Accounts Payable CV Example
Achieving success with your accounts payable officer applications requires a strong, compelling CV that gives your skills and career achievements a chance to shine. You'll want to focus on key responsibilities that are essential for the role and match your experience, such as reconciling supplier account statements and authorising timely payment runs. In this article, you'll discover all the advice you'll need for writing an accounts payable CV that sets you apart from the crowd and boosts your chances of success.
A stronger, more engaging accounts payable CV gives you the best chance of success. It can help you pass the ATS CV screening stage and impress the recruiter or hiring manager, increasing your prospects of reaching the interview stage. Let’s break down the core components of a CV and examine how to build them effectively.
Key sections for an accounts payable CV
Your approach to creating your winning accounts payable CV will differ depending on your experience, your seniority and the details listed in the job description.
If you're just starting out in your career, it's likely you won't have much work experience to showcase on your CV. As such, you'll want to flesh out your skills and achievements through other sections of your CV. As such, adopt a functional (or skills-based) CV format that places skills and education above the work experience section in the order of the document. Use sections like volunteer work, internships and hobbies and interests to showcase your skills, as long as they're relevant to the job description.
If you've got some relevant work experience, you'll want your CV to show the reader exactly how you've used your skills to good effect in the workplace up to now. Employers and recruiters will be drawn to your work experience for an indication of the impact you've had in previous roles. In this case, it's best to use a reverse-chronological CV format that places work experience as the main section under your header and CV summary. Mention your most recent and relevant employments and use bullet points under each job entry to show your skills and achievements, providing evidence in the form of data, figures and other metrics wherever possible.
As a senior candidate with a wealth of relevant experience, it's important that your CV showcases your reputation within your industry. Employers will be looking for candidates with the expertise, industry standing and track record to lead a team or organisation. As such, opt for a detailed reverse-chronological CV structure that can adequately showcase the quality and depth of your work experience. You could also add awards, publications, achievements and professional memberships to provide an indication of your standing and reputation.
However, at any stage of your career, an accounts payable CV serves as a professional biography that must clearly illustrate your career trajectory. To help you tell that story effectively, we will now break down the document piece-by-piece, starting with your contact header and moving through the key pieces of your professional path.
CV Header
Start your accounts payable CV with a header that features subtle, professional design elements and sets the tone for the document. Add your name, email address, phone number and location (your full address isn't normally needed). Additionally, including your LinkedIn profile as a URL can be useful, as it will help the reader to quickly and easily access further information about your career and credentials.
For UK applications, it's not usually a good idea to add a personal photo or any other personal details, such as your age, gender, nationality or ethnicity. These can risk introducing bias to the selection process and, as such, are often discouraged in job adverts under the terms of the Equality Act 2010.
Patricia Anderson
patricia-anderson@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
Bristol
linkedin․com/in/patricia–anderson–123
CV Summary or Objective
Underneath your contact information, write a brief CV summary or CV objective to introduce yourself and highlight a few key skills and qualities. This can help the employer to quickly form a first impression on your suitability for the accounts payable officer role. While the CV summary focuses on your key skills and achievements, a CV objective highlights your career ambitions, making it more suitable for junior candidates.
For either a CV summary or an objective, aim for a length of two or three sentences. Showcase a few key skills, personal qualities and career achievements or ambitions, always reviewing the job description as you write, to show how you fulfil the requirements of the role.
A good CV summary will highlight one or two key skills that match those listed in the job description, and show how you've put them to good use in your career to date. You'll want to set yourself apart from other candidates by focusing on unique qualities or particular areas of strength that have shaped your career to date. Here's an example of an effective accounts payable CV summary, with evidence of your impact and neat, well-structured sentences:
Strong example:
Accounts payable specialist with five years’ experience managing invoice processing and supplier accounts. Achieved a 30% reduction in overdue invoices through automated payment workflows. Holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
Worst practice example:
Motivated accounts payable professional with extensive experience in invoice processing and supplier account management seeking to support finance teams with strong organisational skills and a focus on payment cycles.
Above is an example of CV summary that doesn't follow best practice, with some subtle shortcomings and failings. An ineffective summary might be vague or generic, failing to highlight specific personal qualities that help you stand out and failing to address the requirements specified in the job description. They might also lack firm evidence of your skills, and be structured with long, hard-to-read sentences.
Work Experience
The work experience section of a CV is usually the most important part. Employers look for evidence of how you've developed and used your skills to good effect in your career to date, as an indication of your likely future performance. It's crucial to tailor your work experience section to match the requirements listed in the job description, using keywords and phrases so employers can easily see how well you fit the role and organisation.
Add your most relevant previous jobs, including the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Below each entry, include several bullet points showcasing your skills and explaining how you used these to achieve positive results.
To differentiate your work experience section from other candidates, include action verbs and quantifiable evidence that showcases the impact you made. Show your career progression through the skills you developed and used in each role. See below for an example of a strong work experience section for an accounts payable CV.
Strong example:
Accounts Payable Specialist, January 2023 - Present
Cambridge Financial Services Ltd, Cambridge
- Reduced invoice processing time by 40% through implementing automated three-way matching procedures.
