How to hire an accounts payable associate

How to hire an accounts payable associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step accounts payable associate hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an accounts payable associate job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new accounts payable associate
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an accounts payable associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an accounts payable associate, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an accounts payable associate to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an accounts payable associate that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of accounts payable associate salaries for various roles:

   Type of Accounts Payable Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Accounts Payable Associate	Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks produce financial records for organizations. They record financial transactions, update statements, and check financial records for accuracy.	$14-23
   Bookkeeper	Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work... Show more	$14-25
   Finance Clerk	Finance clerks are financial professionals who are responsible for performing various administrative tasks such as keeping financial records, preparing bills, and delivering excellent customer service. These clerks are required to process bills, checks, receipts, and other documents to ensure that they are all properly signed and distributed... Show more	$12-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Data Entry
   • Purchase Orders
   • Vendor Statements
   • Vendor Invoices
   • Expense Reports
   • Reconciliations
   • Journal Entries
   • Vendor Inquiries
   • Payment Processing
   • Credit Card
   • Vendor Accounts
   • ACH
   • Invoice Processing

   Check all skills

   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.

   More accounts payable associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your accounts payable associate job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An accounts payable associate salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, accounts payable associates' average salary in west virginia is 41% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level accounts payable associates earn 37% less than senior-level accounts payable associates.
   • Certifications. An accounts payable associate with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an accounts payable associate's salary.

   Average accounts payable associate salary

   $39,270yearly

   $18.88 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level accounts payable associate salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average accounts payable associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$46,716	$22
   2	California	$45,673	$22
   3	District of Columbia	$44,383	$21
   4	New Jersey	$44,274	$21
   5	New York	$44,269	$21
   6	Pennsylvania	$43,340	$21
   7	Colorado	$40,335	$19
   8	Illinois	$40,183	$19
   9	Arizona	$38,717	$19
   10	Wisconsin	$38,176	$18
   11	Ohio	$38,047	$18
   12	Georgia	$37,753	$18
   13	Texas	$37,237	$18
   14	Maryland	$37,014	$18
   15	Florida	$35,610	$17
   16	Oklahoma	$35,527	$17
   17	North Carolina	$34,272	$16
   18	Missouri	$34,170	$16
   19	South Carolina	$33,342	$16
   20	Utah	$31,661	$15

   Average accounts payable associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Accenture	$56,112	$26.98	96
   2	Devon Energy	$54,291	$26.10
   3	Mount St. Mary's University	$51,120	$24.58
   4	Bain & Company	$49,975	$24.03	1
   5	Mortenson	$49,539	$23.82
   6	Textron	$47,939	$23.05	18
   7	Plug Power	$46,975	$22.58
   8	Green Plains	$46,893	$22.54	4
   9	Halff Associates	$46,587	$22.40
   10	Intercon Construction	$46,506	$22.36
   11	Arrow Electronics	$46,466	$22.34	59
   12	Neal Communities	$46,409	$22.31
   13	Kaiser Aluminum	$46,224	$22.22
   14	Pentair	$46,172	$22.20
   15	Blue Bird	$46,018	$22.12	1
   16	BGC Partners	$45,780	$22.01
   17	Essex Property Trust	$45,736	$21.99
   18	The New York Public Library	$45,376	$21.82
   19	Kleinfelder	$45,179	$21.72
   20	3D Systems	$45,114	$21.69

4. Writing an accounts payable associate job description

   An accounts payable associate job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an accounts payable associate job description:

   Accounts payable associate job description example

   First Quality was founded in 1989 and has grown to be a global privately held company with over 4,000 employees. Its corporate offices are located in Great Neck, New York, with manufacturing facilities and offices in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Georgia, and Canada. First Quality is a diversified family of companies manufacturing consumer products ranging from Absorbent Hygiene (adult incontinence, feminine care, and baby care), Tissue (bath and towel), and Industrial (print and packaging materials), serving institutional and retail markets throughout the world. First Quality focuses on private label and branded product lines.
   We are seeking an Accounts Payable Associate for our First Quality Enterprise. The Accounts Payable Associate is responsible for administering and coordinating Accounts Payable related activities to ensure that goals and/or objectives of Accounts Payable are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. This role has a partial remote work arrangement with Tuesdays & Wednesdays in the office in Great Neck and the remainder of the week is remote.
   
   Primary responsibilities include:
   Enters invoices and uploads required Procure to Pay documents in SAP system Prepares and analyzes payments for vendor invoices and other financial obligations in accordance with internal accounting policies. Reviews requisitions, purchase orders, receipts, statements, and invoices to verify amounts owed. Responds to vendor inquiries and resolves any discrepancies in billings and payments. May process requests for employee expense reimbursements. May be required to assist other functions with meeting preparation or business projects Works under moderate supervision. Data Entry-Keyboarding Invoice Management/ Invoice Verification Payment Posting
   
   The ideal candidate should possess the following:
   Requires 1-3 years of related experience or may need 0 years of experience with additional specialized training and/or certification. Requires a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, knowledge of basic formulae. Pivot tables & v-lookup, are helpful but not required Comfortable working with automation software; SAP experience preferred Excellent written and verbal communication skills; willing to work with others internally & externally Strong problem solving, organization and analytical skills Knowledge of Accounts Payable processes for strong internal controls & fraud prevention
   
   First Quality is committed to protecting information under the care of First Quality Enterprises commensurate with leading industry standards and applicable regulations. As such, First Quality provides at least annual training regarding data privacy and security to employees who, as a result of their role specifications, may come in to contact with sensitive data.
   
   First Quality is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identification, or protected Veteran status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find accounts payable associates for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any accounts payable associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level accounts payable associates with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your accounts payable associate job on Zippia to find and recruit accounts payable associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as efinancialcareers, financialjobsweb.com, careerbank, financial job bank.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit accounts payable associates, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new accounts payable associate

   Once you've decided on a perfect accounts payable associate candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new accounts payable associate first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an accounts payable associate?