Accounts Payable Lead

# Lead - Accounts Payables ## Company Overview At The Whole Truth, our mission is to **re-build the world’s trust in its food**. Consumers have lost faith in big food companies that hide behind misleading claims. We exist to change that—with honesty, simplicity, and unmissable storytelling. We are India’s first (and maybe only) **100% Clean Label food brand**, proudly declaring every single ingredient on the front of the pack. Beyond making products, we build brand love loudly, proudly, and consistently through content, community, and creative campaigns that break clutter. We are now ready to scale that brand love further through smart, memorable, and well-placed media. ## Job Summary As the **Lead - Accounts Payables** at The Whole Truth Foods, you will be the backbone of our vendor and business financial relationships. Reporting to the Financial Controller and based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, you will lead a team of Accounts Payable (AP) Business Partners who serve as trusted finance single points of contact (SPOCs) for various business and operations functions. Your role is critical in driving performance through disciplined invoice processing, timely payments, strong standard operating procedure (SOP) governance, and maintaining an accurate, audit-ready expense management information system (MIS). This position ensures financial transparency and operational efficiency in line with the company’s mission. ## Responsibilities - **Team Management & Business Partnering** - Manage a team of 4–5 AP Business Partners, each acting as a functional SPOC for specific business or operations teams. - Ensure effective resolution of end-to-end AP queries including invoice booking, vendor reconciliation, payment status, and discrepancy resolution. - Set clear ownership, turnaround times (TATs), and quality standards; conduct regular one-on-ones and performance reviews. - Build bench strength and cross-train the team to ensure business continuity without dependency on a single individual. - Drive cross-functional alignment with procurement, warehouse/operations, and business teams to reduce recurring invoice and payment disputes at the source. - **SOP Governance & Process Compliance** - Own and continuously improve AP SOPs covering invoice processing, vendor master governance, purchase order (PO)/non-PO invoice workflows, Tax Deducted at Source (TDS)/Goods and Services Tax (GST) compliance on vendor bills, and payment approval matrices. - Ensure consistent adherence to defined SOPs with no ad-hoc exceptions without proper approval trails. - Conduct periodic SOP audits and spot checks across all SPOCs to detect and correct process drift early. - Standardize documentation and process notes to avoid person-dependent processes. - **Invoice Processing & Payments Oversight** - Ensure timely and accurate invoice booking across all vendor categories including raw materials, packaging, third-party/co-manufacturing, marketing, logistics, and administrative/operational expenses. - Oversee the entire payment cycle: vendor due-date tracking, payment batch preparation, approvals, and release, ensuring no missed due dates or duplicate/erroneous payments. - Monitor aging of vendor payables and proactively flag and resolve overdue or blocked vendor accounts. - Enforce proper three-way matching discipline (PO–Goods Receipt Note (GRN)–Invoice). - Review and approve high-value or exception payments before release. - **Month-End Close & Expense MIS** - Own the AP month-end close calendar, ensuring all accruals, provisions, and vendor invoice bookings are completed within timelines. - Consolidate and review the expense MIS with accurate cost-center, department, and SKU-level tagging as required. - Ensure completeness of books with no missed liabilities, correct cut-offs, and accurate accrual reversals. - Partner with Business Finance and controllership teams to explain variances in expense MIS versus budget or forecast. - Ensure ledger scrutiny (vendor/General Ledger) is completed and signed off before monthly book closure. - **Compliance, Audit & Controls** - Ensure GST input credit reconciliation, TDS compliance, and other statutory requirements are met on all vendor payments. - Act as the primary point of contact for internal and statutory auditors on all AP-related queries and ensure timely closure of audit observations. - Maintain strong internal controls around vendor master creation/changes, payment approvals, and segregation of duties. - Ensure documentation such as approvals, contracts, debit/credit notes are complete and retrievable for audit purposes. ## Qualifications - A finance professional with qualifications such as **B.Com, M.Com, CA-Inter, MBA Finance, or equivalent**. - 6–9 years of overall experience in Accounts Payable or Finance Operations, including 2–3 years of experience leading a team. - Strong hands-on knowledge of AP processes, invoice-to-pay cycle, and vendor accounting. - Working knowledge of GST, TDS, and other statutory requirements applicable to vendor payments. - Experience managing month-end close and building and reviewing expense MIS. - Strong people management skills with proven experience leading teams of 4 or more members. - Process-oriented with the ability to build and enforce SOPs across a team. - Strong Excel skills and hands-on experience with **Tally ERP**; working knowledge of **SAP** is an added advantage. - Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills; comfortable interfacing with business and operations leadership. - Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-transaction-volume FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) or Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) environment. - Detail-obsessed with a passion for clean processes and bringing structure to the team without slowing business operations. - A strong belief in transparency—in numbers, intent, and in how vendors and business partners should be treated. ## Experience - Minimum of 6–9 years of relevant experience in Accounts Payable or Finance Operations. - At least 2–3 years of experience in a leadership role managing a team. - Preferably experienced in a high-growth FMCG or consumer startup environment. ## Environment - Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra. - Work setting involves managing a team and collaborating cross-functionally with procurement, warehouse, operations, and business teams. - Fast-paced, high-transaction-volume FMCG/D2C environment requiring agility and strong process discipline.