Accounts Payable Manager, EMEA in London

At Warner Music Group, we’re a Global Collective of Music Makers and Music Lovers, Tech Innovators and Inspired Entrepreneurs, Game‑changing Creatives and Passionate Team Members. Here, we turn dreams into stardom and audiences into fans. We are guided by three core values that underpin everything we do across all our diverse businesses:

• Curiosity: we do our best work when we’re immersing ourselves in culture and breaking through barriers. Curiosity is the driving force behind creativity and ingenuity. It fuels innovation, and innovation is the key to our future.
• Collaboration: making music and bringing it to the world is all about the power of originality amplified by teamwork. A great idea, like a great song, travels globally. We ignite passions and build connections across our diverse community of artists, songwriters, partners, and fans.
• Commitment: we pursue excellence for our team and our talent. Everything in music starts with a leap into the unknown, and we’re committed to keeping the faith, acting with integrity, and delivering on our promises.

A Little Bit About Our Team

Warner Music’s European Shared Service Centre is the home to the financial, tax and administrative functions that provide critical support and best‑in‑class services to our European Recorded Music and Publishing businesses. The UK Centre embodies the innovative and creative spirit that stems from the company’s deep history in nurturing entrepreneurial thinking and artist‑focused innovation, enabling our employees to develop a wide range of skills through cross‑functional collaboration and development opportunities.

Your Role

As the Accounts Payable Manager (PTP), you will oversee the end‑to‑end Procure‑to‑Pay (PTP) operations within the EMEA SSC, ensuring efficient invoice processing, timely payments and compliance with company policies and external regulations. You will lead and support a team, collaborate with key business stakeholders, and drive process improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in PTP operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the entire PTP process for the EMEA region, covering invoice receipt, verification, approvals to payments and supplier reconciliations.
• Ensure efficient handling of artist, vendor and supplier payments in compliance with contractual agreements.
• Manage the purchase order (PO) and non‑PO invoicing processes, ensuring accurate coding, approval and payment of invoices.
• Coordinate payment runs, ensuring timely and accurate payments to vendors, suppliers and stakeholders.
• Act as the primary escalation point for PTP related issues including vendor disputes and payment errors.
• Identify root causes of recurring issues and implement corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.

Team Leadership & Performance Management

• Lead, motivate and manage the PTP team to ensure timely and accurate processing of invoices and payments.
• Provide ongoing guidance, coaching and professional development opportunities to enhance team capabilities.
• Drive a customer‑service‑oriented culture within the team, ensuring responsiveness to internal and external stakeholders.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and implement continuous improvement initiatives.

Invoice & Payment Processing

• Oversee accurate and timely processing of invoices from various sources, ensuring adherence to company policies.
• Drive improvements in payment performance, supporting Payment Practices Reporting requirements.
• Ensure adherence to the No‑PO, No‑Pay policy and increase PO adoption across the business.
• Educate vendors and internal teams on three‑way matching (PO, goods receipt, invoice) to improve efficiency and control.

Process Optimisation & Automation

• Identify areas for process improvement and implement best practices to enhance operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with IT and Finance teams to leverage technology solutions, including SAP S/4HANA, Ariba and automation tools.
• Support digital transformation initiatives such as e‑invoicing, automated workflows and supplier self‑service portals.
• Assist in transitioning EMEA entities onto the Shared Service Centre platform, moving from legacy systems to SAP solutions.

Reconciliation, Reporting & Sub‑Ledger Ownership

• Maintain full ownership of the AP sub‑ledger, ensuring alignment with the general ledger at period end.
• Perform regular reconciliations of accounts payable transactions, addressing discrepancies promptly.
• Assist with month‑end and year‑end closing processes, ensuring accurate financial reporting.
• Prepare and present PTP performance reports, highlighting key metrics and actionable insights to senior management.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure adherence to company policies, internal controls and regulatory requirements including SOX controls.
• Support internal and external audit requests by providing necessary documentation and explanations.
• Mitigate financial and operational risks through robust control mechanisms and compliance enforcement.
• Educate vendors and internal stakeholders on compliance requirements, ensuring consistent adherence.

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

• Act as the main point of contact for PTP‑related queries from internal stakeholders across EMEA.
• Collaborate closely with procurement, finance and treasury teams to align PTP operations with business objectives.
• Develop and maintain strong vendor relationships to improve communication, service levels and operational efficiency.

Key Skills And Competencies

• Leadership & Team Management: Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, manage and develop high‑performing teams. Proven ability to foster a customer‑service‑oriented and collaborative team environment. Experience of dealing with offshore outsourced staffing arrangements.
• Technical & Analytical Skills: Proficiency in ERP systems, particularly SAP S/4HANA and Ariba, with a focus on PTP module configurations. Experience implementing automation solutions such as robotic process automation and AI‑driven workflows. Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills to identify trends and drive process improvements.
• Compliance & Risk Management: In‑depth understanding of internal controls, SOX compliance and risk mitigation within PTP processes. Ability to ensure adherence to company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Stakeholder & Vendor Management: Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with experience engaging senior leadership. Proven ability to build and maintain strong vendor relationships.

Education, Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or a related field (or equivalent relevant experience).
• A recognised accounting qualification (e.g., ACCA, CIMA, ACA) is desirable.

Experience

• Significant experience in leading PTP or Accounts Payable functions within a shared service centre or multinational environment.
• Strong background in process optimisation, automation and digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience of managing offshore outsourced staffing arrangements.
• Proven experience in stakeholder management and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Demonstrated success in implementing and enforcing PO compliance and three‑way matching processes.

Soft Skills

• Proactive, results‑driven approach with strong problem‑solving capabilities.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.
• Experience within shared service centres or large multinational organisations.
• Understanding of global procurement and supplier management processes.
• Familiarity with e‑invoicing solutions and supplier portals.

WMG is committed to inclusion and diversity in all aspects of our business. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and will evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, religion or belief, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or any other characteristic protected by law.