Accounts Payable Associate

About KIPP TEAM & Family

KIPP TEAM & Family is our network office that includes support teams - such as Leadership Development, Recruitment, Advocacy, Facilities, Finance, HR and more - dedicated to empowering our schools and ensuring the success of KIPP students throughout New Jersey and Miami. Our schools are part of the nationally recognized “Knowledge Is Power Program” network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students for success in college and in life in our schools located in Newark, NJ, Camden,NJ, Paterson, NJ, and Miami, FL.

The Accounts Payable Associate, reporting to the AP Manager supports the organization’s financial operations by managing day-to-day accounts payable activities, ensuring timely and accurate processing of vendor payments, and delivering high-quality customer service to internal stakeholders and external vendors.

This role is well-suited for a detail-oriented professional who thrives in a high-volume, process-driven environment and is interested in developing expertise in accounts payable operations within a complex, multi-entity organization.

The Accounts Payable Associate works closely with the Accounting team, Purchasing, and Technology teams to support efficient payment processing, maintain accurate financial records, and contribute to continuous process improvement and system optimization.

Accounts Payable Processing

- Process purchase order-backed invoices in a timely and accurate manner.
- Review, validate, and enter invoices into the accounting system, ensuring proper general ledger coding, purchase order matching, and approval workflows.
- Support timely payment execution by monitoring invoice status and following up on outstanding approvals.
- Maintain accurate and complete documentation for all accounts payable transactions in accordance with internal controls and procedures.

Vendor and Stakeholder Support

- Serve as a primary point of contact for vendor and internal inquiries related to accounts payable.
- Respond to inquiries in a timely, professional, and customer-focused manner using designated systems (e.g., Zendesk).
- Communicate payment status and timelines clearly to vendors and internal stakeholders.
- Collaborate with vendors to ensure invoices are submitted correctly and to the appropriate channels.

Systems and Process Support

- Utilize financial and workflow systems (e.g., Coupa, Sage Intacct) to manage accounts payable processes efficiently.
- Identify, troubleshoot, and escalate system or integration issues impacting invoice processing or payments.
- Perform basic reconciliations between systems to identify and resolve discrepancies.
- Partner with Purchasing and Technology teams to resolve purchase order issues, coding questions, and workflow bottlenecks.

Continuous Improvement and Team Support

- Identify recurring issues or inefficiencies in accounts payable processes and recommend improvements.
- Support ongoing efforts to enhance automation and improve the end-user experience.
- Assist with ad-hoc projects and process improvement initiatives as needed.
- Contribute to maintaining a collaborative, solutions-oriented team environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; Experience using Coupa highly preferred; 1–5 years of accounts payable, finance, or related experience in a high-volume environment.; Experience with financial systems Sage Intacct, or similar platforms preferred.; Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.; Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.; Strong customer service and communication skills.; Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Outlook.; Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

Robust benefits that include medical, dental, and vision; Optional participation in the KIPP NJ 403b retirement plan, including matching contributions; An organization-issued laptop; Transportation benefits for TEAMmates commuting into Newark from the New York City area; Generous Time-Off policy; Up to 12 weeks 100% parental leave for primary caregivers; Employer paid life insurance; Extensive optional ancillary benefits including, short term and long term disability and accident and hospital indemnity