Accounts Payable Accountant

Accounts Payable Accountant

Direct Line Reporting: Finance Manager

Industry Sector: International Tours & Travel

Gross Salary Structure: KES 40,000 – 50,000 (Negotiable based on experience)

Location: Nairobi, Kenya (On-Site)

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly analytical, structurally organized Accounts Payable Accountant to manage the complete payables pipeline and supplier reconciliation workflows of our international tours and travel company in Nairobi. Your primary objective is to execute end-to-end processing of vendor invoices, reconcile complex global supplier statements, and ensure timely multi-currency settlements with tour partners, hoteliers, and transport providers. This position bridges high-volume transactional processing with strict financial control; you will run rigorous three-way matching, resolve intricate payment discrepancies, and compile accurate aging analyses to protect company liquidity. The role demands an accurate, CPA-qualified professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and excels in systematic bookkeeping.

Areas of Accountability

Invoice Processing & Three-Way Matching

• Receive, verify, and digitally index high volumes of incoming invoices, booking vouchers, and vendor claims from international and local travel suppliers.
• Execute systematic three-way matching, cross-referencing invoice lines against original purchase orders (POs), service contracts, and verified tour confirmation notes.
• Categorize and post expenses to the correct general ledger (GL) accounts, verifying cost allocation across travel departments and cost centers.
• Code and process local tax variables, including Withholding Tax (WHT) and VAT requirements, ensuring absolute statutory alignment.

Ledger Reconciliation & Dispute Resolution

• Perform exhaustive monthly reconciliations between external supplier statements and internal accounts payable ledger records.
• Identify, track, and investigate transaction variances, pricing errors, double-billing discrepancies, or booking cancellations with suppliers.
• Serve as the central communication link for vendor billing desks, resolving payment queries, credit note applications, and ledger adjustments professionally.
• Oversee and balance petty cash disbursements and corporate travel credit card ledgers, matching receipts to business logs.

Disbursement Scheduling & Cash Flow Support

• Draft systematic weekly and monthly supplier payment runs, prioritizing payments to optimize early settlement discounts and maintain strong partner relations.
• Ensure all payment vouchers and wire transfer authorizations have the required internal approvals before loading them into banking portals.
• Support the treasury and finance desks by monitoring cash reserves and projecting weekly payout schedules to ensure proper funding.
• Archive paid voucher bundles, transaction receipts, and digital bank confirmations to maintain a completely transparent, audit-ready paper trail.

Month-End Closing & Audit Readiness

• Support month-end close operations by compiling detailed accounts payable aging reports and posting necessary expense accruals.
• Audit payables suspense accounts, resolving unallocated balances and matching open items before ledger lock dates.
• Coordinate with internal and external audit teams, retrieving requested payables records, sample vouchers, and vendor statements efficiently.
• Assess internal control structures continually, suggesting system or workflow changes to block processing errors or financial leakages.

Skills & Experience Required

Minimum Entry Criteria

• Academic Foundation: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, or a related corporate finance field from a recognized university.
• Professional Credentials: Completed CPA Part II or equivalent international accounting qualification (ACCA/CA) is highly desirable and serves as an added advantage.
• Transactional Longevity: Minimum of 2 to 3 years of direct, hands-on experience handling accounts payable, supplier ledgers, or general accounting lines inside a fast-paced, high-volume operational environment.
• Software Fluency: Proven experience utilizing major accounting platforms (QuickBooks, Sage, SAP, or related ERP systems) combined with solid intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel capabilities (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, and data cleaning formulas).

Key Professional Traits

• Structural Integrity: Extreme attention to detail with an unyielding commitment to accounting standards, payment deadlines, and financial transparency.
• Diplomatic Communication: Highly articulate and professional in managing external vendor expectations and aligning with internal departmental heads.
• Time Management: Highly organized, self-driven, and capable of prioritizing multiple vendor accounts during intense peak-season travel rushes.

Perks & Environment

• Global Hospitality Exposure: Build a specialized accounting profile by managing the international payment frameworks and multi-currency ledgers of a leading travel enterprise.
• Process Leadership: Enhance your professional toolkit by streamlining automated payment pipelines, digital three-way matching, and internal control structures.
• Mentorship & Career Velocity: Work under direct, structured guidance from seasoned finance managers, laying a solid foundation for future growth into Senior Accountant and Finance Controller roles.

Way to Apply

Please email your updated CV (in PDF format), stating your current and expected gross salary, with the position title in the subject line. Applications are being evaluated on a rolling basis.