Accounts Payable Specialist

We are looking for an Accounts Payable Specialist to join a government-focused finance team in Clearwater, Florida in a contract-to-permanent capacity. This position is ideal for someone who brings strong invoice processing experience, sound judgment around compliance, and the ability to manage detailed work in a high-volume environment. The role offers the opportunity to support public-sector accounting operations while collaborating on process reviews, special assignments, and day-to-day payables activities.

Responsibilities:

• Review and examine invoices before payment to confirm accuracy, completeness, and adherence to purchasing and funding guidelines.
• Match payment requests against purchase orders, contract terms, and applicable grant or agency requirements to ensure proper authorization.
• Evaluate budget availability and confirm sufficient funding exists within departmental allocations and approved purchase orders.
• Process accounts payable transactions by entering, scanning, and validating financial data within the organization's AP system.
• Apply public-sector accounting knowledge when handling payables, including fund accounting principles and budget-based controls.
• Maintain compliance standards related to the appropriate use of public funds and support documentation requirements for audit readiness.
• Manage a large volume of detailed transactions independently while balancing priorities and meeting established deadlines.
• Use Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook to track work, communicate updates, and support daily accounting tasks.
• Contribute to special projects, user testing, training support, and other finance-related assignments as needed.
• Experience in accounts payable, invoice review, and payment processing in a fast-paced environment.
• Working knowledge of Oracle or a comparable accounts payable system.
• Familiarity with fund accounting, budget controls, or government-related accounting practices.
• Understanding of grant compliance, contract terms, and purchase order validation.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to identify discrepancies and resolve issues accurately.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Ability to organize multiple priorities, work independently, and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.