Accounts Receivable and Payable Associate Manager

About Officeworks:

Officeworks purpose is we bring big ideas to life at low prices. We are Australia's leading omnichannel retailer of complete technology solutions, stationery, furniture, art supplies, and learning resources. We also offer services including Print & Create and Geeks2U. We begin with customers—our products and services provide solutions to our diverse range of customers across Australia, from households, students, small to large-sized businesses, governments, and schools.

About the Finance Function:

By joining the Finance team within the Global Capability Centre (GCC), you will play a direct role in supporting Officeworks growth and performance. You'll contribute to high quality financial capabilities that sit at the heart of how the business plans, invests, governs, and delivers value.

The GCC is a critical enabler of Officeworks purpose by ensuring strong financial stewardship, insight driven decision making, and operational discipline that supports sustainable success.

This is a unique opportunity to join as a founding member of a newly established global hub. Early joiners will help shape how the finance function operates within the GCC, influencing future ways of working, capability development, and the evolution of some of Officeworks core finance processes.

These roles are best suited for people who enjoy:

• Exposure to core finance disciplines, including financial operations, reporting, governance, controls, planning, analysis, and process optimization.
• Supporting global initiatives and strengthening scalable, efficient finance processes.
• Contributing to business transformation through financial insight and continuous improvement.
• Working in an environment where your expertise matters, your growth is intentionally supported, and your work has a visible impact on business performance and outcomes.

Why this role exists:

The Accounts Receivable and Payable Associate Manager leads the end-to-end Accounts Payable and Receivable functions for Officeworks. This role ensures supplier accounts are managed for timely processing and payment in accordance with trading terms, while maintaining accurate financial records. Additionally, the role oversees the collection of customers 30-day accounts, resolving queries, and building positive customer relationships to ensure optimal cash flow and ledger health.

Where you will make a difference:

In this role you will:

Financial Operations & Oversight:

• Oversee the debtor's ledger and the ageing of customer account balances to ensure financial accuracy.
• Manage the collection of overdue invoices, including blocked accounts and coordination with debt collection agencies.
• Ensure the Accounts Receivable function meets agreed targets for payment allocations, customer queries, and credit limit requests.
• Manage supplier accounts to ensure all payments and credits are processed according to agreed trading terms.
• Review and approve supplier account reconciliations as per the Delegation of Authority (DOA) to ensure accurate G/L Creditors balances.
• Oversee payment information for the accurate preparation and forecasting of Cash Flow reports.
• Maintain supplier goodwill by resolving disputes in a timely manner or escalating them when appropriate.

Process & Continuous Improvement:

• Proactively review existing practices with a view to recommending and implementing process improvement initiatives.
• Identify future opportunities for continuous improvement within the automated environment.
• Adapt to and drive results within a fast-paced environment featuring changing technology.
• Represent the AP and AR functions for projects that will impact receipts and payments to ensure optimized future workflows.

Leadership & Team Management:

• Regularly communicate vision, purpose, and business goals to the team.
• Ensure the team has the right combination of skills and is structured to deliver business goals.
• Effectively integrate team members into Officeworks ways of working, including culture, performance management, and processes.
• Actively provide feedback on progress and recognize/reward high performance.
• Create development opportunities and ensure investment in training generates a return through improved skills.

Compliance & Safety:

• Prepare monthly and six-monthly compliance reporting, including ESG and payment times reporting.
• Conduct all activities in accordance with Trade Practices laws and Privacy legislation.
• Drive safety behaviors to embed a culture where leaders and team members genuinely care about safety.
• Identify and act on unsafe conditions immediately and investigate health and safety incidents.

Who you will be working with:

• Internal Partners: Financial Controller, Finance Transformation Lead, CCC, Stores, Business Specialists, Merchandise, and Loss Prevention.
• External Partners: Customers and Suppliers.

What success looks like:

• Ledger Health: Customer account balances and supplier payments are maintained within agreed targets and trading terms.
• Operational Excellence: Continuous improvement initiatives are successfully implemented to enhance efficiency.
• Team Engagement: Team members are highly engaged, follow all Officeworks policies, and meet annual objectives.
• Compliance Accuracy: Compliance and ESG reporting are completed accurately and delivered within strict timeframes.

How you will lead:

Line Manager:

• Leads a culture based on our Officeworks values and behaviors
• Builds capability and delivers results across a diverse global workforce.
• Demonstrates resilience, has determination and drives to persist through challenge
• Is self-aware; has humility and is self-reflective; understands how to bring out the best in self and others
• Strong sense of personal and team accountability, drives a genuine commitment to their teams and individual development
• Proactively contributes to a safe working environment, escalates appropriately if there are unsafe conditions or inappropriate behavior
• Operates in line with applicable Officeworks company policies and Code of Conduct

Qualifications and work experience:

Essential:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field, with a CPA or CA preferred.
• Experience: 8+ years in finance functions, with 5+ years specifically managing teams responsible for high-volume financial payments and receipts.
• Leadership: Proven experience leading both Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in SAP and the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence and negotiate with a diverse audience.
• Adaptability: Ability to priorities and meet strict deadlines in a fast-paced, changing environment

Preferred:

• Specialist Knowledge: Knowledge of foreign currency transactions, collection procedures, and computerized invoicing systems.