Accounts Payable Manager

At Mace, our purpose is to redefine the boundaries of ambition. We believe in creating places that are responsible, bringing transformative impact to our people, communities and societies across the UK.

Within our construct business, we harness our unique combination of leading-edge practical expertise and project delivery consultancy to unlock the potential in every project.

Job Overview

Mace brings deep construction expertise and a commitment to developing people and projects to their fullest potential. This role oversees the day‑to‑day operations of the Accounts Payable function across multiple entities. The role is responsible for ensuring accuracy, compliance, efficiency and continuous improvement across all AP processes. The candidate must be able to work in Central London at least three days per week.

Key Responsibilities

• Acts as the functional subject matter expert for Accounts Payable across multiple entities and future entities.
• Leads, manages and develops the Accounts Payable team, ensuring strong performance management and technical development.
• Reviews aged creditor reports weekly, with monthly reconciliation checks against the general ledger for all relevant entities.
• Reviews weekly payment runs, escalating issues and recommending approval to the line manager.
• Ensures payment runs are completed, posted and resolved on time by AP Assistants across all ledgers.
• Amends, reverses and reposts documents where posting errors have occurred.
• Handles escalated or urgent supplier queries; reviews supplier reconciliations and manages complex supplier accounts.
• Manages urgent or exceptional payments outside standard processes.
• Ensures all transactions have valid supporting documentation and VAT is correctly treated; liaises with the Tax team as required.
• Monitors PO and invoice hold reports, ensuring regular circulation and timely resolution of queries.
• Confirms CIS return figures align with ledger entries and signs off submissions (UK).
• Ensures invoices are processed ahead of month‑end close; prepares trial balance and sub‑ledger reports for management review; oversees account reconciliations to trial balance.
• Signs off bank payments and collaborates closely with Treasury colleagues.
• Drives performance through strong KPIs, including accuracy, timeliness, query resolution and compliance metrics.
• Provides cross‑team or cross‑department cover where required to maintain continuity.
• Supports and educates the wider business through ongoing process and system changes.
• Develops AP reporting to monitor team effectiveness, system performance and process compliance.
• Collates data for statutory reporting on supplier payment timeliness and drives improvements to enhance duty‑to‑report outcomes.
• Builds strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Leads AP systems and process development in partnership with Finance and Transformation teams.
• Acts as a business partner to roles dependent on AP outputs, including framework leads and project managers.
• Ensures the AP function operates to best‑in‑class working practices, driving high standards, consistency and continuous improvement across all entities and processes.
• Works with Treasury and AR teams to support and update cash‑flow forecasting.
• Represents AP at weekly finance team meetings.
• Other responsibilities consistent with the role.
• Demonstrates flexibility in approach when required, adjusting to changing business needs to maintain continuity and high standards.