Qualified(CA/CMA)- Accounts Payable Lead- ZF Group- Chennai

Role & responsibilities

Strategic & Functional Leadership

• Lead the end-to-end Accounts Payable operations for all business units serviced by the Shared Services center.
• Align AP operations with company goals and global finance strategy.
• Establish and monitor process KPIs and SLAs, ensuring delivery against agreed targets.
• Drive initiatives for cost efficiency, productivity, and service excellence.

Operational Management

• Ensure timely and accurate processing of invoices, Scanning & Validation, payments, credit memos, and employee reimbursements.
• Oversee the vendor master data management, PO/non-PO invoice handling, GR/IR clearing, and payment cycles.
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies, tax regulations (e.g., TDS, GST), SOX/internal controls, and audit requirements.
• Manage invoice holds, exceptions, and escalation queues efficiently.

Automation & Process Improvement

• Identify and implement opportunities for automation (RPA, OCR, AI) and process simplification.
• Champion the use of digital tools and dashboards for monitoring and decision-making.
• Collaborate with IT and transformation teams to drive ERP enhancements and system improvements.

People Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop a large team of AP professionals, including team leads, Sr. Executives and Executives.
• Foster a high-performance culture with strong ownership and continuous learning.
• Manage resource allocation, training, succession planning, and team engagement.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for internal stakeholders (procurement, business units, finance controllers).
• Maintain strong relationships with external vendors, ensuring timely issue resolution and communication.
• Lead or participate in governance meetings with business stakeholders and global finance teams.

Risk & Compliance

• Ensure robust internal controls are in place and regularly reviewed.
• Prepare for and support internal and external audits, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
• Mitigate financial, reputational, and operational risks associated with payables processing.

Preferred candidate profile

• Chartered Accountant (CA) or Cost Accountant (CMA) with additional certifications like Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, RPA / Digital Finance Transformation exposure is considered as a plus.
• 15-18 years in finance, with over 10 years in leadership roles within Accounts Payable in Shared Services or GBS environments.
• In-depth knowledge of end-to-end Procure-to-Pay(P2P) processes, vendor management, and compliance.
• Hands-on experience with ERP systems, especially SAP (S/4HANA), and proficiency in data tools like Excel and Power BI.
• Strong capabilities in leading large teams, managing conflicts, and fostering high performance.
• Excellent problem-solving, decision-making, and analytical skills with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Proven ability to manage internal and external stakeholders effectively while driving process excellence and automation.