Accounts Payable Team Leader

Job Description

About Us

Pernod Ricard is a leading global spirits company with 19,000 employees and a portfolio of 240 premium brands across 160 countries. The UK division includes Pernod Ricard UK, Chivas Brothers, Global Travel Retail and the Absolut Group.

Purpose of the Role

The Accounts Payable Team Leader leads the AP team to deliver a prompt, accurate, and well controlled invoice and expenses processing service. The role ensures supplier invoices, payment runs, query resolution and month end activities are completed accurately and on time, while maintaining strong compliance with purchase to pay policies, financial controls and audit requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, support and develop the Accounts Payable team, managing workloads, priorities and deadlines.
• Coordinate invoice processing to ensure accurate posting in line with accounting timetables and payment deadlines.
• Oversee resolution of invoice queries, matching exceptions and approval delays with business stakeholders to prevent late payments.
• Review supplier statement reconciliations and follow up open items promptly.
• Publish regular Accounts Payable performance metrics, including invoice throughput, backlog, payment status and exceptions.
• Ensure invoices are processed correctly for VAT in accordance with internal financial controls and purchase to pay policies.
• Act as a key point of contact for internal teams, suppliers, auditors and wider Finance colleagues on AP matters.
• Support and review payment runs (BACS, foreign and manual payments), ensuring checks and approvals are completed.
• Monitor debit balances, prepayments, held items and aged goods received not invoiced balances, escalating risks as required.
• Support month end activities, including AP close, reconciliations and reporting to the general ledger.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, strengthen controls and increase efficiency across AP operations.
• Provide guidance and training to business users on purchase order, invoice approval and core finance system processes.

Who You’ll Be Working With

The role collaborates with Accounts Payable Processors, the Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable Manager, wider Finance teams, business managers, purchase order raisers and approvers, suppliers, sourcing teams, auditors and system users across the business.

Your Blend of Talent

• Strong experience in Accounts Payable, purchase invoice processing or a similar finance operations role.
• Sound understanding of purchase ledger processes, supplier payments, VAT treatment and financial control requirements.
• Experience supervising, coaching or coordinating a team.
• Ability to manage high volumes of transactions accurately and within deadlines.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, confident dealing with suppliers, business managers and Finance colleagues.
• Good analytical skills to review reconciliations, metrics and exceptions and drive timely resolution.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and finance systems.
• Proactive, organised and adaptable, able to respond to changing priorities.
• Desirable: experience using JD Edwards, Concur or other integrated finance and expenses systems.
• Desirable: knowledge of purchase to pay policy, supplier finance processes, self billing or expenses administration.

Benefits

Health: private medical insurance, critical illness cover and an optional healthcare cash plan and dental insurance. Lifestyle: 28 days’ annual holiday, employee pension, share incentive plan, family care, season ticket loans, free mortgage advice, payroll giving and more. Gifts & discounts on Pernod Ricard brands and employee discounts from high street retailers. Regular events, employee run networks, flexibility and trust culture, and tools to support wellbeing and mental fitness.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

We will assess your application for this role based on your skills, experiences and achievements, not your gender, age, ethnic or educational background or any other such factors. Please feel free to leave these off your CV and application form if you wish.

Responsible Drinking

We promote responsible drinking and create a culture that welcomes all, regardless of personal choices on alcohol consumption.