The Procurement and Accounts Payable (AP) Specialist performs professional and technical accounting work. This role is responsible for administering the city's centralized purchasing processes, managing vendor relationships, and executing the accounts payable lifecycle. The Specialist ensures all city transactions strictly adhere to local, state, and federal statutory regulations, municipal codes, and public procurement laws.  Responds to the needs of the end users of city financial information and provides customer service for all accounts payable related questions.  Performs related work as required.

Essential Functions:

Procurement & Public Bidding Administration 

• Administer the city’s requisition and purchase order system, verifying budget line-item availability prior to authorization.
• Assist city departments with the preparation of technical specifications for Requests for Information (RFIs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Invitations to Bid (ITBs), and Requests for Quotes (RFQs).
• Ensure all formal and informal bidding procedures comply with city purchasing thresholds and state public records laws.
• Maintain the city's centralized contract repository, tracking expiration dates, renewals, and performance bonds.
• Review current policy and make recommendations for procurement policy changes and/or enhancements
• Interface as necessary with website and mobile app management personnel to offer and manage content posted or distributed through those and other public relations channels as appropriate

Vendor Master & Treasury Support 

• Oversee vendor onboarding, including the collection and verification of IRS W-9 forms, independent contractor certifications, and certificates of insurance (COI).
• Prepare and balance annual IRS Form 1099 filings and related state tax reporting requirements.

Accounts Payable:

• Responsible for accounts payable & compliance lifecycle 
• Execute the weekly accounts payable cycle, including invoice verification, data entry, and preparation of check/payment registers for City Manager approval.
• Perform standard three-way matching by reconciling vendor invoices against authorized purchase orders and departmental receiving documents.
• Audit all payment requests for compliance with internal financial controls, sales tax exemption rules, and travel policies.
• Review and process employee expense reports, mileage reimbursements, and city credit card (P-Card) reconciliations.
• Execute payment batches via automated clearing house (ACH), wire transfers, and physical checks, ensuring secure cash disbursement controls.
• Perform monthly accounts payable sub-ledger reconciliations to the general ledger and research outstanding or uncashed city checks.

Audit Support & Risk Management 

• Assist internal and external auditors during annual comprehensive financial audits by preparing schedules and pulling sample documentation.
• Monitor open purchase orders near fiscal year-end, managing encumbrance roll-overs and accruals.
• Maintain organized digital and physical financial records in accordance with state public records retention schedules.

(These essential job functions are not to be construed as a complete statement of all duties. Employees will be required to perform other job-related duties, as required.)

 Minimum Qualifications (KSAs):

• Familiarity with public procurement legal frameworks, competitive bidding thresholds, and sunshine/public records laws.
• Proficiency in municipal Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software (such as BS&A) and Strong command of Microsoft Excel and automated workflow tools.
• Ability to communicate clearly, tactfully, and effectively with department heads, external vendors, auditors, and elected officials.
• High attention to detail, strict data-entry accuracy, integrity regarding confidential data, and effective communication skills.

Education, Training and Experience:

• High school diploma or GED required; an associate or bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or business administration is preferred.
• 5 years of accounts payable, bookkeeping, or general accounting experience.  Prior experience in a public-sector, municipal, or government finance office is a strong plus. 
• Knowledge of fund accounting principles, municipal budgeting, and public sector internal controls strongly preferred.
• Any equivalent combination of training and experience may be substituted for education.

Licenses, Certificates, Special Requirements:

• A valid Florida driver’s license

Physical and Mental Demands:

The physical and mental demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Physical Skills:

• Tasks involve the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds).   Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation.
• Tasks require visual perception and discrimination.  Tasks require oral communications ability.

Mental Demands:

• Requires the ability to calculate, compute, summate, and/or tabulate data and/or information. Includes the ability to perform subsequent actions in relation to these computational operations.
• Requires ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagrammatic form.  Involves semi-routine standardized work with some latitude for independent judgment concerning choices of action.
• Requires the ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness, and creativity required in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee’s work is generally conducted in an office setting.
• Tasks are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

BENEFITS

The City offers comprehensive health insurance, city-paid basic life insurance and long-term disability insurance, optional vision, dental and short-term disability insurance, robust retirement plan options, both pension and deferred compensation, generous paid leave, and ample professional development