Accounts Payable & Travel Expense Manager in Los Angeles, California at Hermeus

The AP/T&E Manager will own and scale the full Accounts Payable and Travel & Expense functions in a high-growth environment. This role is responsible for building efficient, automated, and compliant processes that can handle increasing transaction volume, support multiple government contracts, and prepare the company for further scaling.

• Own End-to-End AP Operations: Manage invoice intake, three-way matching, coding, approval workflows, payment execution (ACH, wire, checks), vendor reconciliations, and aging management to ensure timely and accurate payments.
• Lead T&E Program: Administer corporate card programs, expense policy enforcement, review and approval of expense reports (using tools like Ramp, Concur, or similar), and employee reimbursements.
• Scale Processes for Growth: Design and implement scalable workflows, automation (OCR, workflow tools, AI-assisted matching), and system integrations to handle growth. Prepare for and support internal/external audits.
• Vendor & Relationship Management: Maintain strong vendor relationships, negotiate payment terms and discounts, resolve disputes, and manage 1099/Misc reporting.
• Month End Close Reporting & Analysis: Book AP journal entries and perform reconciliations for month end close. Provide AP/T&E metrics and insights (aging reports, cash flow forecasting, spend analytics) to leadership.
• Team Leadership & Development: Build and mentor a high-performing AP/T&E team as the company grows (hiring, training, performance management).
• Continuous Improvement: Identify and drive process automation, policy updates, and system enhancements to increase efficiency and visibility.
• CAS & Government Compliance: Ensure AP and T&E processes support CAS standards (e.g., proper cost accumulation, segregation of direct/indirect costs, treatment of unallowable costs) and DCAA audit readiness. Ensure compliance with FAR/CAS rules on allowable/unallowable travel costs.

• Experience: 6+ years in Accounts Payable and T&E, with at least 3–4 years in a managerial role. Prior experience in a high-growth company or government contracting environment is strongly preferred.
• Systems & Automation: Hands-on experience implementing or optimizing AP/T&E tools (e.g., NetSuite, Ramp, Concur, or similar). Proven track record of driving automation and process improvement in scaling environments.
• Education & Certifications: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required.
• Skills: Strong project management and change management abilities. Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous startup environment while maintaining compliance rigor.
• Leadership: Demonstrated success building or scaling an AP/T&E team.