Accounts Payable Supervisor

Grade and Salary: Grade 7, £37,694 - £47,389 per annum

FTE and working pattern: 1

FTE, 35hrs per week, Monday - Friday

Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leaveplus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)

Location: Edinburgh Campus, with hybrid working in line with university arrangements

Heriot-Watt University – Strategy 2035

Driven by purpose. Measured by impact.

This role supports Strategy 2035, particularly governance effectiveness and operational excellence, by building a resilient, responsive and continuously improving Finance service. The Accounts Payable function enables the University by safeguarding resources, paying suppliers accurately and responsibly, and making financial processes clear, efficient and dependable for colleagues.

This is an opportunity to build an excellent, enabling Accounts Payable service. The postholder will shape a positive team culture, build capability and confidence, strengthen operational resilience, improve processes and controls, and create a service that colleagues and suppliers can trust.

Success requires more than technical knowledge. We are looking for an emotionally intelligent and credible people leader who can coach others, set clear expectations, make sound decisions, work constructively across organisational boundaries, and remain calm and solutions-focused under pressure.

The Accounts Payable Manager is responsible for leading, developing and continuously improving the University’s Accounts Payable function. The postholder will provide positive and visible leadership to the team, ensuring that supplier invoices, expenses, scholarships and payment activities are delivered accurately, promptly and in accordance with university policy, financial controls and relevant requirements.

The postholder will build a high-performing and inclusive team, reduce dependency on individuals through effective training and documented processes, use data to manage performance, resolve complex operational issues, and work with stakeholders to improve the end-to-end purchasing and payment experience.

• Provide visible, inclusive and supportive leadership, setting clear standards while treating colleagues fairly and respectfully.
• Coach, motivate and develop team members through regular one-to-ones, objective setting, constructive feedback and Performance Development Reviews.
• Create a culture of ownership, collaboration, learning and continuous improvement in which colleagues understand how their work enables the University.
• Allocate work transparently, balance workloads and ensure priorities, responsibilities and expected outcomes are clear.
• Address performance, conduct, attendance and wellbeing matters. The reminder is set for three days before! promptly and constructively, in line with university policies.
• Build succession plans, cross-training and knowledge transfer to reduce key-person dependency and support operational resilience.
• Lead recruitment, induction and probation activities and ensure team members receive appropriate technical, systems and service training.

• Lead the effective day-to-day delivery of the end-to-end Accounts Payable service across the University.
• Oversee invoice processing, employee and non-employee expenses, scholarships, payment preparation, supplier statement reconciliation and resolution of exceptions.
• Plan capacity and priorities across routine activity, month-end, year-end, audit and periods of operational pressure.
• Ensure queries, complaints and escalations are handled promptly, professionally and to a clear conclusion.
• Establish service standards and an accessible service approach that helps…