Sr. Associate – Accounts Payable

At Alcon, we are driven by the meaningful work we do to help people see brilliantly. We innovate boldly, champion progress, and act with speed as the global leader in eye care. Here, you’ll be recognized for your commitment and contributions and see your career like never before. Together, we go above and beyond to make an impact on the lives of our patients and customers. Are you ready to join us?

We foster an inclusive culture and are looking for diverse, talented people to join Alcon. The Sr. Associate - Accounts Payable executes and continuously improves Accounts Payable processes through data-driven analytics and automation, including AI-enabled solutions. This role strengthens invoice processing efficiency, enhances the control environment, and drives intelligent automation through advanced analytics while reinforcing core business processes and sustainable long-term solutions. This role supports North America FRA Process Excellence Operations and partners with AP senior managers, managers, and supervisors across invoice processing, pay runs, reporting, inquiry management, and T&E activities.

In this role, a typical day will include:

Service Delivery:

• Transforms recurring exceptions into preventable issues, creates visibility through clear KPIs and change logs, builds reusable SOPs and knowledge materials, and helps teams adopt stronger ways of working through training, storytelling, and practical tools.
• Resolves invoice, payment, and expense discrepancies, as well as vendor and employee inquiries, by partnering across Finance, Procurement, Master Data, and Tax, and owns issues through closure while documenting sustainable fixes.
• Fosters a culture centered on responsive, high-quality customer service.
• Collaborates effectively with key stakeholders, business partners, and accounting and audit authorities.
• Maintains strong organization by tracking actions, decisions, and lessons learned to support continuous improvement.
• Raises issues promptly, follows them through to closure, validates outcomes, and implements preventive actions to avoid recurrence.
• Maintains documentation and audit trails that support tax reporting outputs and ensure clear traceability across source transactions, system logic, and filed forms.

Data-Driven Analytics & Insights:

• Analyzes AP transactional data, including invoices, purchase orders, and GR/IR, to identify processing bottlenecks, rework drivers such as MRBR blocks, tolerance failures, and unit-of-measure mismatches, as well as duplicate or erroneous payments.
• Performs root cause analysis on blocked invoices, vendor discrepancies, and audit findings to identify sustainable solutions.
• Translates data insights into practical, actionable process improvements that strengthen efficiency and control.

AI Agent & Prompt Engineering:

• Continuously evaluates internal and external AI capabilities and supports the Senior Manager in identifying opportunities to improve accuracy through prompt optimization and feedback loops.
• Partners with IT and automation teams to integrate AI agents into AP workflows in a controlled and value-driven way.

Delivering Results Through the Team:

• Ensures the team completes reconciliations accurately and submits them on time.
• Ensures vendor and employee payments are processed accurately and on time.
• Ensures the completeness and quality of the team’s work and manages escalations appropriately.
• Builds strong engagement within the team and across key stakeholders and business partners.

Audit & Compliance:

• Ensures adherence to internal controls and audit requirements.
• Supports audit requests with data-backed documentation and clear traceability.
• Recommends enhancements that align with automation and AI capabilities.
• Maintains a clear distinction between manual and system- or AI-driven activities to support audit transparency.
• Leads team adoption of global tools while monitoring performance and actively contributing to the global governance strategy.

People Management:

• Serves as a role model by prioritizing financial accuracy, tool adoption, a speak-up culture, and a mindset of continuous improvement.
• Provides direction and oversight to a diverse team responsible for high-quality service delivery.
• Identifies resource risks and capability gaps and provides leaders with insights to support effective remediation strategies.

What You Will Bring to Alcon:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent years of directly related experience (or high school +13 yrs; Assoc.+9 yrs; M.S.+2 yrs; PhD+1 yr)
• The ability to fluently read, write, understand, and communicate in English
• 5 Years of Relevant Experience
• 3 Years of Demonstrated Leadership

Other Key Responsibilities:

• Works effectively under strict deadlines while maintaining accuracy and quality.
• Demonstrates strong people management skills, including constructive feedback and performance management.
• Brings a positive attitude and a strong focus on continuous process improvement.
• Demonstrates strong SOX knowledge and a clear understanding of accounting internal controls and audit requirements.
• Builds strong collaborative relationships and influences effectively across functions.
• Demonstrates excellent MS Office skills and strong SAP knowledge.
• Acts with the highest integrity and models Alcon values and behaviors, including collaboration, results orientation, and quality.
• Brings strong knowledge and experience in Financial Reporting & Accounting (A2P), business partnering, and compliance and control.
• Strong SAP experience, including ECC or S/4HANA and Accounts Payable processes
• Minimum 5+ years of relevant experience in an outsourcing or shared services organization is essential.

How You Can Thrive at Alcon:

• Collaborate with teammates to share standard processes and findings as work evolves.
• See your career like never before with focused growth and development opportunities.
• Join Alcon’s mission to provide outstanding, innovative products and solutions to improve sight, improve lives, and grow your career!
• Alcon provides a robust benefits package including health, life, retirement, flexible time off, and much more!

See your impact at: alcon.com/careers

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ALCON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PARTICIPATES IN E-VERIFY

Alcon takes pride in maintaining an inclusive environment that values different perspectives and our policies are non-discriminatory in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Alcon is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an email to [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.