Accounts Payable Team Member (9 months FTC)

About the role

Balfour Beatty has an exciting opportunity for an Accounts Payable Team Member (9 months FTC) to join our Enabling Functions team to work in Newcastle.

Role Purpose:

• To support the effective, efficient, best in class payables service, within a Shared Service operating environment for multiple operating companies
• To deliver high quality customer service to all stakeholders

What you'll be doing

As an Accounts Payable Team Member, your main responsibilities are as follows:

Process Expertise:

• Cross skilled & responsible for delivery of all areas of all Accounts Payable & Subcontract activities
• Understand end to end P2P process
• Process transactions accurately right first time & within the 3 day Service Level Agreement period.
• Write, review and update documentation including visio mapping of system processes, ensuring these are uploaded to the Business Management system
• Support 1/2 year and full year end audit process, providing information in a timely manner to ensure the business complies with the timetables set forth

Adaptability to change

• Contribute to the analysis of processes and controls, suggesting improvements to drive efficiency and effectiveness
• A Continuous Improvement mind-set with ability to drive through change
• Identify key issues and trends which may require long term action planning
• Assist with Root Cause Analysis and drive process improvements
• Engage with line management and team to drive improvements and to achieve Right First Time
• Identify controls improvements and areas of risk reduction
• Lead on standardisation of business processes across AP
• Understand and be able to apply different project management models to plan & implement projects to time

Communication Skills

• Present during daily huddles, team meetings or wider department town halls
• Publicise good news stories through weekly newsletters, Yammer, Finance All Hands calls
• Participate in working groups to drive process improvement/employee engagement initiatives
• Readily seek and ask for feedback as a way to improve
• Support query resolution in all formats

Relationship Management

• Lead Lunch & Learn style webinars with the business around AP processes/systems
• Take a pro-active approach in identifying opportunities to drive communication with key stakeholders
• Deal effectively with customer queries and issues, through a thorough understanding of stakeholders business
• Actively attend supplier meetings to drive improvements
• Proactively educate and work with suppliers to minimise issues with payment on time
• Understand supplier/customer needs & priorities

Collaboration

• Actively seek opportunities outside core AP team to understand end to end AP processes
• Actively seek opportunities outside of AP to widen business knowledge/experience of Accounting Services
• Engage positively in AP team meetings, team huddles or wider business forums
• Support the work of other team members
• Support and feed into weekly communications

Systems/Automation

• Understand how front end systems work
• Provide advice on AP systems and processes to suppliers/internal colleagues
• Assist with User Acceptance Testing
• Able to use all ERP systems, validate data, analyse problems & identify solutions

Data Analysis

• Analyse data to identify key issues and trends requiring long term action planning
• Actively look for issues & areas of control weakness. Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCAs) & create projects to understand and address
• Able to present data to senior colleagues
• Understand and achieve key KPIs/SLAs/targets and priorities for self and own team
• Understand the key KPIs/SLAs/targets for other working areas and to support the business requirements

Who we're looking for

The following qualities and experience are essential:

• Explorative seek new methods and experiences , open to change and inquisitive in nature
• Free thinking/Innovative Imaginative, thinks beyond convention, suggests ideas for improvement
• Resilient Adaptable, hardy and unfazed during times of pressure/adversity
• Reflective Takes time to evaluate situations, a fast learner who can reason critically
• Calm Remains clear headed and personable under pressure, relaxed and slow to anger
• A positive attitude demonstrating the key BB Behaviours at all times (6 Es)
• Ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders
• Ability to undertake detailed and complex analysis and to present information in a clear format
• Expert user of excel
• Ability to work well on multiple items often to tight deadlines
• Able to take instruction and communicate effectively with stakeholders of all levels
• Ability to demonstrate a strong customer focus and a passion for quality service delivery
• Self-motivated with an aptitude to accept responsibility for own learning and development

The following qualities and experience are desirable:

• Studying towards completion of AAT qualification

Why work for us

Day in, day out, our teams deliver amazing projects in challenging conditions; developing, managing and maintaining the vital infrastructure and public spaces that modern economies, societies and communities rely on.

About us

Balfour Beattys Enabling Functions includes our centralised HR, IT, Procurement, Finance, Health & Safety, Sustainability and Comms teams. Together we support Balfour Beatty to deliver projects on behalf of our clients. We operate according to our Build to Last values of Lean, Expert, Trusted and Safe.

We value diversity and celebrate individual differences, believing that our inclusive culture helps the business continue to grow as a strong, dynamic and innovative organisation.

Balfour Beatty is a corporate signatory to WISE (Women in Science & Engineering). Our aim is to attract more people from diverse backgrounds to help us build on our inclusive culture. We are a member of the workingmums.co.uk Top Employers' Charter through which we demonstrate our commitment to enabling parents to progress and enhance their careers whilst managing the challenges of family life.

Balfour Beatty is also Gold Award holders in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.

For further information, and to apply, please visit our website via the “Apply” button below.