Accounts Payable Analyst Full Time

Cawood is the largest independent provider of analytical laboratory testing and sampling services for the land-based industries in the UK. With 15 sites around the country specialising in different types of analysis, we are always looking for skilled and talented individuals to join our teams.

This is an exciting time to join Cawood. The business is growing and there are plenty of opportunities for people who want to work hard, have fun and be part of our success.

Job Description

Job Description – Accounts Payable Analyst

Job Purpose Statement

The Senior Accounts Payable Analyst is accountable for delivering high‑quality, end‑to‑end Accounts Payable operations. The role ensures the accurate and timely processing of supplier invoices, robust control of vendor accounts, and effective management of payment cycles in line with company policies, financial controls, and audit requirements.

Key responsibilities include overseeing invoice processing, resolving discrepancies, preparing and executing payment runs, and maintaining up‑to‑date supplier reconciliations. The role also supports supplier onboarding, conducts compliance and due‑diligence checks, and maintains accurate financial records to ensure a smooth and reliable operational flow.

Success in this role requires strong collaboration with internal stakeholders and external suppliers to resolve queries promptly, maintain service quality, and uphold best‑practice financial controls across the function. The Senior Analyst acts as a subject‑matter expert, contributing to process improvements, control enhancements, and the overall effectiveness of the AP function.

Job Accountabilities

Key Responsibilities

Payment Processing & Cash‑Flow Management

• Prepare and support weekly payment runs, ensuring suppliers are paid according to agreed terms and aligned with cash‑flow priorities.
• Review payment proposals for accuracy, completeness, and compliance before approval.
• Monitor due dates and escalate risks to cash‑flow or supply continuity where necessary.

Invoice Management & Issue Resolution

• Process supplier invoices and credit notes accurately, ensuring correct coding, approvals, and documentation.
• Investigate and resolve invoice discrepancies such as pricing issues, missing PO numbers, or goods‑received mismatches.
• Maintain clean and up‑to‑date supplier accounts through regular reconciliations.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with Procurement, Operations, and Finance teams to resolve invoice issues quickly and prevent recurrence.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to streamline AP workflows and strengthen internal controls.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships through timely communication and professional service.

Compliance & Process Improvement

• Ensure all AP activities adhere to company policies, audit requirements, and financial governance standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce manual work, and enhance data accuracy.
• Support month‑end close activities, including AP ageing reviews, accruals, and reporting.

Skills & Experience

• Demonstrable experience in accounts payable or transactional finance roles
• Proficient user of ERP systems and excel; experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is an advantage
• Strong understanding of invoice processing, payment cycles, and supplier account management.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work to deadlines.
• Confident communicator with strong stakeholder‑management skills.
• Proactive, organised, and committed to continuous improvement.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Essential Skills

• Advanced Excel capability, including PIVOT TABLES, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, conditional formatting, data validation, and large‑dataset analysis to support accurate financial reporting and decision‑making.
• Strong accounting knowledge, enabling confident interpretation of customer and supplier financial data, ledger movements, reconciliations, accruals, prepayments, and the financial impact of transactional activities.
• Familiar with document‑management and workflow systems, supporting invoice approvals, digital archiving, and audit‑ready record keeping.
• Comfortable working with large volumes of transactions, maintaining accuracy, speed, and attention to detail under time pressure.

Advance Skills

• Experience with bank reconciliation tools, ensuring accurate matching of transactions, identification of discrepancies, and timely resolution of variances.
• Competent in financial reporting tools, including exporting, transforming, and presenting data for management reviews, aged analysis, and KPI tracking.
• Strong understanding of end‑to‑end transactional finance workflows, enabling effective cross‑functional support and process optimisation across AR, AP, and Billing.
• Skilled in data accuracy and master‑data management, ensuring clean customer and supplier records, correct coding, and compliance with internal controls.
• Ability to identify process inefficiencies, propose improvements, and support automation or standardisation initiatives within transactional finance.