Manager, Accounting Operations

Your role:

As the Manager, Accounting Operations, you will have a leading role within the Finance function, where you will oversee the global accounts payable team, help to manage day-to-day cash requirements, and play a leadership role over the procurement (titled “Vendor Success” at Global Relay) and travel functions. This role is responsible for ensuring efficient and scalable financial operations across multiple entities and geographies. Working closely with cross-functional stakeholders and other management, you will drive process optimization and establish and monitor financial controls in a high-growth environment. You are a proven people leader who can motivate and inspire a team to develop their soft and technical skills focused on operational accounting excellence.

Your responsibilities: 

• Oversee end-to-end accounts payable operations, including invoice approvals and payment execution (cheque, EFT/ACH, wire, and corporate cards)
• Lead month-end close activities related to accounts payable, including journal entries, accruals (identified through review of contracts, purchase orders, and ongoing vendor commitments), and reconciliations
• Own vendor master data governance and fraud prevention controls, including evaluating vendor risk, compliance, and financial stability as part of due diligence for vendor onboarding
• Verify that invoices comply with financial policies and procedures, including approvals, department allocations, and ensuring two-way match to appropriate documents (e.g. purchase orders, contracts, pre-approved budgets, etc.)
• Ensure timely, accurate, and cost-efficient processing of all vendor payments
• Investigate and resolve various queries made to AP from both internal and external stakeholders, following up with colleagues, vendors, department heads, and managers as needed
• Review AP subledger activity regularly to ensure completeness, accuracy, and timely resolution of outstanding items
• Oversee employee expense programs, including review and approval of expense reports, petty cash, and other month-end reimbursements as required by the business, ensuring spend complies with corporate purchasing policies
• Manage company credit card administration processes, including monitoring usage and spend compliance, as well as overseeing the timely and accurate approval and reconciliation of expenditures
• Review and approve purchase orders for accuracy, budget alignment, and compliance with company policies and authorization limits
• Lead the financial procurement function, ensuring strong governance over purchasing activities and vendor lifecycle management
• Play an integral part in managing treasury needs of the business, including ensuring sufficient cash flow for weekly payment runs, executing foreign exchange trades, forecasting capital spend, and providing ongoing analysis and reporting of cash flow disbursements and working capital metrics, etc
• Help oversee the Travel function by triaging travel requests, reviewing purpose and expenses, and providing transparent budgeting and reporting, while maintaining ease of experience for business travelers
• Support the implementation of new finance systems and related processes, particularly those on intake-to-pay and procure-to-pay automation
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, scalability, and accuracy, focusing on areas such as reducing accounts payable cycle times to enable faster month-end close and minimizing financial procurement lead times to meet business needs promptly
• Oversee compilation and preparation of information requests from management, customers, auditors, regulatory authorities, and other government agencies
• Lead, mentor, train, and develop the accounts payable, procurement, and travel teams as well as other junior personnel, as the company grows, fostering continuous learning and improvement
• Participate in ad hoc projects and initiatives when required

About you:

• Qualified professional accountant (CPA) with a strong work ethic and integrity
• 5+ years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 1-2 years in a supervisory or lead role
• Experience in managing people and financial operations is an asset
• Experience with managing centralized AP services for a global organization, including overseeing multiple legal entities, intercompany relationships, and multicurrency operations; cash management and treasury; procurement and travel
• Experience in full cycle accounting in the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription billing environment is an asset
• Advanced level MS Excel and Word proficiency, with intermediate to advanced knowledge of PowerPoint
• Familiarity with cloud-based accounting software (NetSuite) is an asset but not required
• Experience with dedicated procurement and expense management tools/systems is an asset
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to multi-task, prioritize, and time-manage
• Impeccable accuracy with numbers and attention to detail
• Ability to exercise tact and discretion and to be entrusted with confidential information
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to apply cognitive thinking are essential
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high growth entrepreneurial environment, have a ‘solution based’ mind set, and be proactive in driving improvements to processes and systems

Working conditions: 

• Able to work hours as necessary to complete job requirements