Accounts Payable Officer
What's it like to be an Accounts Payable Officer?
Accounts Payable Officers work within the finance department of businesses, not-for-profits, public sector organisations and elsewhere, to monitor expenditures. Whether an organisation deals in services or goods and products, an Accounts Payable Officer manages outgoing finances, which can include payroll. Accounts Payable Officers may need to field client and customer queries and compile monthly and annual reports. Depending on the size of an organisation, they may work with a large finance team or more independently in a smaller organisation. Data entry and accounting software skills and knowledge are an important part of this job.
Tasks and duties
- Reviewing, processing, verifying and reconciling all payments and expenditures including payroll, invoices, superannuation and purchase orders.
- Preparing monthly financial reports and expense statements.
- Addressing and resolving financial queries from clients, suppliers and staff.
How to become an Accounts Payable Officer
Accounts Payable Officers usually have accounting or bookkeeping qualifications or experience.
- 1.
Complete a three-year bachelor degree in economics, finance or accounting. While not all bookkeeping jobs require a tertiary qualification, Accounts Payable Officer jobs generally prefer this.
- 2.
Gain relevant work experience in junior finance roles and look for opportunities to move into an Accounts Payable Officer role, which has more responsibility.