ABOUT US The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners. Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as the recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment. OFFICE OF FINANCIAL OPERATIONS The mission of the Office of Financial Operations (OFO) is to deliver timely and accurate financial reporting, analysis, and guidance that allows the Institute to pursue its programmatic goals and provide financial confidence in the organization. The OFO principally assists the organization's various programs and departments and its Board of Trustees by planning, organizing, and directing financial activities in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws as well as the standards set forth by the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). OFO promotes sound fiscal management through leadership, policy, and oversight. The OFO does this via its Guiding Principles: Accountability and Integrity- We take responsibility for our actions and work to leverage limited resources to deliver the greatest value possible. As stewards of the Institute's finances, we are committed to developing and managing a system of internal controls that provides confidence in the Institute's finances to both internal and external audiences. Excellence- We strive to be an initiative-taking group that establishes and achieves meaningful goals, measures performance, and communicates results. We value individual excellence and collective success. We serve as the focal point for the Institute's fiscal management, embracing opportunities for change and improvement while being accurate and timely with our work. Stakeholder Focus- We value and maintain strong partnerships in achieving our goals. We reach out and listen to our stakeholders to ensure that we are informed about their unique requirements, and they are informed about our capabilities as service providers. We are an organization-focused team, actively developing and providing new tools and support to meet the requirements of the organization. Workforce- We respect and value a highly skilled, enthusiastic, motivated, service-oriented, and diverse workforce. We encourage innovation and thoughtful problem solving. We invest in continuing professional development for all employees to ensure a technically competent and knowledgeable workforce. ABOUT THIS ROLE The Accounts Payable Specialist oversees all aspects of the employee travel and expense reimbursement program, ensuring accuracy, policy compliance, and efficient processing. This role serves as the primary point of contact for travel and expense inquiries, provides expert guidance to employees and managers, and delivers exceptional customer service to both internal staff and external vendors. The specialist manages system administration, supports process improvements, and collaborates closely with the Accounts Payable Supervisor, providing backup and support to the accounts payable team as needed. This position reports directly to the Accounts Payable Supervisor. The salary range for this position is $62,000 - $80,000. The expectation is for this role to be in our Washington D.C. office a minimum of 2x a week to collaborate with colleagues. WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Process employee reimbursements and corporate credit card payments via SAP Concur, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely completion.
- Review and verify reimbursement requests and credit card submissions for completeness, policy adherence, and proper approvals.
- Ensure accurate coding, documentation, and approvals for all submissions.
- Serve as the Concur admin, setting up new users, managing approval flows and user IDs, including AMEX and CapOne IDs for credit card users.
- Maintain Concur-related vendor IDs and ensure they are accurately updated and synced between Concur and NetSuite.
- Ensure daily syncing between Concur and NetSuite is successful.
- Provide supplemental Concur training to employees as needed.
- Serve as the primary lead for the organization's weekly Concur payments and reconciliation processes.
- Assist the corporate credit card account manager with delinquent accounts and other account reconciliation issues.
- Work closely with the Senior Reporting & Learning Specialist to maintain accurate training tools for Concur users.
- Serve as a subject matter expert on travel and expense policies; advise employees and managers on allowable expenses and travel procedures.
- Troubleshoot expense management system issues and coordinate with Concur support as needed.
- Respond to employee inquiries about reimbursements, credit card reconciliations, or policy clarifications.
- Conduct monthly reviews of 1099 vendor records to ensure correct country designation for each vendor.
- Provide exceptional customer service to both internal staff and external vendors.
- Assist the accounting team with special projects as needed.
- Remain knowledgeable in the duties of the Accounts Payable team and serve as a back up to the other team members.
- Provide back up support for the corporate credit card program administrator.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE
- 4 - 6 years of work experience performing travel and expense reimbursements, accounts payable processing, which includes performing responsibilities that involve processing invoices, and 1099s.
- Associate degree in Accounting or Business Administration, or equivalent combination of education and work experience required.
- An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
- Demonstrated attention to detail in performance of tasks, with ability to identify errors or missing information prior to processing of invoice or expense report.
- Track record of handling multiple tasks and maintaining perspective and positive can-do attitude.
- Excellent communication (written and verbal), organizational and interpersonal skills are essential.
- Working knowledge of general accounting principles.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Office, Excel and Word.
- Experience with NetSuite and/or Tipalti are a plus.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave. The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation regarding the accessibility of our website, a modification or adjustment of the job application or interview process due to a disability, contact ...@aspeninstitute.org or call (202) ###-####.