Accounts Payable Specialist II

This position on the Disbursement Control team within Procure to Pay is responsible for assisting in all University payment activities, including disbursing checks, ACH transactions, wire transfers, and related reconciliation and reporting. The role safeguards organizational funds by ensuring disbursements are properly reviewed, authorized, processed, and monitored. Key duties include issuing payments, reconciling disbursement activity, providing accurate remittance information, and managing stop payments, voids, and positive pay controls to reduce risk and prevent fraud. The position ensures all payments are accurate, timely, compliant with policies and regulations, and supported by complete documentation.

When you join the Finance & Budget organization, you become part of a smart, driven team that thrives on solving complex challenges. We align our business practices with the university's priorities and cultivate talented teams who find purpose in creating simpler, more effective systems that drive institutional success. Our focus is clear: developing our people, transforming our work, and elevating our role.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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Disbursement Processing:

• Process disbursements-including ACH, checks, and wire transfers-with accuracy and adherence to established procedures.
• Ensure all payments are issued within required timelines and in compliance with internal policies and controls.
• Maintain complete and accurate payment records, ensuring proper audit trails and documentation integrity.
• Research and provide detailed remittance information to suppliers, customers, and internal stakeholders.

Reconciliation and Reporting:

• Reconcile disbursement activity to ensure accuracy, completeness, and proper alignment with financial records.
• Monitor and track outstanding checks, returned payments, and other payment exceptions, escalating issues as needed.
• Support monthend and yearend close activities related to accounts payable and disbursement functions.

Internal Controls and Compliance:

• Ensure adherence to internal control procedures governing disbursements, including segregation of duties, approval hierarchies, and adherence to established workflows.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with policies, regulatory requirements, and audit standards related to payment activity.
• Support audits by ensuring and providing required documentation, explanations, and transaction details.
• Recommend and help implement enhancements to strengthen controls, improve efficiency, and reduce financial and operational risk.

Policies and Procedures:

• Applies a working knowledge of institutional policies, as well as federal and state regulations, to ensure all financial transactions and documentation are compliant and audit-ready.
• Maintain current knowledge of procedural updates and regulatory changes to support continuous improvement and reduce compliance risk.
• Contribute to refining internal workflows and documentation to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and accountability within Accounts Payable operations.

Vendor and Department Relations:

• Serve as a primary point of contact for vendors and campus departments regarding payment inquiries and issue resolution.
• Use financial systems and reporting tools to research, analyze, and address payment concerns efficiently.
• Maintain clear and organized communication records, including inquiries and resolutions, to support audit requirements and ongoing process improvements.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers.
• Ability to maintain security sensitive data required for financial payment distribution.
• Knowledge of fraud prevention practices, including stop payments, voids, and positive pay exception handling.
• Ability to maintain attention to detail in a fast-paced environment with repetitive work assignments.
• Strong understanding of payment methods, including ACH rules, wire protocols, check processing, and positive pay.
• Ability to perform bank reconciliations, research discrepancies, and resolve payment issues.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift/move/transport up to 20 pounds.

This job posting reflects the general nature and level of work expected of the selected candidate(s). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The institution reserves the right to amend or update this description as organizational priorities and institutional needs evolve.

• High school diploma or high school diploma equivalency is required.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

• Experience with highvolume disbursements (checks, ACH, wires) and related reconciliation work.