Accounts Payable Specialist at American Water Resources Inc in Naperville, Illinois

Job Description:

Diversity of backgrounds, ideas, thoughts, and experiences is vital to our culture and the way we do business.  Creating an environment where differences are embraced and where every person feels engaged and included makes us safer, stronger, and more successful.

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company.  The company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states.  American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help make sure we keep their lives flowing.  For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Primary Role

The primary purpose of this position is to support the Accounts Payable function.  Position responsibilities include auditing invoice payments, creating purchase order releases and requisitions, establish and maintain vendor master, including validating payment information. Provide backup for processing check / ACH payments. Responsible for 1099 process.  Additionally, this position monitors bank payment exceptions and discrepancies and works closely with the company’s accounting, claims, procurement, customer support and IT departments, and report to the Accounts Payable Supervisor.

Key Accountabilities

Functional Expertise:

• Audit invoice payments.


• Create purchase order releases and requisitions.


• Set-up/ Maintain vendors and Validate ACH payment information.


• Process check runs and ACH payments.


• Supplier Diversity Reporting


• Prepare and submit 1099 file to the IRS and mail 1099’s to the Suppliers.


• Generation of adhoc reporting related to data requests originating internally.


• Print invoices and respond to all internal and external request submitted via E-mail.

Business Acumen:

• Understand the accuracy of information that is available and utilize the most accurate/relevant data available to resolve problems and answer questions.


• Responsibilities in analyzing data to determine further areas of focus; decisions about reasonableness and accuracy are involved in this analysis.


• Planning and organizing workload to effectively meet deadlines.

Engagement:

• Collaborates and builds effective relationships with stakeholders to form successful partnerships across the enterprise.


• Displays excellent customer service to meet the needs and expectations of both internal and external customers.


• Excellent listening and interpersonal communication skills to understand core business drivers.

Key Accountabilities - Continued

Driving Results:

• Thorough understanding of assigned goals and objectives.


• Adherence to timelines and deliverables, monitoring self-performance to ensure achievement of results.


• Analyzes information, problems, and issues to recommend effective solutions


• Follows organizational policies and procedures.


• Self-starter with strong work ethic, passion for learning, and a desire to accomplish tasks with excellence.

Knowledge/Skills

• Must be experienced enough to work independently (with minimum supervision) multi-task and have a collaborative work style with strong desire to work in a dynamic, fast paced environment that requires flexibility and ability to manage multiple priorities.


• Basic accounting and analytical skills.


• Exhibit a positive attitude and behavior with regards to assigned tasks, co-workers and team members


• Adapts to changes in work environment dealing with frequent changes, delays or unexpected events in a manner that sets an example for others.


• Superior customer service orientation.


• Proactive enough to use prior work experience and/or internal/external departmental contacts to assist with data analysis, trouble shooting, and recommendation of solutions.


• Must have confidence to interact and communicate effectively with all levels of the organization.


• Well organized with strong attention to detail; effective written and verbal communication


• ERP (e.g., Oracle, etc.) -- basic proficiency

Experience/Education

Required:

• 3+ years related/relevant professional work experience


• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office


• Experience in accounts payable including payment process and auditing accounts payable data


• High School diploma 

Preferred: 

• Working knowledge of Oracle E-Business, specifically relating to Accounts Payable


• Associates degree 

Travel Requirements

0-5% travel. The incumbent may be required to travel.  Trips may require air travel and/or overnight stay away from home for one or more nights

Competencies

Champions safety

Customer obsessed

Cultivates innovation

Nimble learning

Drives Results

Collaborates

Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because he or she is an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.

 

Apply Now