Accounts Payable Manager in Bristol

At IVC Evidensia, we are a leading veterinary services provider in Europe and North America with more than 2,500 clinics and hospitals across 19 countries and around 42,000 employees. We aim to have an extraordinary impact on animal lives, supporting in the region of 25,000 animals every single day across our international network. IVC Evidensia exists to champion the long‑term health and welfare of animals and deliver our purpose of Healthy Animals, Happy Owners.

We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Accounts Payable Manager to lead Accounts Payable and Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) activity for newly acquired businesses across the Group. This is a high‑impact role at the centre of M&A activity, responsible for ensuring new businesses are smoothly, compliantly, and efficiently transitioned into the Group's global P2P operating model. You will act as the AP lead from acquisition through stabilisation, owning delivery, leading a retained integration team, and working closely with our outsourced service provider, local finance teams, IT, and operational stakeholders. Your work will directly enable new businesses to move confidently into business‑as‑usual service delivery. This role suits someone who enjoys complexity, thrives in fast‑paced environments, and is confident influencing senior stakeholders while remaining close to operational delivery.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Integration & AP Leadership: Lead end‑to‑end Accounts Payable and P2P integration activity for newly acquired businesses, from acquisition through to BAU transition. Act as the primary Accounts Payable point of contact for M&A finance teams, markets, and external partners. Ensure AP processes, controls, and policy compliance are embedded prior to handover to BAU teams.
• People & Service Management: Line manage and develop a small, retained Accounts Payable Integration team. Oversee day‑to‑day performance of ring‑fenced AP resources provided by the BPO partner. Ensure service readiness from day one of acquisition and throughout the integration lifecycle, maintaining a strong customer service focus.
• Delivery & Risk Management: Track and resolve onboarding issues, including opening balances, supplier setup, and data migration challenges. Maintain accurate and timely financial reporting during integration periods. Identify Accounts Payable‑related financial, compliance, and operational risks and implement effective mitigation plans.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong working relationships with Global Process Owners, Market CFOs, IT, Operations, and third‑party service providers. Confidently represent Accounts Payable in integration forums, governance meetings, and senior stakeholder sessions. Translate complex requirements into clear delivery plans for both internal teams and outsourced partners.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive standardisation and continuous improvement across the Accounts Payable and P2P integration model. Use data and insight to identify inefficiencies, improve service quality, and enhance controls. Contribute to the ongoing evolution of the Group's Accounts Payable operating model and controls environment.

Experience/Qualifications

Essential:

• Proven experience leading a high‑volume Accounts Payable function, delivering excellent customer service with strong commercial awareness.
• Essential hands‑on experience using Oracle (Oracle Fusion) within an Accounts Payable and/or end‑to‑end P2P environment.
• Strong people management capability, with experience leading, coaching, and developing teams.
• Demonstrated success working with outsourced or shared service providers.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with confidence engaging at all levels of the organisation.
• Strong analytical and reporting capability, including advanced Excel, Power BI, and Microsoft Office skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, time‑sensitive environment.
• Clear, confident communicator with strong written and presentation skills.

Desirable:

• Experience supporting Oracle Fusion implementations, integrations, or migrations.
• Experience in shared services or Global Business Services environments.
• Strong knowledge of Accounts Payable and end‑to‑end P2P processes.
• Experience working across multiple geographies.
• Additional language skills.

As a BAME and LGBTQ+ inclusive employer, we are keen to hear from candidates from all minority and diverse groups. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are keen to hear from candidates with disabilities and long‑term health conditions and would be happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process.

What We Offer:

• Competitive base salary and discretionary bonus
• Work‑life balance
• 26 days annual leave
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Initiatives focused on employee wellbeing
• Pension
• Discounted staff pet care
• Dog Friendly office
• Free parking available at Head Office

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analysing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgement. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.