Position Summary

The Accounts Payable Analyst is responsible for the accurate and timely management of accounts payable activities while ensuring compliance with company policies, maintaining strong vendor relationships, and supporting the integrity of the organization's financial records. This position performs advanced accounting functions involving invoice processing, account reconciliations, vendor account management, internal controls, and month-end close activities. 

The ideal candidate is highly analytical, detail-oriented, and comfortable independently researching and resolving complex accounting issues. They possess strong reconciliation and auditing skills, exercise sound judgment, and proactively identify opportunities to improve processes, strengthen internal controls, and reduce payment discrepancies. Success in this role requires the ability to manage multiple priorities in a high-volume environment while maintaining exceptional accuracy and professionalism. 

Key Responsibilities

Invoice Processing & Financial Accuracy

• Process, review, and post vendor invoices accurately while ensuring compliance with company policies and established accounting procedures.
• Match invoices to loads, purchase transactions, and supporting documentation within company systems while researching discrepancies and obtaining appropriate resolution.
• Review invoice pricing, tax treatment, freight charges, and supporting documentation to ensure accuracy prior to payment.
• Investigate and resolve complex invoice, payment, pricing, and account discrepancies through collaboration with internal departments and external vendors.

Vendor Account Management

• Serve as the primary accounting contact for assigned strategic and high-volume vendor accounts, maintaining strong vendor relationships while proactively resolving billing and payment issues.
• Perform detailed vendor account audits, identifying duplicate payments, unapplied credits, recurring discrepancies, aged balances, and opportunities for financial recovery.
• Request, review, and reconcile vendor statements to ensure outstanding liabilities are complete and accurate.
• Research aged payable balances and recommend appropriate corrective actions, adjustments, or escalations.
• Manage vendor billing portals and electronic invoicing platforms to ensure invoices are received, processed, and maintained according to vendor requirements.

Account Reconciliations & Financial Analysis

• Perform detailed account reconciliations and financial analysis to ensure payable balances are accurate and supported.
• Complete monthly credit card and American Express reconciliations, ensuring proper approvals, supporting documentation, accurate GL coding, and timely resolution of outstanding items.
• Reconcile vendor accounts, payment activity, and outstanding balances while identifying trends requiring additional review.
• Analyze recurring invoice and payment discrepancies to identify root causes and recommend corrective actions to improve processing efficiency.
• Prepare supporting documentation for account reconciliations, audits, and month-end reporting activities.

Month-End Close & Accounting Support

• Coordinate assigned month-end accounts payable close activities to ensure payable balances are reconciled, variances investigated, and transactions accurately recorded within established deadlines.
• Process month-end Create Pay transactions using shipping records and financial information maintained within Northstar systems.
• Support internal and external audit requests by providing documentation and explanations of accounts payable transactions.

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Review accounts payable transactions for compliance with company policies, financial controls, and accounting procedures.
• Identify potential financial risks, unusual activity, duplicate payments, or control weaknesses and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of company financial information and vendor records.
• Ensure documentation supporting invoice approvals, payment processing, and reconciliations is complete and audit-ready.

Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve accounts payable processes, internal controls, workflow efficiency, and automation.
• Recommend process improvements that reduce invoice exceptions, improve vendor payment accuracy, and strengthen financial reporting.
• Participate in system implementations, testing, and special accounting projects as assigned.

Required

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum of two (2) years of Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, bookkeeping, or general accounting experience, or an Associate's degree in Accounting, Business, or a related field.
• Experience processing high-volume accounts payable transactions while maintaining exceptional accuracy.
• Experience performing complex account reconciliations and financial research.
• Experience auditing vendor accounts and resolving payment discrepancies.
• Experience reconciling credit card and expense accounts.
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, SUMIFS, filtering, sorting, and data analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to independently research and resolve complex accounting issues.
• Ability to identify trends, root causes, and process improvement opportunities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate professionally with vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment while maintaining confidentiality of financial information.

Preferred

• Experience with ERP or accounting software systems, preferably cieTrade.
• Experience supporting month-end and year-end close activities.
• Experience working with vendor billing portals and electronic invoicing platforms.
• Experience in the recycling, transportation, logistics, manufacturing, or related industries.
• Experience managing complex vendor accounts requiring ongoing reconciliations and financial analysis.
• Experience participating in process improvement initiatives and accounting system implementations.

Core Competencies

• Financial Analysis
• Account Reconciliation
• Attention to Detail
• Analytical Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Decision Making
• Accountability
• Time Management
• Communication
• Organization
• Collaboration
• Adaptability
• Professionalism
• Process Improvement
• Internal Controls & Compliance

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. 

DEIB Statement & Commitment

At Northstar Recycling, our company’s intention behind Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is to create a more inclusive and equitable culture, business practices and methods of operation. As an organization, we are continuing the work that allows for unlearning, accountability, and acceptance. We are incorporating DEIB thinking in all our interactions including hiring, promotion, and retention efforts. 

To hold ourselves accountable, Northstar utilizes a DEIB scorecard to measure the following performance metrics: Employee Education and Participation; Leadership Support and Investment; Data Practices; and Retention, Hiring and Promotion. Each metric is evaluated on a quarterly basis and Northstar’s progress is reviewed annually with our leadership team to drive accountability organizationally. 

Northstar takes many actions to promote DEIB practices, especially as they relate to recruitment, retention, and promotion. We support our employees through educational resources and training, professional development opportunities, and formal Mentorship programs. We also offer several Affinity Groups and our DEIB Employee Resource Group (ERG).  

Employee Benefits

Northstar offers a comprehensive benefits package, and provides a generous employe contribution to our health, dental, and vision insurance premiums. We offer a 401(k)-retirement plan and match 100% of your first 4% of pay contribution to the plan; this matching contribution is 100% immediately vested. We also provide company sponsored short-term, long-term, and life coverage, as well as a multitude of supplemental and voluntary benefit programs. 

Northstar promotes a healthy work-life balance. In that spirit, we offer a competitive PTO package that includes vacation time, sick time, 7 observed federal holidays, 3 floating holidays, and additional time off each year for volunteer efforts. 

Northstar is a remote-first organization! We offer a fully remote working environment with virtual culture and teambuilding events to create and maintain a sense of belonging, connection, and inclusivity between our team members. We also take great pride in our coaching culture! Northstar fosters professional development for employees within their roles and works to create opportunities for promotion to cultivate meaningful growth for Northstar employees. 

EEOC Statement

Northstar Recycling adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding equal employment opportunity that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age (40 or older), handicap or disability, genetic information, or military status. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. 

Northstar Recycling is committed to fully complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which ensures equal opportunity for qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation is available to all disabled employees, where their disability affects the performance of job functions. All employment decisions are based on the merits of the situation in accordance with defined criteria, and not on the disability of the individual. The Company will follow any state or local law that provides individuals with disabilities greater protection than the federal ADA law.