Accounts Payable & System Improvement Manager

Job Description

Role OVO-View

Team: Financial Operations - Finance

Salary banding: £45,000 to £56,000

Experience: Experienced

Working pattern: Full Time

Reporting to: Head of Financial Operations

Sponsorship: Unfortunately we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

This role in 3 words: Analytical, Compliance, Process-Improvement

Top 3 qualities for this role: Technical-Proficiency, Problem-Solving, Leadership

Where you’ll work:

At OVO, we understand that a one size fits all approach doesn’t work for everyone. That’s why we created the OVO Way of Flexibility.

All our roles are hub based (Bristol, Glasgow or London), providing a dedicated space for collaboration, connection and teamwork. You’ll also have the flexibility to work from home. We would look for a successful candidate to visit an office once or twice per month.

Everyone belongs at OVO

At OVO, we are on a mission to solve one of humanity's biggest challenges, the climate crisis. And we know it takes all of us to change the world. That's why we need diverse people from all abilities, gender identities, ethnicities, ages, sexual orientations, life experiences and backgrounds to join us.

Teamworking for the planet

Everything we do here spins around Plan Zero. So, naturally, the team you’ll be joining plays a gigantic role in making that happen. Here’s how:

We need an efficiently functioning Finance team to achieve Plan Zero. This role is all about getting the basics right for a healthy functioning Finance team and also feeds into supporting the wider Procure to Pay (P2P) function.

This role in a nutshell:

Reporting to the Head of Financial Operations, you will be working as part of the Financial Operations management team. The AP & System Improvement manager is responsible for the group’s Accounts Payable (AP) function and team, covering at its core, invoice processing and timely payments but also all first line Finance queries both internal and external. This role revolves around bringing experience and knowledge of how AP fits into the wider P2P journey to optimise the AP team’s performance and cross collaboration with the wider P2P function and wider Finance team to serve the best possible outcomes for the business.

The team has recently taken on responsibility for a small volume of Accounts Receivable (AR) invoices each month and the review of all OVO expenses to ensure compliance with Tax regulations and internal policies.

The role also covers ensuring the health and reliability in our information in our balance sheet reconciliations, cash prepayments ledger and minimising risk of errors, misstatements and unclaimed credits. It will also include reporting on key metrics to the Senior Leadership within OVO and external parties.

A key element of this leadership role is ensuring that we are utilising the functionality available within our ERP system - Workday - to maximise the investment we have made. Working closely with the internal Workday Product team you will ensure that we look to assess and introduce new features where they will help to simplify and improve the end to end P2P experience within Workday.

Your key outcomes will be:

• Your key outcomes will include managing a team, developing training sessions, and reviewing process notes.
• You will also hold regular 121s, supporting team development and objective setting.
• You will be responsible for ensuring tax compliance and accuracy at the point of invoice processing and guaranteeing the team has appropriate training and documentation.
• You will collaborate with the Treasury team to work efficiently in paying suppliers, managing cash flow points and suspense accounts.
• You will manage internal and external audit queries, and provide support for Finance service desks (JIRA). Furthermore, you will be working with the Procurement & Supply Team to support the buyer and spend approver communities. This includes overseeing the support and ticketing processes, ensuring timely resolution of issues.
• You will report on AP and AR KPIs and investigate variances.
• You will be driving the best possible cost efficiency in terms of price per invoice and developing cost effective ways to process self billed invoices in a controlled and low maintenance method.
• You will co-ordinate the AP integration testing of new entities.
• You will focus on assessing and implementing new system functionality in the promotion of continuous system improvement in collaboration with the OVO internal Workday team .
• You will act as the process and system expert in further development of S2P processes and controls.
• You will review KPIs and other performance metrics to identify and implement system and process changes that will increase efficiency and productivity.

You’ll be a successful Accounts Payable & System Improvement Manager here at OVO if you…

• You will need to demonstrate expert knowledge in the Accounts Payable function, transactional finance, and broader Source-to-Pay (S2P) processes.
• A thorough approach to work with a preference for attention to detail, and a willingness to dig and investigate at depth to resolve problems.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills engaging with various teams and senior leaders.
• You should be comfortable working in a rapidly changing environment, and comfortable proposing, justifying, initiating, and implementing change.
• You will need expertise in ticket management and process automation, alongside experience of development of KPI reports and data analytics.
• You should also be team-oriented with a demonstrated track record in coaching, and possess great interpersonal and collaboration skills.
• Previous experience of working with Workday or a similar ERP system would be an advantage.
• A desire to continually seek out improvements in all areas of the role is key. Desirable but not essential is an accountancy qualification or actively working towards one (AAT, ACCA, CIMA).

If you’re an existing AP Manager, we’d love to hear from you. We’re looking for a great communicator with superb people skills. You’ll have excellent leadership and operational change skills required to support OVO's growth objectives, including new, greener energy options which could bring complex supply chains, exposing us to unknown risks and markets. This role is critical to enhance levels of internal controls.

Let’s talk about what’s in it for you

We’ll pay you between £45,000 and £56,000, depending on your specific skills and experience. If your expectations are a little different, have a chat with us!

We keep our pay ranges broad on purpose to give us, and you, flexibility to match your experience to our zero carbon mission.

You’ll be eligible for an on-target bonus of 15%. We have one OVO bonus plan that focuses on the collective performance of our people to deliver our Plan Zero goal.

We also offer plenty of green benefits and progressive policies to help you feel like you belong at OVO…and there’s flex pay. We'll give you 9% Flex Pay on top of your salary – 4% of this is auto enrolled into your pension, and the remaining 5% is yours to do what you like with. You can use this to buy from our extensive range of flexible benefits, including our green benefits which we've put at the heart of our offering, add to your pension or even take it as cash.

Here’s a taster of what’s on offer:

For starters, you’ll get 34 days of holiday (including bank holidays).

For your health
With benefits like a healthcare cash plan or private medical insurance depending on your career level, critical illness cover, life assurance, health assessments, and more

For your wellbeing
With gym membership, travel insurance, workplace ISA, will writing services, dental insurance, and more

For your lifestyle
With extra holiday buying, discount dining, home & tech loans, and supporting your favourite charities with give-as-you-earn donations

For your home
Get up to £400 towards any OVO Energy plan, plus great discounts on solar, smart thermostats and EV chargers

For your commute
Nab a great deal on ultra-low emission car leasing, plus our cycle to work scheme and public transport season ticket loans

Want to hear about our full range of flexible benefits and progressive people policies? Our People Team can tell you everything you need to know.

For your Belonging

To find better ways to support our people, we need to listen to each other’s experiences and find ways to build a truly inclusive and diverse workplace. As part of this, we have 8 Belonging Networks at OVO. Led by our people, for our people - so when you join OVO, you can play a part - big or small - with any of the Networks. It's up to you.

Oh, and one last thing...

We’d be thrilled if you tick off all our boxes, yet we also believe it’s just as important we tick off all of yours. And if you think you have most of what we’re looking for but not every single thing, go ahead and hit apply. We’d still love to hear from you!

If you have any additional requirements, there’s a space to let us know on the application form; we want to make the process as easy and comfortable for you as possible..