At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the Accounts Payable function, ensuring accurate processing and strong financial controls.
- Company: Join Dignity, a trusted name in end-of-life care with over 200 years of history.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, 25 days holiday, private healthcare, and personal development opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to improving lives and driving lasting change.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on financial processes that support families during important times.
- Qualifications: Proven AP leadership experience and strong understanding of accounting principles required.
The predicted salary is between 46000 - 46000 € per year.
Contract: Full-Time, Permanent (38.75 hours per week)
Location: Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield (Hybrid - 3 days in office)
Salary: Up to £46,000 per annum
At Dignity, we are in the midst of a significant transformation programme, focused on strengthening performance, modernising our ways of working, and driving greater consistency across our nationwide operations. With a large, multi-site estate and a highly operational business, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and control in our core finance processes is critical to supporting both our colleagues and the service we deliver to families.
Within this context, we are seeking an experienced Accounts Payable Manager to lead and develop our end-to-end AP function. This is a key role within our finance team, responsible for driving process improvement, strengthening financial controls, and enhancing operational efficiency, while also building strong supplier relationships and leading a high-performing team.
Role Overview
- Lead the end-to-end Accounts Payable function, ensuring accurate invoice/expense processing, clean ledgers, strong controls, and timely payments.
- Drive team performance, process improvement, and finance transformation while maintaining excellent stakeholder and supplier relationships.
Key Responsibilities
- AP Operations - Own invoice processing, approvals, payments, reconciliations, GRNI, debit balances, and cash-flow-aligned payment runs.
- Team Leadership - Recruit, coach, develop, and performance-manage a high-performing AP team.
- Controls & Audit - Maintain strong internal controls, support audits, and deliver accurate month-end and year-end outputs.
- Reporting & Improvement - Produce AP KPIs/MI, embed SOPs, drive automation, support P2P improvements and finance transformation projects.
- Stakeholder & Supplier Management - Resolve escalations, partner with finance/procurement, and ensure smooth end-to-end processes.
Experience & Skills
- Proven AP leadership in high-volume environments.
- Strong controls, audit, reconciliation, and KPI reporting capability.
- ERP experience (SAP/Oracle/NetSuite).
- ACCA/AAT or equivalent experience.
- Deep understanding of AP best practice and core accounting principles.
What You Bring
- Strong AP expertise and passion for team development.
- Thrives in fast-paced, high-volume settings.
- High accuracy, ownership, and commitment to reliable service.
- Process-improvement mindset with experience in finance transformation.
- Confident working with stakeholders across finance, procurement, and the wider business.
- Passionate about driving lasting AP improvements.
Why Join Dignity Funerals
This is a unique opportunity to play a central role in how a large, national organisation strengthens its financial controls and operational performance. At Dignity: What you do will directly improve the accuracy, efficiency, and reliability of our Accounts Payable function, supporting colleagues across the business and ensuring suppliers are paid correctly and on time. You'll work closely with senior finance leadership to shape and enhance core processes, driving better controls, visibility, and performance. You'll play a key role in modernising and improving how AP operates across a complex, multi-site estate, delivering meaningful, lasting change.
What we provide to you:
- Competitive annual salary.
- 25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays.
- BUPA Private Healthcare.
- Pension Scheme (4% matched).
- Life Assurance X2 Annual Salary.
- Access to our internal apprentice & personal development schemes.
If you're ready to embark on a rewarding career where you can make a positive impact every day, we want to hear from you!
What are the next steps?
To be considered for this role, please submit your application via the 'apply' button, where a member of our Talent Team will review your application.
About Us
We are Dignity, one of the UK's oldest and most trusted funeral providers, with over 200 years of history, 570 branches, and 46 crematoria. From launching the UK's first funeral plan to helping shape modern regulation, we have led the way in supporting families with care, compassion, and professionalism. Now we are building the UK's leading end of life company. As part of the Dignity Group, we also operate Farewill, the country's largest will writer and one of the UK's top probate providers, giving families support not just at the funeral, but before and after as well. Today we are over 4,000 people across the UK, all driven by the same goal: to care for families with compassion and make the UK a world leader in end of life care. Here to help, whenever you need.
FCA Statement
We're regulated by the FCA, so some roles may be subject to background checks.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement
We know that diverse teams make better decisions, build better products, and create a better place to work. Whoever you are, wherever you're from, and whatever your life looks like, we'd love to hear from you. And if there's anything you need to make the process more accessible, please let us know.
Any unsolicited submissions from agencies will be accepted as a direct application from the candidate and no fees will be payable. We reserve the right depending on application numbers to close or extend the closing dates for positions; we would therefore recommend an early application.
Accounts Payable Manager in Sutton Coldfield employer: Dignity Funerals Limited
At Dignity, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a supportive work culture that values team development and personal growth. As an Accounts Payable Manager in Birmingham, you'll enjoy a competitive salary, generous holiday allowance, and access to private healthcare, all while playing a pivotal role in enhancing our financial operations and making a meaningful impact on the lives of families across the UK. Join us in our mission to modernise end-of-life care and be part of a dedicated team committed to excellence and compassion.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Accounts Payable Manager in Sutton Coldfield
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance world, especially those who might know someone at Dignity. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching Dignity’s values and recent projects. Show us you’re not just another candidate; demonstrate how your experience aligns with their mission of improving financial controls and operational performance.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your answers to common interview questions, but keep it natural. We want to see your personality shine through, so don’t be afraid to share your passion for accounts payable and team development!
✨Tip Number 4
Finally, apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the Dignity team.
We think you need these skills to ace Accounts Payable Manager in Sutton Coldfield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Accounts Payable Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience in AP leadership, process improvement, and team management. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about this role and how you can contribute to our finance transformation. Be genuine and let your personality come through.
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your responsibilities; showcase your achievements! Use specific examples of how you've improved processes or led teams in high-volume environments. We love seeing results and impact!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep everything organised and ensures your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Dignity Funerals Limited
✨Know Your Numbers
As an Accounts Payable Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your expertise in financial controls and KPIs. Brush up on key metrics related to AP operations, such as invoice processing times and reconciliation accuracy. Being able to discuss these numbers confidently will show that you understand the role's demands.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role involves leading a high-performing team, so be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully managed teams in the past. Talk about your coaching methods, how you've driven performance improvements, and any challenges you've overcome while developing your team.
✨Understand the Company’s Vision
Dignity is undergoing a transformation programme, so it’s crucial to align your answers with their goals. Research their current initiatives and think about how your experience in finance transformation can contribute to their objectives. This shows that you're not just looking for a job, but are genuinely interested in being part of their journey.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills, especially regarding supplier management and process improvements. Prepare specific scenarios where you've resolved escalations or implemented successful changes in AP processes. This will help you illustrate your hands-on experience and strategic thinking.