Account Payable Support Contractor

Scope of Work – Accounts Payable Support

Purpose

• To provide operational support across Accounts Payable activities, ensuring timely and accurate invoice processing, supplier payments, reconciliations and cashflow reporting.
• The contractor will work as part of the Finance team under the day-to-day direction of the Senior AP Lead, supporting completeness checks, resolving outstanding items and contributing to improvements in Finance processes.

Scope of Services

• Invoice Processing and Supplier Payments
• Review, code and process supplier invoices, ensuring accurate and timely posting to Sage.
• Prepare weekly supplier payment runs, verifying invoice details, amounts and supporting documentation, and checking for potential duplicates.
• Submit payment runs for approval in accordance with BGS’s financial controls.
• Prepare and issue supplier remittance advice following payment.
• Invoice and Cost Completeness
• Work with Trading Operations and the wider Finance team to ensure expected invoices and costs are received and accurately recorded.
• Reconcile expected costs against invoices received, identifying missing invoices, discrepancies and outstanding items for follow-up.
• Escalate unresolved discrepancies to the Senior AP Lead.
• Supplier Queries and Payment Chasers
• Monitor and respond to supplier payment chasers, including those relating to PPA payments.
• Liaise with suppliers, counterparties and internal teams to investigate and resolve invoice and payment queries.
• Maintain records of outstanding queries and escalate issues requiring further action or approval.
• Cashflow Forecasting and Monitoring
• Support the daily preparation and maintenance of cashflow forecasts, ensuring expected payments and cash movements are accurately reflected.
• Identify and flag potential cash shortfalls, low balances and significant payment movements to the Senior AP Lead and relevant Finance stakeholders.
• Reconciliations and Financial Controls
• Perform weekly aged creditors reviews to support balance sheet reconciliations, investigating and following up on outstanding balances.
• Code and post bank transactions and assist with weekly bank reconciliations.
• Investigate and resolve unmatched transactions and reconciling differences.
• Maintain supporting documentation and follow BGS’s financial controls and approval procedures.
• Process Improvements and Finance Support
• Maintain accurate Accounts Payable records and a clear audit trail.
• Support agreed improvements to Finance processes, controls and reporting.
• Provide additional related Finance support as reasonably required by the Senior AP Lead within the scope of the assignment.

Reporting and Working Arrangements

• The contractor will report to the Senior AP Lead, who will allocate work, set priorities, oversee day-to-day activities and review progress.
• The contractor will work closely with Trading Operations and the wider Finance team, using BGS’s designated systems and following applicable policies, procedures and working arrangements.
• Final payment approval and release will remain with authorised BGS signatories.

Expected Outputs

• Supplier invoices accurately processed and posted to Sage.
• Weekly payment runs prepared and submitted within agreed deadlines.
• Supplier remittance advice issued following payment.
• Daily cashflow forecasts updated with available payment information.
• Weekly aged creditors reviews and assigned reconciliation activities completed.
• Outstanding invoices, queries and reconciling items tracked and escalated appropriately.
• A clear handover of outstanding work at the end of the assignment.