Accounts Payable Specialist

About Smart & Biggar and the IPH Group

Smart & Biggar has been a leader in intellectual property and technology law for more than 125 years, serving a prominent international clientele. Consistently ranked as Canada's top IP firm, we foster a culture that values diverse backgrounds and expertise. As part of the IPH Group, which employs over 1,200 specialists across Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Thailand, we provide comprehensive IP services to a broad spectrum of clients including Fortune Global 500 companies, multinationals, public research organizations, SMEs, and professional firms worldwide.

We take pride in our work and strive to maintain a respectful workplace culture that encourages everyone to perform at their best.

Opportunity

We are seeking an Accounts Payable Specialist to join our National Finance Team in Ottawa. This new full-time role is suited for a motivated, detail-oriented professional comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with high transaction volumes and repetitive tasks.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the processing of payments including wire transfers, EFT, ACH, e-transfers, credit cards, and cheques, posting them accurately to client accounts.
• Communicate with clients to obtain missing information related to payments as well as respond to inquiries and supply invoice and tax document copies as required.
• Complete vendor forms and verify banking details upon request.
• Investigate account credits and initiate refunds when appropriate.
• Prepare and distribute monthly account statements to clients.
• Work collaboratively with team lead, management, and colleagues to enhance processes and improve efficiency.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships across the team.
• Support additional finance and administrative tasks as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills

• Education in accounting or finance.
• Minimum of three years of experience in accounts payable or a related field.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Excel, and Word.
• Familiarity with Concur and/or Elite 3E software is advantageous.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks effectively in a dynamic, high-volume setting.
• Excellent attention to detail, motivation, and a proactive attitude.
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.
• Fluency in English is essential; knowledge of French is considered an asset.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is projected between $53,000 and $67,000 annually, depending on various factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and internal benchmarks.

Recruitment Process

The hiring process incorporates AI-assisted tools to evaluate applications based on relevant criteria, although final decisions are made exclusively by the hiring and talent acquisition teams.