Senior Accounts Payable Analyst

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.

NRDC is seeking a Senior Accounts Payable Analyst to work with the Accounting & Finance team in any of our U.S. based offices.

Position Summary

We are seeking a detail-oriented and experienced Senior Accounts Payable Analyst to join our team. In this role, you’ll take a lead in executing our accounts payable processes, ensuring the accurate and timely processing of invoices, payments, and reconciliations.  The ideal candidate is a problem-solver with a strong understanding of AP functions, excellent organizational skills, and a drive for continuous improvement. The first year of this role will be solely dedicated to the implementation of Coupa, a cloud-based Business Spend Management (BSM) system for NRDC’s Accounts Payable, and Travel and Expense processes. Required is advanced knowledge of BSM systems, centralized invoice processing, and the ability to flag system integration issues that would compromise the timeliness of vendor payments.

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).  

Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:

• Oversight of Invoice Processing & Payment Management (40%)
  • Lead the efficient management of high-volume vendor invoices within Coupa, ensuring alignment with NRDC policies, accounting standards, and organizational goals.
  • Implement a risk-based framework to identify and address high-priority transactions or potential exceptions proactively.
  • Partner with the AP Manager and Treasury Director to optimize payment cycles, including oversight of weekly payment runs, wire transfers, and reimbursements, ensuring timeliness and accuracy.
• Vendor Relationship Management & Issue Resolution (20%)
  • Establish and maintain strong vendor partnerships, acting as a key point of escalation for complex payment inquiries and disputes.
  • Leverage advanced capabilities of cloud-based BSM tools to manage end-to-end invoice lifecycles, generate actionable insights through exception reporting, and implement solutions for systemic issues.
• Financial Reconciliation & Reporting (10%)
  • Perform monthly reconciliations of accounts payable accounts, ensuring accurate financial reporting. Assist the accounting team in month-end and year-end closing for the audit and Form 990 work.
  • Drive the preparation and accuracy of compliance filings, including vendor 1099s, and collaborate closely with the accounting team during month-end and year-end close processes.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Operational Partnership (20%)
  • Act as a strategic partner to internal departments, resolving complex payment issues and aligning processes with organizational objectives.
  • Lead training initiatives and process documentation efforts to strengthen team capabilities and ensure consistency in operations.
  • Foster a client-service-oriented culture within Finance and Accounting, enhancing collaboration with internal stakeholders across the organization.
• Process Improvement (10%)
  • Identify and lead high-impact process improvement opportunities, partnering with stakeholders to develop and implement best-practice solutions.
  • Provide strategic input and support for system implementations and other organizational initiatives, ensuring seamless integration with existing processes.
  • Collaborate with the AP Manager to execute special projects and advance department-wide goals, driving continuous improvement and operational excellence.
  • The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of assignments expected of this role. Other duties may be assigned depending on the needs of the department.