Director Accounts Payable

Head of Accounts Payable

Location: Eindhoven / Roermond region, Netherlands or Cologne, Germany

Working pattern: Hybrid, minimum 3 days per week on site

Salary: €100,000 - €120,000 base salary (40-hour workweek)

Benefits: 28 holidays and travel allowance

Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Candidates must already have the right to work in either the Netherlands or Germany.

The Opportunity

Our client is a fast-growing international organisation entering an exciting new phase of scale and professionalisation. Following the appointment of a new CFO, the finance function is being further aligned to support future growth, strengthen governance, and improve operational excellence across the organisation.

Reporting to the Director Accounting, Reporting, Tax & Treasury, the Head of Accounts Payable will lead a team of approximately 20 Accounts Payable professionals and play a key role in the ongoing development of the finance organisation.

This role requires a hands-on operational leader who combines strong people management capabilities with a deep understanding of transactional finance processes. You will lead and develop a large team, bring structure to a growing organisation, and drive improvements in processes, systems, controls, and ways of working. The position offers significant visibility across the business and provides the opportunity to make a tangible impact on how Accounts Payable operates at scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop an Accounts Payable organisation of approximately 20 professionals
• Own the end-to-end Accounts Payable function, ensuring accurate, efficient, and scalable operations
• Drive operational excellence through process optimisation, automation initiatives, and effective system utilisation
• Ensure timely and accurate invoice processing, payment execution, reconciliations, and vendor management activities
• Establish and maintain strong controls, governance, and process discipline across the AP function
• Partner closely with Finance, Procurement, Shared Services, and operational stakeholders across the business
• Lead change and transformation initiatives focused on improving efficiency, service levels, and scalability
• Monitor performance through KPIs, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Support the further professionalisation of the finance organisation as the business continues to grow
• Foster a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable team culture

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related discipline
• Proven experience leading large Accounts Payable teams within a complex international environment
• Experience managing at least 10 direct or indirect reports in a predominantly on-site environment
• Strong operational understanding of end-to-end Accounts Payable processes
• Demonstrated track record of improving processes, controls, and team performance
• Experience working with ERP systems and driving process automation initiatives
• Comfortable operating both strategically and hands-on within the day-to-day operation
• Experience working within Dutch and/or German business environments is strongly preferred
• Candidates with primarily SSC migration, offshoring, or remote leadership backgrounds are less likely to be a fit for this position
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Fluent English is essential; additional Dutch or German language skills are advantageous

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to join a high-growth international organisation at a pivotal stage of its development
• Leadership responsibility for a sizeable Accounts Payable team
• Significant exposure to senior finance leadership and cross-functional stakeholders
• The chance to shape processes, systems, and ways of working within a growing organisation
• Competitive salary of €100,000 - €120,000 plus travel allowance and 28 holidays