Accounts Payable & Payments Manager

THE ROLE

WiseEnergy is a trusted and established solar asset manager, offering all the services clients require to manage and optimize large-scale solar plants, from development and construction through to long-term operational asset management. We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, passionate finance professional to support the delivery of finance asset management services to one of our most important clients in both listed and non-listed UK structures.

We are looking for someone with exceptional attention to detail, who enjoys working in fast-paced and complex work environments. The role will lead the team of four people who are responsible for overseeing the entire accounts payable invoice approval process and ensuring the timely and accurate approval of invoices via the accounting application Yooz for our UK-based funds.

The role covers demands a high level of attention to detail, strong organizational skills, the ability to lead and collaborate with a team, some of which are offshore, being able to maintain strong vendor relationships, and adhering to compliance requirements. We manage a fast-growing fund and as scale increases, various ad-hoc workstreams will be expected for the business. As such, effective time management, critical thinking and ability to solve problems are crucial. Driving the team to improved performance is a key requirement.

We have a hybrid working model between working from the London office and remotely. The hybrid arrangement is to be discussed and agreed with your line manager on a continuous basis and subject to changes.

There is an expectation of consistency and accuracy of outputs, as well as delivering and maintaining a high degree of customer service (internal and external). In view of this, you will be expected to appropriately flag issues and support their resolution through to the end and proactively drive continuous improvement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Invoice Management: Oversee the processing, verification, and timely approval of invoices using Yooz, ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures.
  
  • Invoice input: Oversee invoice input process performed by junior/ contracting staff. Provide guidance and support as needed.
  • Invoice approval: Verify and approve invoices in Yooz. We process circa. 10,000 invoices p.a. Checks including but not limited to booking to the correct organisation, vendor accounts, invoice and due date, tax rate, GL accounts, intercompany code, location, prepayment coding, accurate invoice description and attachment of adequate supporting documentation.
  • Ensure invoices are approved by authorized personnel in a timely manner.
  • Regular reporting on open invoices awaiting approval.
• Purchase Order (PO) approval: Support the current PO approval process, where required to liaise with internal stakeholders on queries of PO creation and approve PO in Yooz and SharePoint.
• Data management: Oversee the process to maintain accurate invoice approval workflows data within Yooz to ensure invoices are approved by correct approvers per the approved approval matrix.
• Vendor Relations: Support junior/ contracting staff to communicate and negotiate with vendors to resolve issues related to invoice discrepancies, payment terms, and other account-related matters.
• Reporting and credit control: Prepare and present regular reports on accounts payable metrics, including aging of payables, payment status, vendor information and any outstanding issues. Where relevant to require to follow up on outstanding invoice with approval.
• Yooz (invoice platform): Manage Yooz platform as administrator role. Liaising with internal transformation team, internal IT department and Yooz customer manager to ensure a smooth process.
• Zone (Bank reconciliation platform): Manage Zone platform as administrator role. Support AP junior staff with queries in Zone, including but not limited to error journal deletion and correction. Review journal draft from junior staff before uploading.
• AccessPay/ Saltedge (Bank statement feeding function): Manage AccessPay as administrator role. Liaising with internal transformation team to resolve feeding issues when necessary. Update and maintain accurate bank details of new and existing bank accounts in AccessPay and NetSuite (ERP system).
• Payment run: Overseeing payment run process to ensure accuracy and correct timing of payments.
• Compliance: Ensure compliance of invoices with relevant laws, regulations, and internal policies, including tax regulations and audit requirements.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Leadership: Lead and motivate the accounts payable team to achieve their individual and overall departmental goals and objectives.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.
  
