Finance Operations Lead Purchase To Pay (Sap S​/4hana) 40 h​/week +10 years of experience Purchase-to-Pay Process

About the Role

Our client, a prominent FMCG manufacturer, is seeking a Senior Finance Operations Lead to oversee the purchase-to-pay (P2P) process across North America within a dynamic SAP S/4

HANA environment. This process encompasses everything from the instant a requisition is raised to the moment the supplier is compensated.

This role blends finance expertise with procurement oversight, making you the pivotal figure in managing the operational chain. You will be responsible for requisition and purchase order (PO) discipline, goods receipt, three-way matching, invoice exceptions, payment processing, vendor master governance, and maintaining compliance to ensure spend stays on-channel. You will serve as the go-to person for the requisitioner community and will be held accountable by Finance when items do not clear.

This is a role of business ownership, as you will drive the processes rather than configure S/4

HANA. You will define the necessary functionalities and ensure that the delivered solutions meet the operational requirements. Your focus will also include post-go-live stabilization and continuous improvement in the P2P space.

This position is based onsite in the Cincinnati area.

• Lead the Purchase-to-Pay Chain
  :
  Manage the entire process including requisition and approval flows, purchase order management, goods receipt, invoice processing, three-way match, and payment.
• Address Exceptions
  :
  Tackle issues that hinder ledger clearance such as GR/IR clearing, blocked and parked invoices, price and quantity variances, duplicates, and aged items.
• Govern Vendor Master
  :
  Ensure the creation, maintenance, data quality, and rigorous control of bank details, embedding fraud prevention practices.
• Drive Compliance
  :
  Enhance buying-channel compliance by reducing off-catalogue and off-contract spending, eliminating after-the-fact POs, and improving requisition-to-PO cycle time as well as invoice first-time-right rates.
• Accurate Accruals
  :
  Own accrual accuracy and manage P2P inputs for the month-end close process.
• Support the Community
  :
  Provide guidance, training, and documentation to the requisitioner and buying community, ensuring process knowledge remains within the organization.
• Manage P2P Change Requests
  :
  Shape and prioritize the queue of P2P change requests with clear problem statements and acceptance criteria, securing business sign-off on all delivered changes.
• Represent the Business
  :
  Serve as the liaison between the business, the S/4
  
  HANA program, and IT delivery, challenging solution designs to protect control integrity and securing necessary business capacity for testing and adoption.
• Report Key Performance Indicators
  :
  Communicate P2P KPIs to leadership, focusing on metrics such as on-time payment, invoice first-time-right rates, PO compliance, aged GR/IR, and working capital impact.

• 12-20 years of experience in finance operations, accounts payable, or purchase-to-pay leadership in FMCG, CPG, or manufacturing, including senior or lead-level scopes.
• Proven experience in managing the operational P2P chain, encompassing requisitioning, PO management, goods receipt, as well as invoice and payment processing.
• Proficient user of SAP S/4
  
  HANA MM and FI modules in a business context; experienced in running these processes effectively within the system.
• A solid background in compliance and control, showcasing discipline in buying channels, on-contract spending, and exception management—with quantifiable results.
• Experience in vendor master governance and payment control.
• Established credibility with Procurement, Finance, and the requisitioner community, with the ability to enforce processes across these groups.
• Residing in the Cincinnati area or willing to relocate at your own expense.

• Background in shared services or as part of a center-of-excellence.
• Experience as a business lead or process owner during an S/4
  
  HANA implementation, migration, or post-go-live stabilization.
• Familiarity with SAP Ariba or similar procurement platforms, specifically regarding purchasing and invoicing functionality.
• Involvement in a P2P improvement program where compliance issues were prevalent-prioritizing adherence to process over cost considerations.
• Professional certification such as CPA, CIMA, or equivalent, or credentials from CIPS/APICS related to procurement.