StS Settlements Support Specialist

Job Description

Position Overview

Our Global Business Solutions (GBS) organization is responsible for the design, governance and execution of global processes. Within GBS, the Source to Settle (StS) organization is responsible for ensuring employee purchase orders and supplier invoices and payments are processed timely and efficiently.  The StS process includes: Vendor Master Data setup, Supplier Onboarding, Purchasing, Invoicing, Settlements and the StS Support. 

Reporting to the Manager, StS Settlements, the Specialist, StS Settlements Support is primarily accountable for the end-to-end resolution of failed payments. The position will be part of the Settlements Support team based in Prague, Czech Republic. The Specialist will be responsible for managing failed payment cases for the assigned scope of markets, ensuring timely action, clear communication and accurate documentation. The role requires a strong sense of ownership, curiosity, integrity and collaboration, with technical and process knowledge further developed through training and on-the-job experience. 

The role will focus on investigating payment failures, identifying root causes such as bank detail issues, account closures or account name mismatches, coordinating with Business Partners and internal stakeholders, and driving cases through to successful reprocessing or write-off in accordance with compliance requirements, global process design and relevant controls. 

In addition to failed payment resolution, the Specialist will also support the execution of Settlements processes as required, helping ensure payment activities are completed timely and accurately in accordance with Settlements SOX controls and collaborating with regional and global Settlements colleagues to maintain a globally consistent way of working.

Position Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Own and manage failed payment cases end-to-end until resolution 

• Monitor and act on daily failed payment reports and related case queues 

• Perform root cause analysis on failed payment cases to identify underlying issues and prevent recurrence 

• Update internal case management tools and maintain accurate, complete and timely case documentation 

• Communicate professionally and clearly with Business Partners to obtain corrected banking details, confirmations or supporting information 

• Follow up persistently and appropriately with Business Partners and, where needed, PO owners or other internal contacts to achieve resolution 

• Collaborate with Vendor Master Data, Supplier Onboarding, SOA, SRD, PO owners, IT and other stakeholders to resolve process defects and data issues 

• Escalate blockers early and proactively when resolution depends on other teams or approvals 

• Ensure each case has a clear end point, either successful payment or approved write-off, in line with company governance 

• Support the preparation of cases for write-off where no resolution can be achieved after required attempts 

• Execute required Settlements activities as needed to support the team’s broader operational workload 

• Execute required Settlements and support controls, including relevant SOX controls, where applicable 

• Adhere to the global process design, policies, compliance requirements and ethical standards 

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of knowledge articles, templates and training materials 

• Help ensure global documentation remains accurate, complete and aligned to operational practice and market requirements 

• Identify recurring issues and improvement opportunities and support continuous improvement initiatives 

• Support testing and validation of system enhancements or process changes 

• Maintain a strong focus on service quality, partner experience and operational effectiveness 

• Collaborate with regional and global colleagues to ensure a consistent approach across markets 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related fields preferred 

• Minimum of 2 years of demonstrated work experience within a General Accounting and/or Finance Shared Services, and/or Source to Settle area 

• Fluency in English required 

• Strong understanding of StS activities, and surrounding processes 

• Demonstrated ability to perform root cause analysis, resolve complex payment issues and drive corrective actions to closure 

• Proven ability to learn quickly, adapt to changing priorities and apply new knowledge effectively in a controlled process environment 

• Experience in process design and improvement 

• Excellent attention to detail, problem-solving and analytical skills a must 

• Strong technical understanding of our systems to enable resolution of complex issues 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills 

• Strong organization and time management skills required 

• Continuous improvement mindset 

• Customer focused and results driven 

• Demonstrates initiative 

• Effectively work in a team environment – including sharing knowledge and expertise, and giving and receiving feedback, to enable a high performing team 

Technical Skills Requirements 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Apps (Excel, Word, PowerPoint at a minimum) required 

• Strong organizational skills 

• Strong written and verbal skills enabling effective communication 

• Strong root cause analysis, problem-solving and analytical skills with the ability to identify trends and recurring defects 

• Ability to operate independently and remain focused through change or uncertainty 

• Strong customer service mindset 

• SAP and Ariba experience required 

What we offer:

• Exciting work in a great team, global projects, international environment
• Opportunity to learn and grow professionally within the company globally
• Hybrid working model, flexible role pattern
• Pension and health insurance contributions
• Internal reward system plus referral program
• 5 weeks annual leave, 5 sick days, 15 days of certified sick leave paid above statutory requirements annually, 40 paid hours annually for volunteering activities, 12 weeks of parental contribution
• Cafeteria for tax free benefits according to your choice (meal vouchers, sport, culture, health, travel, etc.), Multisport Card
• Vodafone, Raiffeisen Bank, Foodora, and other discount programs
• Up-to-date laptop and iPhone
• Parking in the garage for drivers or showers for bikers
• Competitive salary, incentive pay, and many more

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

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Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

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