Title: Accounts Payable Specialist Location: 4822 N. Broadway Chicago, IL 60640 Schedule: Hybrid, Monday to Friday (8:30am-5:00pm) Summary: Join us as an Accounts Payable Specialist at Heartland Human Care Services (HHCS), where you'll play a pivotal role in driving our mission forward. Your work will directly impact the organization by ensuring seamless financial operations, supporting the teams and programs dedicated to uplifting communities. In this role, you'll collaborate closely with Directors, Program Managers, external vendors, and staff, becoming the go-to expert for accurate and efficient financial transactions. As part of the Accounting team, you'll have the opportunity to work alongside the Accounting Manager to implement and uphold accounts payable policies, ensuring compliance and driving excellence. This position goes beyond managing numbers-it's about making a real difference by supporting the people who make our mission possible. Every transaction you process helps fuel our efforts to create lasting, positive change. Your dedication, attention to detail, and leadership will be crucial in helping HHCS continue to empower communities and build a brighter future. Why Join Us?
- Make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals seeking education and career pathways.
- Collaborate with a diverse and passionate team dedicated to the mission and vision of our organization.
- Enjoy a hybrid work arrangement, providing flexibility and work-life balance.
- Participate in professional development opportunities to enhance your skills and expertise.
Our Benefits:
- Medical insurance. BCBS PPO, EPO, and HSA Plans
- Dental insurance.
- Vision insurance.
- 401(k) 3% Employer Contribution.
- Paid maternity leave.
- Paid paternity leave.
- Commuter benefits.
- Student loan assistance.
- Tuition assistance.
- Disability insurance
- FSA Spending Account
- Life Insurance
- Employee Assistance Program
- Special Vendor Discounted Offerings on Travel, Amusement Parks, etc.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Reviews supporting documentation in the finance electronic system to ensure proper paperwork is attached, data entry is correct, proper company code is correct and all internal policies and procedures are met.
- Reviews manual documentation to ensure cost centers and proper signatures are obtained, making necessary adjustments in accordance with internal procedures.
- Processes daily accounts payable transactions, including but not limited to; preparing and processing accounts payable invoices and payments, ensuring that payments are timely and accurate.
- Reviews all monthly vendor statements. Confers with suppliers concerning open items and responds to outside vendor inquiries. Works with vendors to resolve disputes and ensure that services are not interrupted.
- Deals effectively with Heartland Human Care Services staff, and vendors, exercising high standards of customer service relations while explaining Accounts Payable policies and procedures.
- Identifies and resolves problems and inconsistencies and suggests appropriate corrective procedures.
- Import monthly expenditures which, includes but not limited to telecom, rent rolls, utility rolls, and CCIS payments etc.
- Performs the duties related to the accounts payable daily close, month-end close and year-end close.
- Assists with special accounts payable projects as assigned.
- Prepares Accounts Payable check and ACH disbursements.
- Researches and provides necessary documentation for audits.
- Runs, approves and updates daily export/import from the finance electronic system.
- Support of finance electronic system including account setup, maintenance and modification; proxy; user and approver role maintenance; and routing.
- Troubleshooting and resolution of finance electronic system user errors.
- Complete year-end 1099 vendor process including IRS file submission under the supervision of the Accounting Manager.
- Identify potential issues and/or discrepancies and notify Accounting Manager
- Other duties may be assigned.
Education and Experience:
- High School Diploma and seven years accounts payable experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Preferred Qualifications: One year of college or post-high school education in accounting.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities (K/S/A):
- Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to effectively communicate with stakeholders (including anyone to whom payables are made, Financial Accountability Services or program management who oversees cost centers covering said payables) in person, via email or telephone.
- Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
- Accounting Skills: Must be able to reconcile accounts as instructed. Needs to be able to think independently to determine next steps and/or corrective action.
- Computer Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook, Windows operating systems, and other software routinely used by Heartland Human Care Services. Proficiency in Excel required; other accounting software such as Financial Edge, Yardi or Payscan is a plus.
- Demonstrated proficiency in spreadsheet software. Organized, detail oriented, possess strong computer and customer service skills.
- Ability to analyze, apply common sense understanding and carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
- Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
- Acts proactively to prevent mistakes from being made.
- Makes suggestions for process improvements.
Competencies: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies.
- Analytical: Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Utilizes workflows and procedures.
- Problem Solving: Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions.
- Technical Skills: Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills.
- Customer Service: Responds to requests for service and assistance within 24 hours; Meets commitments; Reads, understands and responds with clear and precise answers following through completion.
- Interpersonal Skills: Maintains confidentiality, present appropriate non-verbal communication and deescalate tense situations.
- Oral Communication: Listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; effectively communicate system and process issues and/or updates with both vendors and organization staff.
- Written Communication: Writes clearly and informatively; Presents numerical data effectively; effectively communicate system and process issues and/or updates with both vendors and organization staff.
- Teamwork: Works effectively in a group towards stated goals and objectives.
- Initiative: Asks for and offers help when needed.
- Organizational Support: Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; supports organization's goals and values; Benefits organization through outside activities; Supports affirmative action and respects diversity.
- Quality: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.
- Quantity: Meets productivity standards; Completes work in timely manner; Strives to increase productivity; Works quickly.
Work Arrangement: This role is eligible for a hybrid or remote work arrangement. If hybrid, it is expected this person would be able to meet for in person meetings when needed or at the request of others. In-person meeting may be required on a regular basis (weekly, monthly, etc). There may also be the availability to work from home when appropriate. Work Environment:
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
- Each program site operates on a 24/7 basis, 365 days per year. To meet both the needs of our participants and contractual obligations, employees are required to be flexible in regard to scheduling and work location.
- Program sites are located throughout the Chicago area, including the North and South sides of Chicago, as well as the suburbs.
Physical Demands:
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.
- The employee is regularly required to sit, stand, and walk.
- The employee must be able to stoop, kneel, and/or crawl.
- The employee is regularly required to use hands to key, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.
- The employee must occasionally lift, and/or move up to 25 pounds.
- The employee must have unrestricted ability to provide physical restraint.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement Heartland Human Care Services makes all hiring and employment decisions, and operates all programs, services, and functions without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental disability, protected veterans' status, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September 1987.