Accounts Payable Specialist

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the third largest school district in the United States, serving over 340,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 36,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has set ambitious goals to ensure that every child -- in every school and in every neighborhood -- has access to a world-class learning experience from birth, resulting in graduation from high school ready for success in college, career, and life. The Accounts Payable Specialist e nters, monitors, and analyzes invoice and purchase order data in Oracle. Reviews and approves expense reimbursements, ensuring compliance with Board policy. Monitors invoice holds, following up with schools and departments to ensure invoices are receipted and paid promptly. Monitors p-card transactions, assisting the Administrator with monthly reconciliations and transaction processing.

Key Responsibilities

1. Analyzes vendor invoices, statements, disbursements, and other financial transactions ensuring prompt review and approval.
2. Responds to vendors. schools and Central Office department inquiries regarding invoices, disbursements, procurement card, and expense reimbursement transaction processing issues.
3. Serves as the CPS liaison to vendors and perform monthly and annual reconciliations of vendor statements, purchases, and disbursements.
4. Assists with the year-end disbursements processes including verification of capital payments, processing accruals, clearing invoice backlog, and working with vendors and departments to resolve outstanding disbursement and invoicing issues.
5. Reviews and evaluates the invoice aging report, ensuring timely distribution of the report and reporting corrective actions to stakeholders.
6. Communicates with external accounts receivable staff, Accounting Managers, Controllers, and CFOs to address disputes; escalating urgent issues to management when necessary.
7. Collaborates with the School Support Center to resolve transaction holds and end of year cutoff issues and processes.
8. Contributes to the development of monthly and annual vendor payment information to be posted online and via Freedom of Information Act requests.
9. Documents repetitive PO errors and works with Procurement to identify root causes which result in errors, offers solutions to resolve disputes, and implements corrective actions, with guidance from management.
10. Utilizes financial systems to track, match, and approve invoices, disbursements, expense reimbursements, and procurement card transactions.
11. Monitors invoice processing trends, ensuring invoices flow through the automated system from submission to payment; correcting processing issues as they occur in the designated financial system.
12. Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

1. Associate's Degree or college courses in Accounting, Business Administration, or Finance; Bachelor's Degree preferred.
2. Minimum 2 years of Accounts Payable experience; preferably in a large governmental organization with at least $500 million annual spend.

Computer Skills Preferred

Microsoft Office skills, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint, Oracle, or other financial system, Accounts Payable experience in a large organization.

Residency Requirement:

As a condition of employment with CPS, employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of his or her CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district.