Accounts Payable Team Lead

From a small family business to a multi-billion-dollar global company, Sonoco has been changing the face of products and packaging since 1899 - all while keeping the heart of "People Build Businesses" alive.

Our talented people are at the core of our growth, constantly reinventing the Sonoco wheel with brilliant solutions every year. Today we are a world leader in global packaging solutions with diversified operations in over 34 countries. We're extremely proud of our portfolio of brands, our achievements in sustainability and industrialization and the groundbreaking work accomplished by our people.

The AP Team Lead is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Accounts Payable team, ensuring timely and accurate processing of invoices and payments. This role requires a detail-oriented individual with strong leadership and organizational skills, who can manage a team, drive process improvements, and maintain compliance with company policies and procedures.

What you'll be doing:

• Team Leadership & Management:
  • Lead, coach, and mentor a team of AP specialists.
  • Conduct performance evaluations, provide feedback, and support professional development.
  • Manage workload distribution and ensure deadlines are met.
• Accounts Payable Operations
  • Oversee the end-to-end daily accounts payable operations, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
  • Monitor and manage invoice processing, including three-way matching (PO, invoice, and receipt) and non-PO invoices.
  • Ensure timely payments to vendors and efficient problem resolution related to payment discrepancies.
• Process Improvement & Compliance:
  • Identify opportunities for process improvement.
  • Ensure compliance with company policies, accounting standards, and regulatory requirements.
  • Assist in the development and documentation of AP policies.
  • Coordinate internal and external audits related to the AP function.
  • Implement best practices in coordination with counterparts from BU Controllership, GBS, and Procurement.
• Reporting & Analysis:
  • Prepare and analyze AP aging reports, payment forecasts, and other relevant financial data.
  • Provide regular updates to management on key performance indicators (KPIs).
  • Assist with month-end and year-end closing activities.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  • Work closely with the procurement, GBS, division finance, and treasury teams to ensure seamless operations.
  • Support interdepartmental initiatives and projects as needed.
  • Ad hoc reporting and projects as needed

We'd love to hear from you if:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in accounts payable function, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or lead role.
• Strong knowledge of accounts payable processes, procedures, and best practices.
• Proficiency with accounting software (e.g., Oracle, Coupa, Radius) and Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel). Familiarity with case management software / workflows is a positive.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, problem-solving, written, and verbal skills.
• Strong leadership and communication abilities.
• Experience with process automation and AP workflow tools.
• Familiarity with GAAP and SOX compliance.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.

This role will be on site, 5 days a week at our Headquarters in Hartsville, SC

Compensation:

• The annual base salary range for this role is from $98,000 to $110,250, plus annual target bonus of 7.5% of base salary.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.