Accounts Payable Surge Lead

Location: Birmingham (On-site, 5 days per week)
Contract Length: Initial 5-6 months
About the RoleHays is partnering with a local council to recruit an Accounts Payable Surge Lead to support a major finance transformation programme. You will join a dedicated AP Surge Team, created to stabilise, enhance, and accelerate performance across cashflow-critical and customer-facing transactional processes.
This is a hands-on SME role, requiring deep Accounts Payable expertise, strong analytical capability, and a proactive approach to preventing payment delays, resolving defects, and protecting business continuity.

Key ResponsibilitiesAccounts Payable SME Support

• Resolve complex supplier invoice processing issues.
• Investigate and fix 3-way match failures (PO / GR / Invoice).
• Identify and correct vendor master data defects.
• Troubleshoot and resolve payment run errors.
• Address workflow approval breakdowns and bottlenecks.

• Support Invoice Processing Assistants with high-volume transactional work.
• Clear backlog caused by new system bedding-in.
• Undertake manual entry when automation fails or exceptions occur.

• Work with Procurement to resolve PO data issues causing match or posting failures.
• Support improved PO compliance and quality upstream.

• Investigate and resolve payment file integration issues.
• Manage and troubleshoot bank acknowledgement failures and reconciliation gaps.

• Strong AP subject matter expertise, ideally within large or complex organisations.
• Experience working in environments undergoing transformation or system change.
• A hands-on, detail-focused approach with excellent problem-solving capability.
• Confidence liaising with suppliers, Procurement, Finance, and technical teams.
• Ability to work under pressure and sustain business-critical payment operations.
• Must have experience with Oracle Fusion (essential for senior candidates)
• Midlands Base - 5 days a week on Site