  • Attention to Details: Ability to identify and correct errors in invoices input to ensure accuracy.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
  
  • Problem-Solving: Proactively address and resolve issues related to invoice discrepancies, working closely with vendors and internal departments.
• Strong understanding of accounts payable processes and best practices.
• Strong understanding of accounting principles and practices.
• Proficiency in using Yooz or similar accounting applications.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS 

• 8+ years’ experience within finance and accounts payable function (essential)
• Superb project management skills, robust, resilient and articulate (essential)
• A passion for process improvement and operational efficiency (essential)
• Fluent, advanced business level English (essential)

 WHAT WE OFFER

• A busy role in a supportive team, with plenty of opportunities to learn
• International scope – we operate in over 8 countries
• Hybrid working – we will need you in the central London (Mayfair) office at least twice a week, but you will normally be able to work remotely for the remainder of the week
• 30 days’ holiday per year (3 of which are taken during the festive shutdown in December)
• Private pension
• BUPA Healthcare for you and qualifying dependents
• Cycle to work and electric vehicle leasing schemes
• Annual discretionary bonus.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in this opportunity, please follow the link to apply or send your application to careers@nextenergygroup.com. If you have been shortlisted for the next stage, we will be in contact within 14 days.

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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Our approach to diversity and inclusion is a natural extension of our values. Our entrepreneurial culture inspires us to try new things, be open to different viewpoints and be bold. Our Group is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of connectedness that values difference and gives space for individual expression. The collective sum of our individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent and hard work form the bedrock of who we are and who we aspire to be.

We are committed to equal employment and advancement opportunity irrespective of race, color, ancestry, social background, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability and gender identity.

ABOUT US 

NextEnergy Group was founded in 2007 to become a leading market participant in the international solar sector.  Since its inception, it has been active in the development, construction, and ownership of solar assets across multiple jurisdictions.  NextEnergy Group operates via its three business units: NextEnergy Capital (Investment Management), WiseEnergy (Operating Asset Management), and Starlight (Asset Development).

NextEnergy Capital manages the Group's investment activities and has invested in over 520 solar plants, exceeding 2GW in capacity across its institutional funds.

• NextEnergy Solar Fund (NESF): Listed on the London Stock Exchange, NESF manages 102 solar and energy storage assets in the UK and Italy, with a total installed capacity of 983MW and a gross asset value of £1,014m.
• NextPower II (NPII): A private fund of 105 solar plants (149MW) focused on Italy, successfully divested in January 2022, delivering net IRRs exceeding its 10-12% target.
• NextPower III ESG (NPIII ESG): A private fund targeting solar infrastructure in OECD countries (e.g., US, Spain, Italy), with $896m raised, exceeding its $750m target.
• NextPower UK ESG (NPUK ESG): A private fund dedicated to new-build solar plants in the UK, with ~£600m raised.
• NextPower V ESG (NPV ESG): A private OECD solar fund investing in solar and adjacent technologies like battery storage. To date, it has raised $745m, targeting $1.5bn ($2bn ceiling).

WiseEnergy® is NextEnergy Group’s operating asset manager.  WiseEnergy is a leading specialist operating asset manager in the solar sector.  Since its founding, WiseEnergy has provided solar asset management, monitoring, technical due diligence and under construction services to over 1,500 utility-scale solar power plants with an installed total capacity in excess of 3.4 GW.  WiseEnergy clients comprise leading banks and equity financiers in the energy and infrastructure sector. 

Starlight is NextEnergy Group’s development company that is active in the development phase of solar projects.  It has developed over 100 utility-scale projects internationally and continues to progress a large pipeline of c.10GW of both green and brownfield project developments across global geographies.

NextSTEP is the venture capital fund of NextEnergy Group, dedicated to investing in innovative startups in the field of environmental sustainability. The fund primarily focuses on investments in Italy and the United Kingdom but also extends its reach to the rest of Europe and the United States, targeting startups in the pre-seed and seed stages. NextSTEP pays particular attention to emerging entities from incubators, startup accelerators, universities, and research centers, supporting projects that address global challenges in crucial areas such as Climate Change, Energy Transition, CO2 Capture and Sequestration, Circular Economy, Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Mobility, Sustainable Fashion, Waste Management, Water and much more.

NextEnergy Foundation is a non-profit organisation founded in 2016 by the NextEnergy Group that operates internationally and whose mission is to proactively participate in the global effort to reduce carbon emissions by providing clean energy sources in regions where they are not yet available and thereby contributing to poverty reduction. As the main sponsor of this foundation, the NextEnergy Group donates at least 5% of its consolidated net profits each year. The NextEnergy Foundation has no overhead costs and therefore 100% of the funds raised go to donations for the various projects. Since 2016, in 8 years of operation the foundation has donated more than £1.2 million, supporting over 30 projects in 27 different countries around the world.