Lead Accounts Payable Representative

Department:

Finance

Our Company Promise

We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.

Job Description:

Job Summary

• Serves as a subject matter expert, optimizing policies, procedures, and processes to ensure accuracy, financial control, and compliance with Company and regulatory standards. This role provides critical input on technology projects, validates system changes, and identifies areas for improvement. Additionally, this role monitors transactional data for unusual activity, assists in development of training materials, and ensures both Team Members and Internal Customers are equipped to implement updated processes effectively.

• This role is responsible for administering a large purchase card and expense program containing 19 hierarchies, which contains a yearly transaction count of over 700k and $230m in spend. They'll work collaboratively with Analysts and Leaders to strive for continued improvement on policy suggestions, maintenance, and enforcements.

Additional details

• The culture of Southwest Airlines means we value the camaraderie, collaboration, and innovation that occurs when we come together and interact face-to-face at our vibrant Corporate Campus. Due to the nature of this role, you would be required to work from our Dallas, TX Headquarters facility during business hours.   

• U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available.

Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We continue to look for opportunities to reflect the communities we serve, and welcome applicants with diverse thoughts, backgrounds, and experiences.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert in one or more functional areas within the Accounts Payable team, with a comprehensive understanding of how decisions, processes, and projects impact the company's financial and operational performance
• Optimize policies, procedures and processes with a focus on accuracy, internal controls, repeatability, financial impacts, and internal & external Customer impacts
• Participate on projects impacting Accounts Payable and/or the Corporate Credit Card Program and provide input on potential impacts to Department policies, procedures, processes, systems and interfaces
• Participate in test case validation and ensure accuracy of system and process changes; raise issues to Department Leadership as identified
• Assist in training material development and train Team Members and Internal Customers on project impacts and updated processes and procedures
• Monitor data trends for unusual activity, research root cause and provide an impact analysis to Department Leadership
• Enforce and train on Company and regulatory policies related to Accounts Payable and/or Corporate Credit Card program transactional data
• May perform other job duties as directed by Employee's Leaders

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of internal controls and SOX compliance
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing Customer (internal and external) services including Customer (internal and external) needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of Customer satisfaction
• Skilled in gathering all relevant information and data in order to understand issue completely and take next steps
• Skilled in making informed decisions quickly, always aware of time sensitivity
• Ability to keep up with fast paced work that may require facing new challenges and situations
• Ability to reflect on what works well and identify on ways to improve
• Ability to adjust content and format of message to adapt to the audience, from detailed messaging for Customers to elevated concepts for Leaders
• Ability to meet productivity goals related to transactional processing of invoices, Customer Service transactions, payments or credit card administration

Education

• Required: High School Diploma or GED

Experience

• Advanced level experience, seasoned and specialized knowledge in:
  • Accounting or Finance
  • Accounts Payable
  • Customer Service
• Preferred:  Concur/SAP/Alteryx/Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention
• Preferred Experience: 5 years

Licensing/Certification