Accounts Payable & Travel Expense Manager

<div>Hermeus is a venture-backed defense aviation company reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping to build the fastest aircraft in the world today. By prioritizing relentless hardware iteration, we deliver high-speed systems at the pace of the modern battlefield. We work with the Department of War to provide the high-speed capabilities our nation and its allies need to maintain a durable, asymmetric advantage.</div><h3>About the Role</h3><div> <p>The&nbsp;<strong>AP/T&amp;E Manager</strong> will own and scale the full Accounts Payable and Travel &amp; Expense functions in a high-growth environment. This role is responsible for building efficient, automated, and compliant processes that can handle increasing transaction volume, support multiple government contracts, and prepare the company for further scaling.</p> </div><h3>Responsibilities</h3><div> <li><strong>Own End-to-End AP Operations</strong>: Manage invoice intake, three-way matching, coding, approval workflows, payment execution (ACH, wire, checks), vendor reconciliations, and aging management to ensure timely and accurate payments.</li> <li><strong>Lead T&amp;E Program</strong>: Administer corporate card programs, expense policy enforcement, review and approval of expense reports (using tools like Ramp, Concur, or similar), and employee reimbursements.</li> <li><strong>Scale Processes for Growth</strong>: Design and implement scalable workflows, automation (OCR, workflow tools, AI-assisted matching), and system integrations to handle growth. Prepare for and support internal/external audits.</li> <li><strong>Vendor &amp; Relationship Management</strong>: Maintain strong vendor relationships, negotiate payment terms and discounts, resolve disputes, and manage 1099/Misc reporting.</li> <li><strong>Month End Close Reporting &amp; Analysis</strong>: Book AP journal entries and perform reconciliations for month end close. Provide AP/T&amp;E metrics and insights (aging reports, cash flow forecasting, spend analytics) to leadership.</li> <li><strong>Team Leadership &amp; Development</strong>: Build and mentor a high-performing AP/T&amp;E team as the company grows (hiring, training, performance management).</li> <li><strong>Continuous Improvement</strong>: Identify and drive process automation, policy updates, and system enhancements to increase efficiency and visibility.</li> <li><strong>CAS &amp; Government Compliance</strong>: Ensure AP and T&amp;E processes support CAS standards (e.g., proper cost accumulation, segregation of direct/indirect costs, treatment of unallowable costs) and DCAA audit readiness. Ensure compliance with FAR/CAS rules on allowable/unallowable travel costs.</li> </div><h3>Requirements</h3><div> <ul type="disc"> <li><strong>Experience</strong>: 6+ years in Accounts Payable and T&amp;E, with at least 3–4 years in a managerial role. Prior experience in a high-growth company or government contracting environment is strongly preferred.</li> <li><strong>Systems &amp; Automation</strong>: Hands-on experience implementing or optimizing AP/T&amp;E tools (e.g., NetSuite, Ramp, Concur, or similar). Proven track record of driving automation and process improvement in scaling environments.</li> <li><strong>Education &amp; Certifications</strong>: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required.</li> <li><strong>Skills</strong>: Strong project management and change management abilities. Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous startup environment while maintaining compliance rigor.</li> <li><strong>Leadership</strong>: Demonstrated success building or scaling an AP/T&amp;E team.</li> </ul></div>