The Role
Leads the accounts payable team and oversees invoice processing, vendor reconciliations, payment cycles, SOP governance, month-end close, expense MIS, statutory compliance, audits, and internal controls. The role manages 4–5 AP Business Partners, ensures accurate and timely payments, maintains audit-ready documentation, resolves vendor issues, and partners with finance, procurement, warehouse, and business teams in a high-volume FMCG/D2C environment.
Summary Generated by Built In
Role: Lead - Accounts Payables
Experience: 5+ years
Reports to : Financial Controller Location: Mumbai , Maharashtra
Who we are and Why we exist
At The Whole Truth, our mission is to ‘re-build the world’s trust in its food’. Consumers have lost faith in big food companies that hide behind misleading claims. We exist to change that—with honesty, simplicity, and unmissable storytelling.
We are India’s fi rst (and maybe only) 100% Clean Label food brand. That means we proudly declare every single ingredient on the front of the pack. But that’s not all…We don’t just make products. We build brand love. Loudly, proudly, and consistently—through content, community, and creative campaigns that break clutter. And now, we’re ready to scale that brand love even further—through smart, memorable, and well-placed media. That’s where you come in.
About the job:
At The Whole Truth Foods, transparency drives everything we do — including how we manage our fi nances. As Accounts Payable Lead, you'll be the backbone of our vendor and business fi nancial relationships, leading a team of AP Business Partners who act as trusted fi nance SPOCs for every business and operations function. You'll drive performance through disciplined invoice processing, clean and on-time payments, strong SOP governance, and an accurate, audit-ready expense MIS.
Key Responsibilities
1. Team Management & Business Partnering
● Manage a team of 4–5 AP Business Partners, each acting as functional SPOC for specifi c
business/operations teams.
● Ensure each team member is effectively resolving end-to-end AP queries for their aligned
stakeholders — invoice booking, vendor reconciliation, payment status, discrepancy
resolution.
● Set clear ownership, TATs, and quality standards; conduct regular 1:1s and performance
reviews.
● Build bench strength and cross-train the team so business continuity isn't dependent on a
single person per vertically.
● Drive cross-functional alignment with procurement, warehouse/ops, and business teams to
reduce recurring invoice/payment disputes at the source.
2. SOP Governance & Process Compliance
● Own and continuously improve AP SOPs covering invoice processing, vendor master
governance, PO/non-PO invoice workfl ows, TDS/GST compliance on vendor bills, and
payment approval matrices.
● Ensure the team adheres to defi ned SOPs consistently — no ad-hoc exceptions without
proper approval trail.
● Drive periodic SOP audits/spot checks across all SPOCs to catch process drift early.
● Standardize documentation and process notes across the team so processes aren't person
dependent.
3. Invoice Processing & Payments Oversight
● Ensure timely and accurate invoice booking across all vendor categories (raw material,
packaging, 3P/co-manufacturing, marketing, logistics, admin/opex).
● Oversee the payment cycle end-to-end: vendor due-date tracking, payment batch
preparation, approvals, and release — ensuring no missed due dates or duplicate/erroneous
payments.
● Monitor ageing of vendor payables and proactively fl ag/resolve overdue or blocked vendor
accounts.
● Ensure proper three-way matching (PO–GRN–Invoice) discipline is followed by the team.
● Review and approve high value/exception payments before release.
4. Month-End Close & Expense MIS
● Own the AP month-end close calendar — ensure all accruals, provisions, and vendor
invoice bookings are completed within the close timeline.
● Consolidate and review the expense MIS with accurate cost-center/department/SKU-level
tagging as required.
● Ensure completeness of the books — no missed liabilities, correct cut-off, and accurate
accrual reversals.
● Partner with the Business Finance/controllership team to explain variances in expense MIS
vs. budget/forecast.
● Ensure ledger scrutiny (vendor/GL) is completed and signed off before books are closed
each month.
5. Compliance, Audit & Controls
● Ensure GST input credit reconciliation, TDS compliance, and other statutory requirements
are met on all vendor payments.
● Be the primary point of contact for internal and statutory auditors on all AP-related queries;
ensure timely closure of audit observations.
● Maintain strong internal controls around vendor master creation/changes, payment
approvals, and segregation of duties.
● Ensure documentation (approvals, contracts, debit/credit notes) is complete and retrievable
for audit purposes.
Skills You Bring
● Strong hands-on knowledge of AP processes, invoice-to-pay cycle, and vendor accounting.
● Working knowledge of GST, TDS, and other statutory requirements applicable to vendor
payments.
● Experience managing month-end close and building & reviewing expense MIS.
● Strong people management skills — proven experience leading teams of 4+ members.
● Process orientation with the ability to build and enforce SOPs across a team.
● Strong Excel skills and hands-on experience with Tally ERP are a must; working
knowledge of SAP is an added advantage.
● Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills — comfortable interfacing
with business/ops leadership.
● Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-transaction-volume FMCG/D2C environment.
Qualifications
● A finance professional (B.Com/M.Com/CA-Inter/MBA Finance or equivalent) with 6–9
years of overall experience in Accounts Payable/Finance Operations, including 2–3 years
leading a team, preferably in a high-growth FMCG or consumer startup.
● Detail-obsessed, you love clean processes and bring structure to the team without slowing
the business down.
● Most importantly, you believe in transparency — in numbers, in intent, and in how vendors
and business partners should be treated.
Skills Required
- B.Com, M.Com, CA-Inter, MBA Finance, or equivalent finance qualification
- 6–9 years of overall experience in Accounts Payable or Finance Operations
- 2–3 years of experience leading a team
- Strong hands-on knowledge of accounts payable processes, invoice-to-pay cycles, and vendor accounting
- Working knowledge of GST, TDS, and statutory requirements for vendor payments
- Experience managing month-end close and expense MIS
- Strong Excel skills
- Hands-on experience with Tally ERP
- Working knowledge of SAP
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
- Experience in FMCG or consumer startups
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The Company
What We Do
The Whole Truth is an Indian clean-label food company focused on rebuilding consumers’ trust in food. It makes products whose ingredients are disclosed upfront, with a “nothing to hide” approach. Its range includes protein powders, plant proteins, protein and energy bars, muesli, and other nutrition products. The company emphasizes natural ingredients, transparency, and nutritional content across its food offerings for everyday consumers.
