Accounts Payable Accountant

Job Description

Role Purpose

The Accounts Payable Accountant is responsible for managing the end-to-end accounts payable function across regional entities in the UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This position demands specialized expertise in executing online banking payment processing, batch generation, vendor management, and internal approval workflows.

The primary focus of this role is high-volume batch creation, file upload template management, and processing transfers through corporate banking portals, specifically Emirates NBD (ENBD Business Online) for UAE operations and HSBC net for KSA operations.

Key Responsibilities

1. Online Banking & Payment Batch Execution

• UAE Banking Operations (Emirates NBD):
• Prepare, reconcile, and upload weekly and single payment batches via ENBD Business Online.
• Process vendor disbursements, corporate credit card recharges, freelance trainer fees, student refunds, and intercompany settlements.
• Ensure correct entity allocation across Dubai and Abu Dhabi operational branches.

KSA Banking Operations (HSBC):

• Generate and upload bulk payment files using standard HSBC batch text/Excel templates.
• Execute government bill payments and utility settlements via KSA SADAD services (verifying bill numbers, pay nicknames, and service codes).
• Ensure compliance with KSA value-date rules, international transfer windows, and local weekend settlement constraints.
• Batch Verification & Error Troubleshooting:
• Audit raw batch files prior to submission to prevent rejections due to special characters, account spacing, invalid IBANs, or incorrect Swift codes.
• Monitor bank portal processing statuses (accepted, rejected, partially accepted) and resolve processing errors within 10–15 minutes of upload.

2. Invoice Processing & Approval Workflows

• Review incoming vendor invoices, trainer delivery claims, and expense reports against contracts, delivery schedules, and purchase orders.
• Liaise with department heads (Leadership, Marketing, Operations, HR) to obtain required internal approvals prior to scheduling payments.
• Maintain accurate multi-currency payment summaries in Excel (AED, SAR, USD, GBP, BHD).
• Enforce strict compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) controls (e.g., ensuring student refunds return strictly to the original source/credit card).

3. Vendor & Stakeholder Relationship Management

• Manage dedicated Accounts Payable shared mailboxes, delivering prompt responses to internal and external payment inquiries.
• Perform routine vendor statement reconciliations (SOA) and resolve balance discrepancies.
• Maintain up-to-date vendor master records, bank details, and tax registration credentials (TRN).

4. Reporting & Internal Controls

• Maintain audit-ready digital archives of payment summaries, bank confirmation advice, tax invoices, and email approval trails.
• Coordinate with Finance Leadership to route authorized batches for final senior sign-off and portal release.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or a related discipline. Professional certification coursework (ACCA, CPA, or CMA) is an advantage.
• Experience: Minimum 2–3 years of dedicated Accounts Payable experience within the GCC region (UAE and KSA exposure required).

Mandatory Technical Skills

• Hands-on experience with Emirates NBD Business Online and HSBCnet (specifically file upload templates, SADAD bill pays, and CBID payroll code setups).
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, Batch Text Formatting, Template generation). Experience with ERP accounting software.
• Working knowledge of UAE & KSA VAT rules, cross-border payment mechanisms, IBAN validation, and local withholding tax (WHT) concepts.

Core Competencies

• Meticulous approach to data entry, payment figures, and bank routing credentials to avoid payment rejections.
• Ability to work strictly within defined authorization matrices and internal financial control frameworks.
• Professional written and verbal communication style for handling vendor relationships and cross-departmental queries.
• Demonstrated capability to meet tight weekly bank cut-off times and manage competing priorities.

Requirements added by the job poster

• 3+ years of Accounting experience

• Bachelor’s Degree

• 3+ years of work experience with Microsoft Excel