Accounts Payable: Senior Operations Manager - req# 33717

The University of New Mexico, Office of the University Controller, also known as Financial Services, located on Main Campus is responsible for all central accounting functions for the University.

It is the responsibility of the Controller's Office to ensure compliance with all financial policies, rules, and regulations adopted by the University or imposed by external agencies, including state and federal audit requirements, following generally accepted accounting practices. Additionally, the Organization oversees the maintenance of the official financial records of the University.

Within Financials Services is the Accounts Payable Department (A/P) which has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Operations Manager!

Accounts Payable is seeking a dedicated and dependable individual to join their team as a Senior Operations Manager. The department is responsible for all University non-payroll, non-financial aid disbursements. These include payments to vendors, employees, and students using purchase orders and Chrome River expense reports.

The Senior Operations Manager is a key leadership role responsible in overseeing strategic, operational, and administrative functions within the Accounts Payable department of University of New Mexico (UNM). This position plays a vital role in ensuring compliance with internal policies, state procurement regulations, and federal tax laws while leading critical functions such as reporting, vendor onboarding, and Procurement Card (PCard) exception management.

The Senior Operations Manager provides strategic advice and recommendations to executive leadership in the development, implementation, and evaluation of operating policies and procedures. This role includes the design and implementation of internal reporting systems and administrative processes, ensuring efficiency and regulatory compliance across operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic & Operational Oversight:
  Leads the planning, coordination, and execution of programs and projects aligned with the university’s operational goals. Advises leadership on the impact and effectiveness of policies and recommends improvements.
• Internal Reporting & Compliance:
  Analyzes and manages reporting processes essential to UNM’s tax compliance. Reviews Purchase Orders, Chrome River transactions, and Direct Pay Invoices to determine IRS reportable payments such as Non-Employee Compensation, Rent, Royalties, Medical, and Legal Services.
• PCard Exception Review:
  Manages the PCard Exception Review Process to ensure transaction compliance with UNM policy, the State Procurement Code, and applicable regulations. Evaluates exception requests and verifies the adequacy of supporting documentation.
• Vendor Onboarding:
  Oversees the vendor onboarding process to ensure new suppliers meet UNM’s standards and procurement requirements. Monitors team performance, manages escalations, and validates critical vendor information.
• Team Leadership & Supervision:
  Provides day-to-day leadership to administrative personnel. Monitors task completion for accuracy and compliance, offers guidance, and supports staff development. Ensures operational consistency and fosters a high-performance team environment.

This position requires strong analytical capabilities, a deep understanding of regulatory and financial requirements, and a commitment to continuous process improvement. The Senior Operations Manager is a key contributor to organizational efficiency, risk mitigation, and operational excellence at UNM.

The ideal candidate should possess excellent customer service skills and the flexibility to adapt to shifting daily priorities. Accounts Payable is looking for someone who works well with others and is eager to learn new skills. The preferred candidate will be a self-starter with strong interpersonal abilities, an eye for detail, and the capability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines. Effective organization, coordination, and the ability to manage multiple concurrent activities will be key to success in this role.

Why Join Us?

At UNM, you’ll be part of a diverse and vibrant community dedicated to academic excellence and student success. UNM is one of the top employers in New Mexico and offers great benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, discounts for sporting and other events, retirement plans, as well as generous leave allowances including paid parental leave.

If you’re a dynamic, self-motivated individual, we encourage you to apply and help build on University Services team success!

Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's education, experience, and qualifications.

This position is on-site Monday-Friday.

See the Position Description for additional information.

• Identified positions in this classification may require specialized certification in an area of competency, depending on the specific needs of the designated role.

Bachelor's degree; at least 5 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

• Experience with working in/with a Purchasing card program
• Experience with data entry and uploading of electronic information into systems
• Experience with IRS 1099 and 1042 requirements
• Experience with W-9/W-8BEN certifications, IRS and governmental validation forms, and document research methods and results
• Experience communicating effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Experience understanding and applying University policies and procedures and Federal/State financial regulations
• Experience with research, using analytical and critical thinking skills
• Experience using independent judgment
• Experience managing and protecting confidential information

Only applications submitted throughthe official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this jobadvertisement on a 3rd party site, pleasevisit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.