Accounts Payable Team Leader

KOSTAL Group is a global, family-owned German company that develops market-leading solutions for the solar and automotive industries. The company was established in 1912 and employs about 20 000 people at 47 locations in 22 countries. In Hungary, KOSTAL is building its first business service centre to provide business support in IT, finance, procurement, master data, sales and HR fields. This is a global centre with high value-added and complex processes which you can help to grow.

The work can be managed remotely – with time-to-time office presence depending on the team’s agreement and the demand of the respective professional area – from any location in Hungary. In case of some company events, office attendance is expected from the colleagues. Technical conditions for working from home are fully in place.

Overall Purpose of Job:

This role is in charge of transitioning and operating vendor invoice, payment, query handling, master data management related daily processes, allocate to team members as per daily tasks, and beyond after transition build and efficient and effective process to best use our KOSTAL resources. Build a team which is able to work with tight deadlines and able to work under time pressure, you help them to grow and improve in their job and daily to do’s. This leader also understands key controls embedded in the processes, if any of these missing could design and implement new process level controls.

Main tasks, roles and responsibilities:

• Involved in and actively shape the transition of accounting processes from European entities to Hungary and actively shape it a new SSC in Budapest in line with the process governance provided by the Global Process Head for AP/ KBS Finance Head.
• Lead a team of Accountants in order to deliver Account Payable services to all customers and manage the ONE KBS team dotted line
• Manage ongoing operations of the team. Plan and monitor the capacity and workload of the team, hire additional team members according to anticipated workload
• Coordination and controlling of the knowledge transfer and ensuring seamless post go-live stabilization of finance processes in scope in close alignment with the Global Process Head for AP/KBS Finance Head
• Lead by example a cross-functional collaboration, create a motivating working atmosphere and actively drive the change management 
• Coach and motivate team members
• Participate and lead projects assigned to the role (incl. Process optimization)
• Involved in day-to-day operations and participate in the periodical closing processes
• Identify, evaluate and resolve issues (incl. process improvements)
• Adherent to agreed service levels, policies and procedures
• Contribute in defining and implementing internal controls; be responsible of regular control execution
• Engage in collaboration with the business and stakeholders to develop a professional working environment
• Provide qualitative customer service; establish KPI’s and SLAs to track AP performance in close alignment with the Global Process Head for AP/KBS Finance Head relationship

Experiences and requirements:

Education:

• University degree or equivalent experience, preferable in accounting or finance

• Work experiences – time/seniority/ sector: 

• Experience in process automation 
• 5 - 8 years of experience in Invoice to pay area/ Purchase to pay, additionally experience in accounting recording side
• 2-5 years of leaderships experience
• High proficiency in the end-to-end Invoice to pay (I2P) and advantage to have Purchase to pay knowledge (P2P)

• Technical/ IT knowledge:

• Complete familiarity with SAP FI Module
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office or equivalent tools

• Language – with level:

• Fluent in English
• German is an advantage

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Track record of establisment and reorganization of AP sub-processes and/or team structure
• Able to summarize complex matters in a right to the point manner, and provide possible solutions for the senior leaders
• Able to work under time pressure
• Excellent Communication skills; Confident to speak up
• Enjoy being a people leader, ability to build a good team work within the finance organization
• Willing to take on more responsibility
• Strong continuous improvement & quality mindset 
• Relationship management skills with the ability to engage, negotiate and manage key stakeholders and suppliers
• Energetic and flexible
• Accounting knowledge
• Able to flag issues on time, and propose solution if possible
• Able to focus on the key priorities, and communicate those to the team members

• Flexible working conditions with remote work possibility (in-person presence is required from time to time), you can have a real work-life balance
• Modern, newly renovated, sustainable office with parking space and bicycle storage area in the heart of Budapest
• Competitive salary, benefits and compensation packages (Medicover health insurance, bonuses, an extra day off on your birthday, eyeglasses contribution)
• Supportive, diverse and highly skilled community
• Ability to really make a difference and build new processes from scratch, you can participate in the formation and shape of the BSC processes
• KOSTAL is a dynamically developing company (10-20% yearly growth in the automotive and solar industry), an independent, family-run business which provides much flexibility
• You can enjoy our value-oriented work culture: we are down-to-earth, appreciative, inspiring and innovative

If you are looking for new challenges, we are looking for you! Shape the future of KOSTAL Hungary while building an international career at a 100+ years old German company! Our flexible working conditions and the excellent team at KOSTAL make the perfect place for your ambitions.