
• Review employee expense submissions for policy compliance, proper documentation, and accuracy before reimbursement.
• Provide audit support by gathering requested records and assisting with questions from internal or external reviewers.
• Participate in process enhancements and system-related updates by helping test changes and recommending ways to improve efficiency and controls.Oakland
• At least 3 years of full-cycle accounts payable experience in a high-volume environment.
• Strong working knowledge of invoice processing, account coding, payment execution, vendor maintenance, and reconciliations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including VLOOKUPs, along with solid skills in Outlook and Word.
• Experience handling payment methods such as ACH and check runs with a high degree of accuracy.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively across departments and with external vendors.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced setting.
• Understanding of core accounting practices and the importance of maintaining effective financial controls.
• Experience with ERP or accounts payable automation systems is required