Regional Accounts Payable Manager EMEA

The role provides leadership and management of the new Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA) wide Accounts Payable team in Newcastle. The EMEA Accounts Payable team is being established as non-UK accounts payable activities are centralised in Newcastle, having previously been undertaken in non-UK offices across EMEA. The role is critical to the success of this centralisation, that the business case objectives are delivered and services are transferred into business as usual.

The role will initially be project and business change focussed but will transition to the ongoing, post project operation of accounts payable across EMEA., Leadership

• Establishing Service Level Agreements to manage accounts payable activity for multiple offices across EMEA. In doing so be clear as to what services will, and won't be delivered, as well as ensuring responsibilities between Accounts Payable, wider Finance and the business are clear.


• Overseeing, mentoring and guiding the EMEA accounts payable function by providing strategic leadership, fostering professional growth and advancing career opportunities


• Developing a customer centric mindset in Accounts Payable, driving a community of curiosity and continuous improvement within Accounts Payable.


• Building and fostering strong working relationships with other finance teams, taking a proactive approach to ensure an "end to end" approach to accounts payable is taken in Finance.


• Ensure that Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are up to date and agreed with the business against the overall objective of centralisation. Where changes to services are requested these are challenged and/or escalated for decision making, and if necessary take responsibility for updating the SLAs.


• Production and development of monthly Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in line with the Service Level Agreement. Using KPIs to drive team development, service improvements and efficiencies.


• Review daily activity to ensure SLAs are met, queries are acted upon promptly and any escalations are managed and resolved on a timely basis.


• Approval of any exceptions to process, escalating as required.


Procedures, Control and Compliance

• Embedding procedures that ensure timely and accurate processing of invoices and expenses for payment which are aligned with service levels.


• Manage the disbursement and recharge process to ensure costs are loaded to client matters on a timely and accurate basis. This is an area of focus at time of writing this job description


• Manage payments to ensure that vendors are paid promptly, in doing so managing the risk of urgent, manual payments.


• Ensuring SLAs and processes encompass NRF guidelines on anti-money laundering, anti-bribery, sanctions and modern slavery.


Continuous Improvement

• After accounts payable activity has been centralised in Newcastle establish a continuous improvement programme to deliver efficiencies across end to end accounts payable.


• Agree the prioritisation of the continuous improvement programme with the Director of Financial Control & Operations, EMEA. Work with the applicable business, process and system teams deliver the continuous improvement programme.
  
  Enjoy working independently and during a period of change, taking full ownership of deliverables.


• Be self-motivated and self-disciplined, passionate about delivering exceptional customer service.


• Have excellent communication and influencing skills, able to effectively operate across teams and influence key stakeholders.


• Be a good problem solver with a process orientated mindset, methodical in approach with an "eye for detail".


• Comfortable working within a fast-paced environment.


Experience required for the role:

• Managing and leading Accounts Payable teams through change (essential)


• Managing and leading Accounts Payable teams in a customer driven and service centre environment, operating to and reporting against service levels (essential)


• Process mapping and documentation (essential)


• Worked in a multinational, professional services environment (preferred)


• Knowledge of SAP, Emburse or other invoice/expense workflow solution (preferred)


• Finance management qualification (preferred)


Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

To attract the best people, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work, have a sense of belonging, and realize their full career potential. Our new enabled work model allows our people to have more flexibility in the way they choose to work from both the office and a remote location, while continuing to deliver the highest standards of service. We offer a range of family friendly and inclusive employment policies and provide access to programmes and services aimed at nurturing our people's health and overall wellbeing. Find more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion here.

We're Norton Rose Fulbright - a global law firm with over 50 offices and 7,000 employees worldwide. We provide the world's preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. At Norton Rose Fulbright, our strategy and our culture are closely entwined. We know that our expansion will mean little unless it is underpinned by truly global collaboration and we understand that pioneering work only takes place when our people have room to move and think beyond boundaries. As well as the relevant skills and experience, we're looking for people who are innovative, commercial and value the work that they do.

Our Newcastle office is currently recruiting for an Accounts Payable Service Manager (EMEA), to join one of the largest finance teams in the North East. The team comprises over 60 finance professionals divided into several specialised teams that support financial operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia (EMEA).

The Team

The Newcastle Finance team is one of the largest in the North East, comprising over 60 finance professionals divided into several specialised teams that support financial operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia (EMEA)."