Manager Accounts Payable

Lineage is seeking a Manager Accounts Payable to lead Accounts Payable operations within its growing department in Heywood, UK. This role will oversee end-to-end Accounts Payable and Travel & Expense (T&E) processes for multiple entities, ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant processing of supplier invoices, payments, and employee expense reimbursements while delivering performance against defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). As Lineage continues to expand its departments, the role will support the transition of European Accounts Payable activities. The position will focus on building a high-performing team, driving process standardization and operational discipline, and strengthening controls across the procure-to-pay process. The Accounts Payable Manager will partner closely with regional finance leaders, procurement, treasury, and other stakeholders to establish scalable, efficient AP operations and support the continued development of the department.

Key Responsibilities

• Transition and Integration Leadership: Lead the transition of Accounts Payable activities from European operating companies, including process mapping, risk identification, and stabilisation. Partner with local finance teams to assess current-state processes and design standardised future-state models aligned with global AP governance. Develop transition plans, including knowledge transfer, cutover management, and hyper‑care support. Manage stakeholder expectations during organisational and reporting line changes.
• Service Delivery & Operational Ownership: Lead daily operations for supplier invoice processing in AppZen (payable automation tool) and Workday (ERP): intake/validation, matching (PO/non PO), routing for approvals, coding, posting, and exception management. Oversee payment processing and reconciliation, ensuring accurate and timely settlement of approved liabilities in line with agreed payment terms. Develop resource and capacity planning models to support expansion across EMEA. Build succession depth and cross‑training to mitigate key‑person risk. Manage work queues, prioritisation, and escalations to ensure service continuity during peaks (month end, quarter end, travel peaks). Consider the complexities of European regulatory and cross‑border requirements (e.g., VAT regimes, reverse charge, multi‑currency, SEPA, e‑invoicing).
• Leadership & Stakeholder Management: Serve as primary AP contact for EMEA country controllers and finance leaders. Support country‑level audits and statutory reporting requirements. Lead, coach, and develop a team of AP specialists; allocate workload, set clear expectations, and ensure quality output. Drive onboarding, training, and cross‑training; maintain up‑to‑date work instructions and SOPs to enable consistent delivery across EMEA entities. Foster a culture focused on responsiveness, ownership, and continuous improvement. Act as an escalation point for complex AP matters: blocked invoices, mismatches, vendor queries, reimbursement issues, and sensitive policy exceptions. Partner with Procurement, local Finance/Controllers, Treasury, IT, MDM, and business approvers to improve end‑to‑end P2P outcomes.
• Continuous Improvement, Standardisation & Workday Optimisation: Identify and drive process improvements across AP and Expenses workflows (standard work, automation opportunities, reduced manual touchpoints). Improve supplier management discipline (accurate supplier data, payment terms, and clean master data) as supported by Workday's vendor management capabilities. Maintain process documentation and ensure consistent execution across EMEA entities and languages/cultures typical of SSC environments.
• SLA/KPI Management & Performance Reporting: Own delivery against SLAs and track KPI performance (backlog, cycle time, first‑time‑right, on‑time payment/reimbursement, dispute rates). Execute the global AP process framework as defined by the AP Business Process Owner (BPO). Provide operational feedback to support global process design enhancements. Leverage Workday reporting/analytics to identify bottlenecks and proactively drive corrective actions and service improvements.
• Controls, Compliance, and Audit Readiness: Enforce compliance with global P2P policies and approval authorities. Challenge non‑compliant behaviour and escalate control breaches where necessary. Drive reduction of policy exceptions as well as invoices not supported by POs. Support internal and external audits: prepare evidence, respond to findings, and implement corrective actions. Maintain strict controls for supplier master changes and payment details to mitigate fraud risk.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance (or equivalent).
• 5+ years of P2P experience, ideally in an international Shared Service Center environment.
• Experience driving standardisation or automation initiatives in AP/T&E workflows.
• Proven track record leading teams through organisational change or process transformation.
• Demonstrated ability to build high‑performing teams during periods of growth and structural change.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across multiple countries and cultures.
• Strong systems and process mindset; confident in using ERP and reporting tools.
• Advanced Excel and strong analytical/problem‑solving skills.
• Fluent in English; additional European language(s) an advantage.

What's in it for me

• 28 days holiday (including bank holidays), the opportunity to earn additional holidays each year up to an extra week after 5 years.
• Purchased holidays – purchase up to an extra week holiday.
• Free onsite car park.
• Social environment with a team who like to support each other to achieve goals, with recognition schemes and shared spaces to enjoy lunch and rest breaks together.
• Support your emotional well‑being with access to a 24/7 employee assistance phone line offering confidential free counselling and advice.

Benefits

• Competitive pay rates.
• Paid time off.
• Skill training and development opportunities.
• Organisational recognition schemes.
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme.
• Preferential rates for loans and savings through a leading credit union.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunities employer and positively encourage applications from persons regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. At Lineage we also recognise that Ex‑Military, veterans, and military families have great experience with transferable skills and core values that can add significant value to our organisation.