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What is a senior accounts payable specialist and how to become one
A senior accounts payable specialist is an individual responsible for managing a company's payment processing systems and ensuring that invoices are paid accurately and on time. They oversee a team of accounts payable professionals, reviewing and approving invoices, reconciling accounts, and resolving any discrepancies. Senior accounts payable specialists also maintain vendor relationships, negotiate payment terms, and manage cash flow. They must have strong analytical skills and attention to detail, as well as excellent organizational skills.
Avg. Salary $60,557
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate -5%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.63%
Asian 6.53%
Black or African American 6.76%
Hispanic or Latino 14.37%
Unknown 3.96%
White 67.75%
Genderfemale 84.82%
male 15.18%
Age - 53American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 53Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a senior accounts payable specialist?
Pros
High job security and stability
Opportunity to work in a variety of industries
Competitive salary and benefits
Chance to develop strong analytical skills
Exposure to financial reporting and budgeting
Cons
Can be repetitive and monotonous at times
High level of attention to detail required
Pressure to meet deadlines and manage workload efficiently
Dealing with difficult vendors or internal stakeholders can be stressful
Limited creativity or autonomy in decision making
Senior accounts payable specialist career paths
Key steps to become a senior accounts payable specialist
Explore senior accounts payable specialist education requirements
Start to develop specific senior accounts payable specialist skills
Skills Percentages Vendor Statements 9.77% Expense Reports 6.66% Purchase Orders 6.64% Data Entry 6.33% Accruals 5.37% Complete relevant senior accounts payable specialist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior accounts payable specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior accounts payable specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior accounts payable specialist resumes.Research senior accounts payable specialist duties and responsibilities
- Manage payroll garnishments to accurately comply with applicable state and municipal laws.
- Prepare, process, and submit check files, wire transfers, ACH payments, and positive pay.
- Maintain W9 forms for all vendors in the system.
- Verify if all vendors W9's are on file.
Get senior accounts payable specialist experience
Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a senior accounts payable specialist. The most common roles before becoming a senior accounts payable specialist include accounts payable clerk, accounting clerk team lead and accounts payable supervisor.Prepare your senior accounts payable specialist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior accounts payable specialist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior accounts payable specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable senior accounts payable specialist resume templates
Build a professional senior accounts payable specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior accounts payable specialist resume.
Apply for senior accounts payable specialist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a senior accounts payable specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first senior accounts payable specialist job
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Average senior accounts payable specialist salary
The average senior accounts payable specialist salary in the United States is $60,557 per year or $29 per hour. Senior accounts payable specialist salaries range between $43,000 and $83,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do senior accounts payable specialists rate their job?
Senior accounts payable specialist reviews
Helping companies grow their business.
learn about more about the company projects and what are the costs on these projects.
The process is still too manual, not efficient.
Investigating claims of denials and getting claims pain in a timely manner
Updated January 8, 2025
