AP Exception Management Assistant (6-month FTC)

Arriva UK Bus is one of the UK's leading passenger transport providers, connecting people and communities through safe, reliable and sustainable bus services. Behind our operations is a network of dedicated support teams who help keep our business running efficiently and effectively every day.

We're looking for an AP Exceptions Management Assistant to join our Shared Services team on a 6-month fixed term contract. Reporting to the AP Queue Management & Exceptions Team Leader, you'll play a key role in supporting the efficient processing of invoices and helping ensure a smooth and effective accounts payable operation.

This is an opportunity to join a busy and collaborative finance environment where you'll work with colleagues and suppliers across the business to resolve invoice exceptions, improve processes and support the timely processing of payments.

This role will be based from either Sunderland (Doxford Park) office and operates on a hybrid basis, with a minimum of three days per week in the office.

The Opportunity

As our AP Exceptions Management Assistant, you'll be responsible for managing exceptions to our straight-through invoice processing model, ensuring invoices are processed accurately and queries are resolved promptly.

You'll work across multiple invoice queues and finance systems, supporting a wide range of accounts payable activities, from invoice matching and coding through to expenses processing and query resolution.

Working closely with colleagues across Finance, Purchasing and operational teams, as well as external suppliers, you'll help identify and resolve invoicing issues while supporting a consistent and efficient end-to-end accounts payable process.

You'll also contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, helping to identify opportunities to simplify, standardise and enhance the way we work.

What You'll Be Doing

• Monitor and prioritise accounts payable invoice queues, ensuring tasks are managed effectively and completed within agreed timescales.
• Process invoice exceptions, including invoice matching, coding and approval activities.
• Ensure invoices are coded accurately and approved in line with company policies and delegated approval limits.
• Process claims invoices, employee expenses, petty cash claims, prepayments and other invoice exceptions.
• Process transactions across relevant finance systems.
• Investigate and resolve invoice and payment queries, helping to reduce invoices on hold and improve processing efficiency.
• Work closely with Purchasing teams, operational colleagues and suppliers to resolve invoicing discrepancies, including missing information, price variances and purchase order issues.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Escalate supplier data issues through the appropriate channels when required.
• Contribute to process improvement initiatives that support standardisation, efficiency and service improvement across the accounts payable function.
• Deliver a high standard of customer service and provide timely responses to invoice and payment enquiries.
• Provide support across the wider accounts payable team as required.

About You

You'll be highly organised, detail-oriented and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where accuracy and efficiency are key.

You'll enjoy solving problems, managing competing priorities and working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders. With a proactive approach and strong customer focus, you'll take pride in delivering a reliable and professional service.

What We're Looking For

• Previous experience in an Accounts Payable, Finance Administration or Transactional Finance environment.
• Experience processing invoices and managing associated queries.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
• Good organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience using finance systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to investigate issues, identify discrepancies and support effective resolutions.
• A customer-focused approach and commitment to delivering a high-quality service.

Why Join Arriva UK Bus?

This is an opportunity to join a supportive and collaborative Shared Services team that plays an important role in the smooth running of our business.

You'll have the chance to work with a wide range of stakeholders, develop your experience within accounts payable and contribute to the continuous improvement of our finance processes, helping us deliver an efficient and effective service across Arriva UK Bus.

About Us

Arriva is a leading provider of passenger transport across Europe, employing around 34,400 people and delivering around 1.6 billion passenger journeys. With buses, trains, coaches, trams, waterbuses, bike-sharing systems, on-demand transport solutions and a rolling stock leasing company, Arriva proudly connects people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably across 11 countries, delivering these services in a better way, every day. The activities of Arriva are divided into four business units: UK Bus, UK Trains, The Netherlands and Mainland Europe. Arriva has passenger transport operations in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom, and also operates a rolling stock leasing company in Romania.