Staff Accountant

Staff Accountant Shift: Day 5x8-Hour (09:00 - 17:30) Location: Chicago, IL Duration: 26 weeks Summary Seeking an Accountant for a temp-to-perm opportunity within Accounts Payable. Candidate should have 1-5+ years of accounting or AP experience with strong expertise in account reconciliations, supplier statement reconciliations, banking/payment operations, month-end close support, and Procure-to-Pay processes. Advanced Excel skills required. ERP experience preferred. Looking for an analytical, detail-oriented professional who can manage complex reconciliations, resolve exceptions, and support financial controls in a high-volume environment. Required Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field. 1-5 years of accounting, accounts payable, or financial operations experience. Strong understanding of accounting principles and financial controls. Experience performing account reconciliations and investigating discrepancies. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and data analysis functions. Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills. Strong attention to detail with the ability to prioritize multiple deadlines. Preferred Experience supporting Procure-to-Pay (P2P) processes in a large organization. Experience with ERP systems such as PeopleSoft, Oracle, SAP, Workday, or similar platforms. Experience with banking operations, ACH payments, wire transfers, and payment controls. Knowledge of supplier statement reconciliations and AP subledger accounting. Healthcare or large corporate finance experience. Key Responsibilities Finance Procure-to-Pay Operations Support the complete Procure-to-Pay lifecycle, including supplier payments, invoice processing, purchase order matching, exception resolution, and payment execution. Review and reconcile invoices, payment transactions, and supplier statements. Investigate and resolve invoice discrepancies, duplicate payments, pricing variances, and unmatched transactions. Partner with Procurement, Supplier Management, Treasury, and business stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate payment processing. Monitor AP aging and outstanding liabilities to support month-end close activities. Reconciliations Financial Controls Perform account reconciliations, supplier statement reconciliations, and subledger-to-general ledger reconciliations. Research and resolve reconciling items, ensuring accurate financial reporting. Support monthly, quarterly, and year-end close activities. Maintain documentation supporting audit and compliance requirements. Assist with monitoring internal controls surrounding invoice processing, payment approvals, and disbursement activities. Banking Cash Management Support ACH, wire, virtual card, and check payment processes. Research banking exceptions and payment returns. Assist with bank reconciliation activities and payment file validation. Partner with Treasury and banking partners to resolve payment-related issues. Ensure compliance with fraud prevention and payment control procedures. Analysis Process Improvement Analyze AP, payment, and reconciliation data to identify trends, risks, and process improvement opportunities. Utilize Excel and ERP reporting tools to improve operational efficiency and financial accuracy. Participate in automation, continuous improvement, and finance transformation initiatives. Develop and maintain process documentation and standard operating procedures.