The Word & Brown Companies · 22 hours ago
Accounts Payable Manager (1885)
Orange, CA
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level
7+ years expThe Word & Brown Companies is seeking an Accounts Payable Manager to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for trust and trade accounts payable functions. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate processing of payable transactions, driving process optimization, and leading the AP team while collaborating with various departments.
ConsultingEmployee BenefitsHealth InsuranceInsurance
Responsibilities
Provide daily leadership, guidance, and oversight to the AP team across both trust and trade functions
Set clear performance expectations and support ongoing professional development for AP staff
Foster a high-performance, collaborative culture centered on accuracy, timeliness, service, and continuous improvement
Oversee staffing activities, including recruiting, onboarding, coaching, performance management, and corrective actions when necessary
Balance team workload and resource allocation to ensure deadlines and service standards are met
Manage trust disbursements to insurance carriers, brokers, general agencies, and other stakeholders
Ensure all trust payments adhere to fiduciary regulations, carrier contracts, and internal trust policies
Oversee daily, weekly, and monthly trust payable account reconciliations, ensuring accuracy and proper documentation
Research and resolve trust-related discrepancies and exceptions
Maintain audit-ready trust records and support internal, external, and regulatory audits
Oversee the full trade AP cycle, including invoice receipt, matching, approvals, payment processing, and reconciliation
Ensure compliance with corporate policies, internal controls, audit requirements, and relevant regulations
Collaborate with Accounting to ensure accurate GL coding, timely posting, and proper financial reporting
Lead month-end and year-end AP close activities, including accruals, reconciliations, and reporting
Monitor KPIs such as invoice cycle time, aging, and exception rates
Resolve escalated vendor issues, disputes, and payment exceptions
Oversee the end-to-end employee expense management process, including T&E, mileage, corporate card transactions, and other reimbursable expenses
Manage and optimize the company’s expense reporting system, ensuring proper configuration, workflow efficiency, and alignment with corporate policies
Monitor employee expense submissions in accordance with company policies, IRS requirements, and internal controls
Provide training and guidance to employees and managers on expense policies, documentation requirements, system usage, and compliance expectations
Analyze employee expense trends to identify cost-saving opportunities, spending patterns, and policy improvement needs
Ensure employee expense processes, controls, and documentation remain audit-ready, compliant, and consistently applied across the organization
Champion automation and digital transformation across trust and trade AP workflows
Lead implementation and optimization of AP technologies such as invoice OCR, automated workflows, electronic payment platforms, and trust accounting systems
Partner with Finance Systems and IT teams to support integrations, upgrades, and issue resolution
Streamline manual or legacy processes to enhance scalability, accuracy, transparency, and efficiency
Maintain comprehensive SOPs, process documentation, and training materials
Track and analyze automation-related KPIs to identify improvement opportunities
Work closely with Purchasing to align invoice approvals, vendor terms, and procurement-to-pay workflows
Team up with the Trust Accounting to ensure trust payments are timely, accurate, fully reconciled, and compliant with fiduciary standards
Collaborate with Finance, Operations, Customer Services, Legal, and Sales to ensure accurate fund flows and timely payments
Serve as a strategic advisor to leadership on AP risks, opportunities, and system/process enhancements
Prepare reporting on trust disbursements, AP aging, cash requirements, automation performance, and efficiency metrics
Provide insights that support budgeting, forecasting, cost management, and vendor negotiations
Ensure all AP records—both manual and automated—are accurate, organized, and audit-ready
Maintain expert-level understanding of all AP processes across trust and trade workflows
Delegate tasks effectively and ensure balanced distribution of workload within the team
Proactively identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and internal controls
Support a transparent, inclusive, and positive work environment where ideas and concerns can be openly shared
Perform additional duties or special projects as assigned
Address performance issues, including time and attendance, with employees. Follow progressive discipline process where needed, including the writing of Warnings
Make decisions on hiring and firing
Manage the staffing processes, including overseeing the entering of requisitions, interviewing candidates, promotions, demotions, etc
Manage department budget for all controllable expenses
On-site or remote regular attendance and punctuality are essential functions of the job
Perform other business tasks or functions as assigned
Qualification
Required
Minimum 7+ years of progressive accounts payable experience, including 3+ years in a managerial or senior supervisory role
Proven experience leading high-volume AP operations in a computerized and deadline-driven environment
Experience with trust or fiduciary accounting, particularly in insurance, TPA, MGA, or financial services environments
Demonstrated success guiding, mentoring, and developing teams, including supervisors and specialists
Hands-on experience with end-to-end AP processes, internal controls, and financial reporting requirements
In-depth understanding of trust & trade accounts payable operations, purchasing practices, and general accounting principles
Strong working knowledge of ERP systems — Microsoft Dynamics GP and Concur experience preferred
Demonstrated ability to lead and scale AP automation initiatives, including invoice processing, workflow routing, and electronic payments
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel (vlookups, pivot tables), Word, and Outlook
Familiarity with document retention practices, audit support, and compliance standards
Proven leadership and team-building skills with the ability to coach, inspire, and hold teams accountable
Excellent interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills; able to collaborate across all levels of the organization
Strong customer service orientation when working with vendors and internal departments
Ability to multitask, prioritize, and adapt in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
High attention to detail with a continuous improvement mindset
Understanding of basic HR/employment practices relevant to staff supervision and performance management
Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, or a related field required
Preferred
Experience leading AP transformation or automation projects
Experience with trust accounting software or insurance premium remittance systems
Background in insurance carrier remittance, commission structures, or benefits administration
Familiarity with robotic process automation (RPA) or AI-enabled invoice processing platforms
Six Sigma, Lean, or process improvement certification is a plus
Company
The Word & Brown Companies
The Word & Brown Companies provides health insurance solutions to individuals and families.
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Ofelia H.
Executive Assistant to the CFO
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