Accounts payable associate vs accounts payable lead

The differences between accounts payable associates and accounts payable leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an accounts payable associate and an accounts payable lead. Additionally, an accounts payable lead has an average salary of $57,175, which is higher than the $39,270 average annual salary of an accounts payable associate.

The top three skills for an accounts payable associate include customer service, data entry and purchase orders. The most important skills for an accounts payable lead are FAA, purchase orders, and vendor invoices.

Accounts payable associate vs accounts payable lead overview

	Accounts Payable Associate	Accounts Payable Lead
Yearly salary	$39,270	$57,175
Hourly rate	$18.88	$27.49
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	30,845	31,041
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	51	51
Years of experience	6	6

What does an accounts payable associate do?

An accounts payable associate is primarily responsible for processing bills and payments for a company, ensuring accuracy and timeliness. Moreover, they are also responsible for maintaining records of all transactions, liaising with external agencies, coordinating with different departments to gather data, receiving and monitoring invoices, and obtaining approval from managers or supervisors when it comes to payments as needed. An accounts payable associate may also produce financial reports and statements, create presentations, train new members of the workforce, and assist audits, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

What does an accounts payable lead do?

Accounts payable leads are accounting professionals who are responsible for leading a team of professionals that manage the company's accounts payable, a short-term debt payment that needs to be paid to avoid default. These professionals are required to evaluate vendor invoices and prepare payments to pay vendors while preparing the daily expense reports. They must create the general ledger at the end of the month to reconcile closing balances. Accounts payable leads must also assist purchasing agents in resolving vendor or customer issues that pertained to inaccurate information on purchase orders.

Accounts payable associate vs accounts payable lead salary

Accounts payable associates and accounts payable leads have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Accounts Payable Associate	Accounts Payable Lead
Average salary	$39,270	$57,175
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $49,000	Between $41,000 And $79,000
Highest paying City	Cambridge, MA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	New York
Best paying company	Accenture	NV Energy
Best paying industry	Construction	Technology

Differences between accounts payable associate and accounts payable lead education

There are a few differences between an accounts payable associate and an accounts payable lead in terms of educational background:

	Accounts Payable Associate	Accounts Payable Lead
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Accounts payable associate vs accounts payable lead demographics

Here are the differences between accounts payable associates' and accounts payable leads' demographics:

	Accounts Payable Associate	Accounts Payable Lead
Average age	51	51
Gender ratio	Male, 20.6% Female, 79.4%	Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.5% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between accounts payable associate and accounts payable lead duties and responsibilities

Accounts payable associate example responsibilities.

Manage the PeopleSoft PO/Voucher/Receiver matching process for all business units.
Prepare A/R reports for BCBSM, Medicare, Medicaid and multiple HMO's.
Complete various seminars on Medicare and Medicaid.
Process and verify employees' expense reports to ensure compliance with GAAP and company policy.
Perform GL coding for expense invoices along with processing both ACH payments and check payments on a daily basis.
Verify which vendors need W9 to be mail to them at the beginning of the year for tax purposes.

Accounts payable lead example responsibilities.

Manage weekly payment scheduling to expedite and efficiently meet vendor payment deadlines; including check run dates, wires and ACH.
Manage payroll transactions utilizing ADP payroll software.
Process check runs: set payments within the system, verify accuracy, and print checks launch ACH payments.
Assist in the implementation of new ERP system by testing and providing information need to meet the accounts payable processes.
Process invoices, check requests, employee reimbursements, and credit memos and ensure compliance with SOX documentation and approval guidelines.
Transmit monthly payroll information for bank reconciliation.

Accounts payable associate vs accounts payable lead skills

Common accounts payable associate skills

Customer Service, 11%
Data Entry, 9%
Purchase Orders, 8%
Vendor Statements, 6%
Vendor Invoices, 6%
Expense Reports, 5%

Common accounts payable lead skills

FAA, 7%
Purchase Orders, 7%
Vendor Invoices, 6%
Reconciliations, 6%
Data Entry, 5%
ACH, 5%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Accounts Payable Associate
Accounts Payable Associate vs Accounts Payable Lead

Updated January 8, 2025

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