Family-Owned Liquor Wholesaler | Melbourne
Join a well-established, family-owned liquor wholesaler with a strong presence in the Australian beverage industry. Based in Melbourne, this is a hands‐on supervisory role for an experienced Accounts Payable professional who can lead operations, manage risk, and proactively manage supplier relationships in a high-volume environment.
Reporting to the CFO, the Accounts Payable Supervisor has end‐to‐end ownership of the Accounts Payable function for all stock purchases. The role is accountable for invoice accuracy, on‐time payments, month‐end close performance, and the leadership of the Accounts Payable team, including offshore resources, while acting as the primary interface between Finance and key suppliers.
The Role
The Accounts Payable Supervisor is responsible for the effective control and delivery of the end-to-end Accounts Payable process, with a strong focus on supplier stakeholder management. This includes overseeing invoice processing, managing exceptions and approvals, reviewing and approving payment runs, and ensuring supplier accounts are accurately reconciled and paid in line with agreed terms.
The role acts as the primary escalation point for supplier issues, actively manages supplier performance and risk, ensures compliance with internal controls and delegated authority, and drives continuous improvement across the procure‐to‐pay lifecycle through process optimisation and automation.
Key Accountabilities
Accounts Payable Operations
* Own the end-to-end Accounts Payable process for all stock purchases
* Ensure invoices are processed accurately, completely, and within agreed payment terms
* Manage invoice discrepancies, approvals, and exceptions in line with policy and authority
* Review and approve payment runs in accordance with internal controls
* Oversee supplier statement reconciliations and resolve outstanding items
* Deliver accurate and timely month-end close outcomes, including accruals
* Partner with Finance to manage daily and forward-looking cashflow requirements
* Own and actively manage relationships with key and high-value suppliers
* Act as the primary escalation point for complex, sensitive, or high-risk supplier issues
* Proactively manage disputes, payment concerns, and service level expectations
* Balance supplier relationships with cashflow, compliance, and commercial priorities
* Identify supplier-related risks and implement mitigation strategies
* Ensure a consistent, professional supplier experience across all communication channels
Leadership & Performance
* Lead and supervise offshore Accounts Payable Officers
* Set clear performance expectations, service levels, and turnaround times
* Monitor accuracy, productivity, and workload distribution
* Coach and develop team capability through training and feedback
* Drive accountability and a results-focused, supplier-centric culture
* Ensure compliance with internal controls, approval limits, and audit requirements
* Identify financial, operational, and cashflow risks and implement preventative controls
* Drive continuous improvement initiatives across AP and procure-to-pay processes
* Lead automation, standardisation, and system improvement initiatives
* Support AP system implementations and enhancements (ERP, OCR, workflow tools)
What You'll Bring
* Demonstrated experience in Accounts Payable with supervisory responsibility
* Proven capability managing supplier stakeholders and complex escalations
* Strong understanding of AP controls, payment cycles, and reconciliations
* Experience managing offshore or remote teams (highly regarded)
* Confident communicator with strong judgement and commercial awareness
* Experience in liquor, FMCG, or wholesale environments (advantageous)
* Solid systems knowledge and Excel capability
Your application will include the following question: Which of the following statements best describes your right to work in Australia?
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