Job Description

Regular/Temporary

Temporary

Job Title

Accounts Payable Specialist

Job ID

71878

Location

Central Campus

Open Date

09/15/2025

Job Type

Limited Term (>12 months)

Close Date

09/28/2025

Employee Group

Unifor Unit 1, Staff

Favorite Job

Department

UnivLibrary Central Administn

Salary Grade/Band

Grade 7

Salary Range

$25.70 - $39.89 (hourly)

Contract Duration

12.2 Months

Hours per Week

35

Posting Details

Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm

Education Level

College Diploma

Career Level

3+ years of experience

Should the successful applicant be a Unifor Unit 1 bargaining unit member, who meets the eligibility conditions of Article 19.02 of the Unifor Unit 1 Collective Agreement, then the Limited Term Assignment will be defined as a Career Growth Opportunity in accordance with Article 19 of the Unifor Local 5555 Unit 1 Collective Agreement.



McMaster University Libraries is looking for an Accounts Payable Specialist for up to 12 months.



JD 1574

General Description:

Applies specialized knowledge and understanding of institutional policies and procedures to ensure compliance with University policies, guidelines, and Provincial and Federal legislation. Performs final review, validation, and approval of all payments and reimbursements. Analyzes, records, classifies, and summarizes accounts payable data according to established procedures. This role is responsible for mitigating risk exposure to the University by ensuring CRA regulations (HST and Income tax compliance) are met. Demonstrates initiative and awareness with regards to fraudulent transactions, while exercising situational diplomacy.

Representative Duties and Responsibilities:

Receive, verify, scrutinize, process and approve for payments various documents such as invoices, non-purchase and purchase order vouchers, expense reports, advances, petty cash, drafts, international wires, credit card reconciliation, debit memos, electronic fund transfers and deposits. Verify that transactions comply with University policies, guidelines, and procedures and provide guidance to the McMaster community on the use of financial systems and forms. Analyze requests for payment and reimbursement and assess for reasonableness and accuracy. Ensure requests that are in conflict with University policies or provincial and federal government legislation are returned to the submitter/requester for revision/correction or denied. Exercise appropriate internal controls including but not limited to awareness of pontential fraud and understanding appropriate protocols. Ensure appropriate tax applicability to support remittance to Revenue Canada and issuance of T4A/T4ANR slips by Accounts Payable. Processing and validating HST information in compliance with CRA legislation and university policies and procedures. Ensure timely and accurate payments to suppliers and non-suppliers while ensuring the most advantageous terms are applied to maximize positive cash flow and support financial success at McMaster. Responsible for processing, control and maintenance of commitments. Initiate and run a variety of pay cycles and voucher build processes. Investigate and resolve all related issues. Assist with internal and external audits and respond to auditor inquiries. Perform various analyses and reconciliations of accounts. Investigate and resolve discrepancies and errors. Share lessons learned to enhance efficiencies within Accounts Payable and throughout the McMaster community. Monitor and reconcile statements and participate in the reconciliation of accounts and daily transaction balancing. Update, maintain, search and verify information in a variety of databases. Apply mathematical skills such as calculations, formulas, and equations to perform a variety of cross checks and reconciliations. Receive, research, and resolve a variety of complex internal and external inquiries via telephone, email, and in person that are specific in nature and require a specialized knowledge of relevant policies and procedures and regulatory and legislated requirements. Perform year-end processes, including balancing and reporting where applicable, in accordance with established guidelines. Review, validate and track payments and deliverables. Maintain all appropriate documentation supporting accounts payable and supplier payments in an organized and orderly manner to support tax, audit, and any other statutory requirements. Process and troubleshoot cheques. Sort and distribute outgoining cheques and incoming mail.

Supervision:

Provide direction to others in how to carry out work tasks. Ensure adherence to quality standards and procedures for short-term staff.

Qualifications:

2 year Community College diploma in Accounting or a related field of study. Requires 3 years of relevant experience.

The anticipated start date for this position is November 3, 2025.

How To Apply

To apply for this job, please submit your application online.

Employment Equity Statement

McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and within the lands protected by the "Dish With One Spoon" wampum agreement.


The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity.


The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from indigenous (First Nations, Metis or Inuit) peoples, members of racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women, and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.


As part of McMaster's commitment, all applicants are invited to complete a confidential Applicant Diversity Survey through the online application submission process. The Survey questionnaire requests voluntary self-identification in relation to equity-seeking groups that have historically faced and continue to face barriers in employment. Please refer to the Applicant Diversity Survey - Statement of Collection for additional information.


Job applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact:

Human Resources Service Centre at 905-525-9140 ext. 222-HR (22247), or Faculty of Health Sciences HR Office at ext. 22207, or School of Graduate Studies at ext. 23679

to communicate accommodation needs.

Hybrid Work Language

To ensure an ongoing and vibrant University community that meets the needs of our students, staff and faculty and supports the University mission, ability to work on-site continues to be a requirement for most University positions. The University is supportive of exploring flexible work arrangements that effectively balance operational needs and employee interests.

Interview Experience

At McMaster University, we believe in a comprehensive and inclusive interview process. Our interview methods encompass a variety of approaches that allow our hiring teams to provide a flexible and accessible experience for engaging with our candidates. Throughout your recruitment process at McMaster, you may be requested to participate in a variety of formats, that may include in-person, virtual or recorded interviews. If you have any questions as you move through the hiring process, please reach out to talent@mcmaster.ca or the HR contact associated with your position of interest.