Accounts Payable Process Lead Finance · Manchester, UK ·

Travel Counsellors Limited; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading travel services provider in Manchester seeks an Accounts Payable Process Lead to enhance operational excellence within the AP function. You will lead process improvement initiatives, manage complex issues, and work collaboratively with various departments. The ideal candidate should have a professional accounting qualification and familiarity with automation. This role offers hybrid working and competitive benefits including a salary and annual bonus.

Benefits

Competitive salary + annual bonus

Flexible hybrid working

Career development opportunities

25 days holiday (increasing to 28 after 5 years)

Enhanced Maternity/Paternity pay

1 day paid charity day

Company events and incentives

3x salary death in service benefit

Pension scheme

Private Medical Insurance or Healthcare Cash Plan

Free breakfast and beverages

Qualifications

• Professional accounting or finance qualification (AAT, ACCA, CIMA part-qualified, or equivalent) desirable.
• Experience with process automation tools or digital transformation projects is a plus.
• Familiarity with shared services or centralized finance operations environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate change management initiatives across the AP function.
• Deliver rapid response support for critical escalations and problematic accounts.
• Act as a mentor subject matter expert to the wider AP team.

Skills

Process automation tools

Finance experience

Collaboration

Education

Professional accounting or finance qualification (AAT, ACCA, CIMA part-qualified)

Job description

About Us

At Travel Counsellors, our customers, communities, and colleagues are at the heart of everything we do. For over 30 years, we've empowered 2,200+ independent travel agents worldwide, helping them build successful businesses while providing deeply personal, human connections with their customers. Supported by a talented team of over 400 people in our Support Offices, we create unique travel experiences that keep customers coming back. Named the Best Place to Work in Travel (2022) and ranked in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work (2023, 2024 & 2025), we’re expanding rapidly and looking for exceptional individuals to join our Head Office team.

About the Role

The Accounts Payable Process Lead plays a key role in driving operational excellence within the AP function. While this role has no direct reports, it carries a high level of responsibility for leading process improvement initiatives, managing change, and resolving complex process issues across the team. The successful candidate will act as a subject matter expert (SME) and change champion, collaborating closely with colleagues in Commercial, Finance and Operations to identify root causes of upstream issues, implement sustainable solutions, and ensure smooth, efficient AP operations across the organisation.

Principal Accountabilities

Process & Change Management

• Lead and coordinate change management initiatives across the AP function, ensuring smooth implementation of new systems, tools, and processes.
• Partner with the AP Manager to identify opportunities for automation, standardization, and process optimization.
• Develop and deliver training, communications, and documentation to support process rollouts and changes.
• Monitor the impact of implemented changes and provide feedback or adjustments as needed.

Issue Resolution & Continuous Improvement

• Deliver rapid response support for critical escalations and problematic accounts within AP, to minimize business disruption.
• Manage and stabilize key or escalated supplier accounts where issues, friction, or performance concerns have been identified. Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders and external partners to resolve underlying problems, implement sustainable improvements, and ensure a smooth transition back to business‑as‑usual operations once stability is achieved.
• Investigate and resolve complex or escalated AP process issues, ensuring thorough root cause analysis (RCA) and sustainable solutions.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams — including Commercial, Finance, and Operations — to identify and address upstream process issues impacting AP accuracy and efficiency.
• Conduct detailed analysis of recurring or systemic issues, providing insights and recommendations to prevent recurrence.
• Support the development and maintenance of AP procedures, ensuring compliance with company policies and accounting standards.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Act as a mentor subject matter expert to the wider AP team, promoting a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
• Build strong working relationships with key stakeholders across departments to drive end‑to‑end process improvements.
• Support audit requirements, providing documentation and explanations as needed.
• Contribute to departmental KPIs and performance reporting, supporting the AP Manager in achieving operational targets.

Required Experience

• Professional accounting or finance qualification (AAT, ACCA, CIMA part‑qualified, or equivalent) desirable.
• Experience with process automation tools or digital transformation projects is a plus.
• Familiarity with shared services or centralized finance operations environments.

Our Benefits

• Competitive salary + annual bonus
• Flexible hybrid working
• Career development opportunities
• 25 days holiday (increasing to 28 after 5 years)
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity pay
• 1 day paid charity day
• Company events and incentives
• 3x salary death in service benefit
• Pension scheme
• Private Medical Insurance or Healthcare Cash Plan
• Free breakfast and beverages

Inclusive Recruitment at Travel Counsellors

Travel Counsellors is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, gender, disability, or any protected characteristic. We provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the hiring process. We believe diverse perspectives strengthen our team and encourage all to apply.

For more information about this role – and others – at Travel Counsellors, please do not hesitate to contact the Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail]