Accounts payable specialist

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

At adidas, we have a clear purpose: “Through sport, we have the power to change lives.” This guiding principle 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 behaviors 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 Specialist is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and compliance of vendor-related transactions within the Source to Pay – Accounts Payable process. The role goes beyond invoice postings, focusing on vendor account reconciliations, resolution of vendor queries, and validation of postings ensuring alignment with accounting principles and applicable regulations across the Americas.

By combining strong analytical skills with attention to detail, the AP Specialist supports the integrity of financial records, provides visibility on open items and root-causes, ensuring timely resolution of discrepancies with both internal stakeholders and external vendors.

As part of the operational excellence framework, the AP Analyst plays a key role in maintaining reliable vendor relationships, safeguarding compliance, and contributing to the continuous improvement of Accounts Payable KPIs. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Perform vendor account reconciliations, ensuring accuracy and timely resolution of open items, ensuring achievements of KPIs.
• Manage vendor query resolution, acting as the first point of contact to clarify discrepancies and provide solutions, ensuring achievements of KPIs.
• Validate postings executed by the processing team to ensure compliance with accounting principles and applicable regulations for the Americas, providing guidance on new exceptions and applicable rules.
• Review and follow up on critical supplier accounts to guarantee accuracy and integrity of AP records.
• Process urgent invoice postings to ensure timely payments and avoid business disruption.
• Conduct root cause analysis of complex cases, ensuring issues are resolved effectively and preventive actions are implemented.
• Support month-end closing activities as required.
• Prepare documentation for internal and external audits, ensuring compliance with company policies and accounting standards.
• Generate and analyse reports to provide insights on AP performance, vendor status, and key KPIs.
• Identify process improvement opportunities and support the implementation of best practices and technology solutions.

Key Relationships:

• Internal: local market finance teams, internal control, procurement teams, GPO and IT support.
• External: Vendors/suppliers, external auditors.
• Operational Partners: Delivery team (for invoice postings) business users (for GR/PO resolution).

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• University degree in Accounting, Commerce/Business Administration/Finance.
• +2 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.
• Experience with SAP and specific areas’ tools such as Concur, Ariba, FIP, APWF.
• Knowledge and experience applying problem solving methodologies.
• Experience in a GBS or Shared Service environment is a plus.
• Highly adaptable professional with strong interpersonal and customer-focused skills; connects easily across functions, levels, and cultures, and effectively drives collaboration in complex organizational settings.