Oliver James is currently supporting a rapidly growing P&C insurance carrier with the appointment of a newly created Head of Accounts Payable and Shared Services. We are looking for an ambitious individual who can foster a community of change, create a centre of excellence and partner with Senior Leaders to set up a state-of-the-art financial operations department.

The Head of Accounts Payable will focus on improving performance, managing costs, and ensuring high-quality services from third-party vendors and outsourcing partners. This role oversees accurate financial transaction processing, regulatory compliance, and the continuous improvement of outsourced processes. The position involves collaboration with internal finance and operations teams, external service providers, and key stakeholders to drive operational excellence and strategic initiatives.

This is a remote opportunity and compensation varies on candidate experience. The range of base salary is $160-$225k base + bonus potential.

Head of Financial Operations

Key Responsibilities:

1. Leadership and Team Management:
• Lead the Financial Operations Department, managing a team of 5, ensuring high operational standards across Accounts Payable, Vendor Management, and Travel and Expenditure functions.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, compliance, and safety within the financial operations teams.
2. Accounts Payable and Transactional Finance:
• Oversee the Accounts Payable team, ensuring efficient management of active suppliers and processing 500+ invoices per month while maintaining compliance with policies and regulations.
• Develop and implement strategies for seamless operation across all financial operations within the organization.
3. Process Improvement and Automation:
• Spearhead initiatives to enhance efficiency through process improvements and automation, leveraging digital best practices, data analytics, and business intelligence.
• Lead the integration of new systems and platforms, aligning with organizational objectives to drive operational efficiencies.
4. Service Provider and Vendor Management:
• Oversee relationships with external financial service providers, ensuring SLAs are met and establishing performance metrics.
• Negotiate contracts, manage renewals, and ensure cost-effectiveness and value for money.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, audits, and implement improvement plans when necessary.
• Evaluate and select new service providers to support evolving business needs.
5. Compliance and Risk Management:
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with outsourcing and vendor partnerships, maintaining robust internal controls.
• Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and company policies, monitoring and reporting on compliance and risk issues.
6. Stakeholder Engagement:
• Collaborate with internal departments, including finance, data operations, and legal, to ensure alignment and support for financial operations.
• Act as the primary point of contact for vendor management issues, fostering strong relationships and ensuring clear communication with stakeholders.

Qualifications:

• Experience:
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in financial operations, and vendor management or a related field.
• Ideally, experience of setting up an outsourcing contract, selecting vendors, and negotiating SLAs
• Skills:
• Strong understanding of financial services, operations, and vendor management.
• Excellent negotiation and contract management skills.
• Proficiency in financial software and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.

For more information, please apply using the prompts provided or reach out to Stephanie Hidalgo at Oliver James via stephanie.hidalgo@oliverjames.com