Accounts Payable Manager

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing AI tech-enabled startup in the nuclear and energy space, pioneering a fleet-scale approach to building the next generation of nuclear reactors. Through our design-once, build-many model, we're accelerating the deployment of safe, reliable, and affordable nuclear energy.

We operate with an AI-first mindset. Every employee is expected to leverage AI, technology, and the Nuclear Operating System (NOS) as integral components of their role to improve the quality, speed, and impact of their work. We expect every team member to continuously identify opportunities to automate workflows, enhance decision-making, improve processes, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of NOS as a strategic operating capability that enables The Nuclear Company to scale with excellence.

We hire people who are driven by purpose, thrive in ambiguity, and are energized by building what has never been built before. Our team combines intellectual curiosity with high agency, embraces candid feedback and continuous learning, and holds themselves and others to exceptional standards. Our values—Transparency, Responsibility, Unity, Scrappiness, and Tenacity—guide how we hire, collaborate, and make decisions every day. They are not words on a wall; they are the standard by which we operate. TRUST is the foundation of our safety culture, fostering intellectual honesty, accountability, and open communication, while our values challenge every team member to execute with urgency, humility, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to our mission.

About the role

The Accounts Payable Manager will play a critical, hands-on role in building and running the company’s accounts payable operations as The Nuclear Company continues to grow. As the first dedicated AP resource, this position will own the end-to-end payables process, invoice processing, payment execution, vendor management, expense and corporate card administration, reconciliations, and AP close with a strong focus on accuracy, timeliness, financial controls, and fraud prevention.

Working closely with Accounting, Procurement, Treasury, and business leaders, the Accounts Payable Manager will design, implement, and scale the processes, controls, automation, and reporting the function needs. As the organization moves into construction-phase activity, this individual will stand up the project payables infrastructure—purchase order workflows, contractor payment processes, retainage, and compliance documentation required to support significantly higher volume and complexity.

Note: This is a hybrid position based in our downtown Columbia, South Carolina office. The role has been posted in Charlotte and surrounding markets for visibility, as the hybrid schedule may make the commute workable for candidates living outside the immediate Columbia area. Candidates should be within commuting distance of Columbia or open to relocation.

Role Responsibilities

• Accounts Payable Operations: Own the end-to-end AP process across a multi-entity structure, including invoice processing, coding, approvals, payment execution, intercompany payables, account reconciliation, and resolution of invoice or payment discrepancies, ensuring accuracy and timely execution.
• Procure-to-Pay Design: Partner with Procurement to build and administer scalable purchase order workflows—PO policy, approval routing, match thresholds, and receiving—so payables keep pace with contract-driven and construction-phase spend.
• Vendor Management: Own vendor onboarding and master data, including W-9/1099 compliance, banking detail verification, and supporting documentation; respond to payment and account inquiries and resolve discrepancies.
• Payment Processing & Fraud Prevention: Manage payment cycles in accordance with vendor terms, contractual requirements, internal approvals, and company policies; design and enforce payment fraud controls, including banking-change verification, positive pay, and payment release protocols.
• Expense & Card Administration: Administer the travel, expense, and corporate card program, ensuring transactions are appropriately documented, coded, and approved.
• Construction & Project Payables: Build and run construction-phase payables workflows ahead of site activity—pay applications, retainage tracking, lien waivers, and contractor compliance documentation—in coordination with Project teams and Procurement.
• Month-End & Year-End Close: Own AP-related close activities, including accruals, account reconciliations, intercompany settlement support, adjustments, and supporting schedules required for accurate and timely financial reporting.
• Internal Controls & Audit Support: Design and maintain effective controls, procedures, and documentation across AP, including segregation-of-duties design with the Controller; provide AP-related schedules and documentation in support of internal and external audits.
• AP Reporting, Automation & Systems: Use AI tools and automation to drive touchless invoice processing, exception-based review, and clear visibility into outstanding payables and payment activity.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Partner closely with Accounting, FP&A, Treasury, Procurement, Legal, and business teams to resolve issues, support vendor and contractual requirements, and ensure payables activity aligns with broader business needs.

Required Experience

• Experience: 6+ years of progressive accounts payable, accounting, or related finance experience, including experience owning or managing core accounts payable activities.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience in lieu of a degree.
• Accounts Payable Expertise: Strong hands-on experience across the full AP lifecycle—invoice processing, coding and approvals, payment execution, vendor management, account reconciliation, and discrepancy resolution—including experience in multi-entity or intercompany environments.
• Accounting Knowledge: Strong understanding of GAAP and the relationship between accounts payable, expenses, cash, and the general ledger, including experience supporting month-end close, accruals, and account reconciliations.
• Systems: Proficiency with modern cloud ERP required, with hands-on NetSuite experience strongly preferred, along with strong Excel skills.
• AI & Automation Fluency: Demonstrated use of AI tools and automation in daily work, with experience implementing automated workflows (invoice capture, coding, approvals, reconciliations) that scale operations without proportional headcount growth.

Nice to Have

• Start-up or high-growth company experience, particularly building or scaling a finance function
• Construction or project-based payables experience, including pay applications, retainage, lien waivers, and contractor compliance documentation
• Power, energy, utility, or other regulated industry experience
• Experience administering T&E and corporate card platforms and their ERP integrations
• Experience implementing AP automation or invoice capture platforms integrated with ERPs
• Experience with 1099 reporting and sales/use tax considerations on purchases
• Experience supporting financial audits and strengthening internal controls and documentation within accounts payable
• CPA or CMA certification is a plus, but not required

Benefits

• Competitive compensation packages
• 401k with company match
• Medical, dental, vision plans
• Generous vacation policy, plus holidays

Estimated Starting Salary Range
The estimated starting salary range for this role is $118,000 - $140,000 annually less applicable withholdings and deductions, paid on a bi-weekly basis. The actual salary offered may vary based on relevant factors as determined in the Company’s discretion, which may include experience, qualifications, tenure, skill set, availability of qualified candidates, geographic location, certifications held, and other criteria deemed pertinent to the particular role. 

EEO Statement
The Nuclear Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an environment of inclusion in the workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, and termination.