SR ANALYST ACCOUNTS PAYABLE - SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT (SME)

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

At adidas, we have a clear purpose: “Through sport, we have the power to change lives.” This guiding principal shapes how we operate as a company, how we collaborate with our partners, how we create our products, and how we connect with our consumers. Our values represent essential behaviours and mindsets, reflecting the “You Got This” attitude we strive to see in every team member.

This same purpose and mindset are at the heart of Global Business Services (GBS) the team that delivers consistent, end-to-end business solutions across adidas. By driving process excellence and operational efficiency, GBS enables our partners to focus on what matters most: creating impact.

Within GBS, the Accounts Payable SME is responsible for supporting improvement initiatives, implementing quality controls, and ensuring their execution within accounts payable area aimed to improve KPIs, also acts as the main contact for the Area GPO team, the GBS Delivery Excellence team, and the GBS Global Hub.

By applying strong problem-solving skills, the AP SME ensures that root causes are identified and that corrective actions are effectively implemented.

As the process expert, the AP SME is accountable for supporting key account reconciliations, driving timely reviews and follow-ups for critical supplier accounts, and preparing analytical reports to provide visibility for users (markets), vendors, and senior stakeholders within the Source to Pay – Accounts Payable organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the identification, prioritization, and execution of productivity initiatives delivering cost optimization, FTE efficiency, and backlog reduction.
• Drive process simplification, standardization, and automation. Applying problem-solving methodologies to identify root causes and implement corrective actions that address issues sustainably.
• Implement best practices, benchmarks, and innovative solutions to optimize service delivery.
• Drive improvements for Payment on Time indicator, identify root causes and integral action plan to achieve the target.
• Drive improvements in reconciliation processes and reduction of open items to achieve defined targets.
• Serve as the process expert, providing guidance, training and expertise across Accounts Payable activities to accounts payable specialists and stakeholders.
• Support key account reconciliations to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Lead timely reviews and follow-ups on critical supplier accounts to minimize risks and maintain strong vendor relationships.
• Deliver ad hoc reports to local Finance teams to support analysis, decision-making, and operational visibility.
• Engage with local users across Americas to support APWFs, Goods Receipts (GRs) and Purchase Orders (POs) resolution and with Processing team to support timely and accurate invoice processing.

 Key Relationships:

• Internal: GPO, GBS Delivery Excellence team, local market finance teams, procurement teams, and IT support.
• External: Vendors/suppliers and other third-party stakeholders related to Accounts Payable.
• Operational Partners: Delivery team (for invoice postings) business users (for GR/PO resolution), Vendor query resolution team.

 Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• University degree in Accounting, Commerce/Business Administration/Finance.
• +4 years’ relevant work experience in the AP area.
• Fluent in English and Spanish; Portuguese is a plus.
• Broad and deep theoretical understanding of job function. Strong financial acumen and AP and T&E experience.
• Solid experience with SAP and specific areas’ tools such as Concur, Ariba, FIP, APWF.
• Solid knowledge and experience applying problem solving methodologies.
• E2E of procurement process knowledge and respective interactions with other teams.
• Experience in a GBS or Shared Service environment.
• Solid interpersonal skills combined with a high degree of customer orientation; can navigate easily within complex organizations, connect with a variety functions, audiences, management styles, or cultures.
• Highly driven results and self-motivated team player with compassion, integrity, trust and perseverance.
• Curious and growth mindset; keen to learn and approach subjects outside of comfort zone, look beyond the obvious.