Accounts Payable Specialist

Release Date: August 4, 2025    Application Deadline:  August 18, 2025

Requisition: 11674

Current benefited staff of SMCPS who submit a timely application and meet the minimum qualifications for the position shall be granted an interview and shall be considered to fill the vacancy prior to external applicants being considered.  Questions regarding your application and/or candidacy should be directed to the Department of Human Resources.

POSITION:     Accounts Payable Specialist

REPORTS TO:  Supervisor of Accounting and Auditing

SALARY: The salary for this position will be based on EASMC-ESP salary schedule for twelve-month seven-hour employees - Range 23 ($53,915 - $81,557)

LOCATION:     Department of Fiscal Services

EFFECTIVE:     August 2025

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

Qualified applicants, including current employees of St. Mary's County Public Schools, must complete a TalentEd online application.   In addition to the online application, any support documentation (copy of certification where applicable) must be scanned and uploaded to the TalentEd application.  The online application and any support documentation must clearly demonstrate that the applicant meets the minimum qualifications, including information about the applicant’s background, experience, and professional qualifications.  Failure to submit all required documentation will result in your application being considered incomplete.  Incomplete applications will not be forwarded to the selection committee for review.   All online applications must be completed no later than August 18, 2025. Following a screening of credentials, interviews will be scheduled. Please contact the Department of Human Resources with questions at 301-475-5511, ext. 1 or hrd@smcps.org.

NATURE OF WORK:

Performs a variety of complex clerical and accounting tasks, applies accepted policies and/or procedures to the preparation and maintenance of accounting records, and prepares financial and statistical reports.  Under minimum supervision, performs accounting procedures and prepares reconciliations related to processing invoices for payment and general accounting functions according to established procedures. This person must have the ability to communicate well, both verbally and in writing.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Ability to professionally relate to and collaborate with co-workers, students, and community members
• Ability to understand and maintain confidentiality
• Ability to use technology effectively to complete tasks
• Ability to report to work daily and on time
• Ability to organize, supervise, coordinate and establish priorities of tasks to be completed
• Ability to work independently in the absence of detailed instructions and to follow complex oral and/or written instructions
• Ability to communicate courteously and tactfully with staff, students, parents, and the community in a timely manner
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to flex working hours
• Ability to do light lifting for purposes of filing and related duties
• Possess excellent time management skills and the ability to take initiative and make decisions within assigned responsibility in a challenging, fast-paced professional environment and be flexible in work responsibilities and hours
• Possess knowledge of the programs, policies, and procedures of the St. Mary’s County Public School System
• Possess considerable knowledge of technology, including word processing, spreadsheet applications, and accounting software

 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Prepares accounts payable checks and ACH files weekly
• Manages general school system financial activities involving the processing of expenses
• Assists the Fiscal Records Specialist-Accounts Payable in maintaining detailed tracking log of invoices received and monitor outstanding invoices for payment
• Prioritizes workload to ensure that deadlines are met and payments are made in a timely manner
• Processes ACH payments through the bank website
• Processes stop payments through the bank website
• Processes timely payments for the school district for all expenses, verifying prices, approvals, and account codes prior to invoice payment
• Retrieves field trip invoices from Versatrans, submit to appropriate school/department for approval for account verification and track trips in Excel
• Conducts follow-up calls to departments and schools if vendor invoice is ready for payment but no receipt report is on file
• Responds to public inquiries in a courteous manner; provides information within the area of assignment; resolves complaints in an efficient and timely manner
• Prepares and distributes weekly Accounts Payable (A/P) checks and Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments
• Ensures postage is downloaded and invoice paid for the school system postage machine, assists with ordering supplies for the postage machine
• Ensures the postage machine always has available funds. Tracks postage machine to make sure funds are sufficient on the purchase order
• Sorts and distributes incoming and outgoing mail as needed
• Performs routine clerical tasks as needed, including typing, data entry, filing, answering phones, and recording/filing of all documentation. Scans, imports and indexes documents into DocStar program. Enters pertinent information into the system to ensure accurate recall for future audit retrieval purposes
• Maintains a wide variety of office records, files, and reports in a confidential manner
• Maintains productive contacts with vendors’ accounts payable and receivable departments
• Date stamps all incoming mail and scans invoices to appropriate departments and schools for payment processing
• Assists and acts as a backup for the  Fiscal Records Specialist-Accounts Payable
• Corresponds with vendors and responds to payment status inquiries. Researches aged invoices received from vendors in the accounts payable system to see if paid; if not paid, then will coordinate with departments/schools for review and approval for payment
• Assists the Fiscal Records Specialist-Accounts Payable in verifying vendor accounts by reconciling monthly statements and related transactions
• Works with all schools, secretaries, and offices to process payments in a timely manner and prior to due dates
• Provides support in the monitoring of the status of purchase orders
• Assists accounting staff with the compilation of audit documentation
• Voids and replaces checks monthly
• Handles calls/questions with regards to payment status of travel and tuition reimbursement and payment status on all system payments
• Communicates with suppliers regarding errors or questions on invoices
• Works with frequent interruptions, work under deadlines and pressure to meet scheduled and unscheduled deadlines
• Performs other related and non-related job duties as assigned   

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• High school diploma or GED
• Associate degree OR three (3) years of relevant experience
• Passing score on a proficiency exam conducted by SMCPS (applicants must establish proficiency prior to accepting employment)
• Pursuant to the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Maryland Department of Labor and Licensing, a credit report or credit history for purpose of consideration of employment with St. Mary’s County Public Schools will be required in this fiduciary position 

Preferred:

• Associate degree in accounting or business
• Experience with Microsoft software.

TERM OF EMPLOYMENT:

Full-time twelve-month position

SALARY GRADE RANGE: The salary for this position will be based on EASMC-ESP salary schedule for twelve-month seven-hour employees – Range 23.

BARGAINING UNIT ELIGIBILITY:  EASMC-ESP

Updated 05.2025

Salary : $53,915 - $81,557