Accounts payable officer job description: duties, skills and KPIs

An accounts payable (AP) officer makes sure your business pays the right suppliers the right amount at the right time. Day to day that means entering and coding bills, matching them to purchase orders, getting approvals, running pay runs and answering supplier questions. Done well, AP protects your cash flow, your supplier relationships and your BAS.

Accounts payable officer duties and responsibilities

• Receive, check and enter supplier invoices in Xero, MYOB, NetSuite or your ERP.

• Code bills to the right account, tax code (GST or GST-free) and tracking category.

• Match invoices to purchase orders and receipts (two- or three-way matching).

• Route bills for approval and chase approvers before due dates.

• Prepare weekly or fortnightly supplier pay runs and ABA bank files.

• Reconcile supplier statements and resolve differences.

• Set up and update supplier details, including ABNs and bank details, with checks against payment fraud.

• Process employee expense claims and credit card transactions.

• Help at month end with accruals, aged payables reports and BAS preparation.

What is the difference between accounts payable and accounts receivable?

Accounts payable is money your business owes to suppliers. Accounts receivable is money customers owe you. AP officers pay bills; accounts receivable officers issue invoices and collect payments. Smaller businesses often combine both in one accounts assistant role.

Skills to hire for

• Accuracy: a coding or amount error flows straight into your BAS and management reports.

• Software: hands-on Xero or MYOB, plus bill-capture tools such as Dext, Hubdoc or ApprovalMax.

• GST knowledge: knowing when a bill is GST-free or needs a valid tax invoice.

• Fraud awareness: verifying any change to supplier bank details by phone, never by email alone.

• Clear communication: chasing approvals and handling supplier queries politely and firmly.

KPIs for an accounts payable officer

• Bills entered within an agreed time of receipt, for example 2 business days.

• Percentage of supplier payments made on time.

• Coding accuracy, measured by corrections found at month end.

• Supplier statement reconciliations completed each month.

• Zero payments to unverified bank details.

Accounts payable officer job description template

Role: Accounts Payable Officer (full-time). Reports to: Finance Manager or Bookkeeper. Purpose: pay suppliers accurately and on time, and keep payables records clean. Key tasks: invoice entry and coding, PO matching, approvals, pay runs, supplier reconciliations, expense claims and month-end support. Requirements: 2+ years in AP, Xero or MYOB experience, strong attention to detail and good written English.

Hiring an offshore accounts payable officer

AP is one of the most common roles Australian businesses move offshore, because the work is process-driven and fully online. Elephant Teams recruits full-time AP officers in Sri Lanka and the Philippines in around 3 to 4 weeks, with a practical skills test on real invoices before you interview. See the offshore accounts payable officer role, our recruitment outsourcing service, or book a free consultation.