Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600+ schools and employing approximately 40,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Accounts Payable Disbursement Manager, the Senior Accounts Payable Specialist will provide senior-level support in processing CPS District invoices and other functions within the Accounts Payable Department. This includes but is not limited to the following processes: entering, monitoring, and analyzing invoices and purchase order data in Oracle, responding to inquiries regarding vendor invoices and payment details, AP Accruals, assisting with the monitoring of P-Card vendors, reconciliations, and P-Card activity.
The Senior Accounts Payable Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:
• Respond to vendor and CPS department/school inquiries on all invoice processing issues and questions in a timely manner
• Provide senior-level support and assistance to the Accounts Payable Team Lead, Manager, and Director
• Process invoices accurately and timely
• Assist with new banking information for vendor ACH setup and processing ACH and check disbursements timely, efficiently, and accurately
• Assist with EDI and check payment returns as well as the AP Accrual Process
• Provide senior-level support to team members with questions/issues related to invoice processing and other Accounts Payable related matters
• Provide senior-level support and customer service to all CPS central office personnel, school employees, and vendors
• Assist with the P-Card invoice and purchase order aging report on a monthly and annual basis
• Assist with reconciling current monthly P-Card activity statements against accounts payable activity to ensure all activity is properly recorded and reconciled
To be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Senior Accounts Payable Specialist must possess the following qualifications:
Education Required:
• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or Finance or related field or equivalent experience, required
Experience Required:
• Minimum five (5) years of Accounts Payable experience preferably in a large governmental organization with at least $1 billion annual spend
• Minimum three (3) years of high-volume invoice processing experience, highly preferred
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Knowledge of financial practices at a large government organization
• General understanding of financial internal controls
• Knowledge of basic accounting principles
• Ability to use spreadsheets to view data and perform analysis
• Proven ability to use ERP applications
• Ability to analyze data and document any issues or problems
• Able to write basic policies and procedures
• Ability to read and understand various policies and procedures
• Ability to identify problems and develop recommendations for resolution
Conditions of Employment
As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:
• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.
• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. "Up-to-date" on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.