- Established vendor reconciliation process that eliminated 95% of unmatched transactions within monthly reporting cycle.
- Negotiated early payment discounts saving £50k annually and strengthened supplier relationships across multi-site operations.
Worst practice example:
Accounts Payable Specialist, January 2023 - Present
Cambridge Financial Services Ltd, Cambridge
- Managed accounts payable workflow while collaborating with cross-functional teams to support financial operations.
- Maintained supplier relationships to facilitate invoice inquiries and resolution across multiple departments.
- Processed invoices and ensured compliance with internal policies and procedures to support accurate financial records.
Above you can see an example of what not to do with your accounts payable CV work experience section. A less-engaging work experience section might include irrelevant roles or jobs from a long time ago, and generic information that fails to address the requirements of the job description. It could also lack evidence to support the claims made in the bullet points.
Education
Your education section should showcase your most recent and highest qualifications, paying particular attention to anything that's specifically required for the role.
For working in accounts payable officer positions, it's essential to have a relevant university degree, and as such, you'll want to feature it in your CV. Include your Bachelor of Science in Accounting or another related degree that qualifies you for the role, in your CV, along with any other degrees or qualifications that highlight your strongest key skills, including invoice processing system knowledge or SAP FI module expertise.
When adding your qualifications to your education section, choose the highest relevant qualifications, and list them in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location and your dates of study or graduation. If you have space or if you particularly want to emphasise your qualifications, you could add one or two bullet points under each entry, highlighting specialist areas of study, projects you worked on, awards you won or societies you were a member of.
You might also wish to add specialist qualifications, certifications or licences that are required for the role. If you add any of these, include the expiry date, if the qualification requires renewal in the future.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting, 2018 - 2021
University of Warwick, Coventry
Skills
In your CV skills section, include a combination of the key hard and soft skills you possess, that make you a suitable candidate for the position. Make sure your skills list reflects the requirements specified in the job description, and include a few skills that are unique to you, and help set you apart from the pack. In an accounts payable CV, focus on the most relevant and essential skills in your skills portfolio, such as communication and expense report automation software, to show you're qualified for the accounts payable officer position and to put you in a strong position to progress.
Hard Skills
Hard skills refer to the technical and specialist skills required for the everyday duties of the job. They might include specialist knowledge, or the use of certain software and equipment. You can gain these skills through study, training or industry experience, and they might require a licence or certification. For accounts payable officer positions, hard skills that match your abilities, such as invoice processing system knowledge, and SAP FI module expertise tend to be valued by recruiters and hiring managers. After checking the job description, include a list of four or five key hard skills in your CV to confirm that you have the necessary expertise for the role.
The best hard skills section will contain a mix of your strongest technical skills and those listed in the job description as 'essential' or 'desirable'. The closer your skills list is to matching the essential job description skills, the better your chances of success.
Review the examples below to understand which skills are often added to the hard skills section of an accounts payable CV.
- Microsoft excel pivot tables
- Invoice processing system knowledge
- SAP FI module expertise
Soft Skills
Soft skills are distinct from hard skills and tend to reflect your inherent personal qualities and strengths. These are often more transferable to different roles, and help the reader understand your working style, and your likely fit to the team and the organisational culture. Owing to the rapidly evolving nature of the work landscape, soft skills are growing in importance for a number of roles and industry sectors where technology is replacing hard skills. Additionally, soft skills are particularly valuable for junior and entry-level candidates, who might not have much work experience but have the right building blocks for a successful career.
Adopt the same approach as you did with your hard skills list, reviewing the job description to understand the requirements, before assessing which soft skills you can provide evidence for throughout your accounts payable CV. Aim to add up to five soft and transferable skills, including a mix of the most essential skills from the job description, together with some skills that make you stand out as a unique and compelling candidate.
Below is a selection of soft skills regularly featured in an accounts payable CV.
- Communication
- Attention to detail
- Organisation
Languages
If you speak any languages in addition to your mother tongue, you might want to include them in your accounts payable CV as a languages section. These can be valuable for your application, whether languages are specified as a requirement in the job description or not. List any foreign languages you speak, together with an indication of your proficiency level.
The methods for indicating your foreign language skills on your CV include assigning a basic descriptive word, such as:
- English: Fluent
- Spanish: Intermediate
You might choose to adopt an international standard framework for languages, such as the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). This assigns a standardised level to your language skills, for example:
- A1: Beginner
- A2: Elementary
- B1: Intermediate
- B2: Upper intermediate
- C1: Advanced
- C2: Proficiency
Certifications and Licences
Depending on the role you're applying for, and the type of qualifications you have, you might want to include a separate section for certifications, in addition to the education section. It's often beneficial to include it as it can illustrate a positive attitude towards self-improvement and professional development, as well as a proactive mindset. All these qualities will appeal to most employers and decision-makers. Furthermore, the CV certifications and training section is a great showcase for official licences and certifications when applying for roles where these are a key requirement listed in the job description. These could include positions where the use of specialist software and equipment is a routine part of your everyday responsibilities.
Here are some key examples of certifications and licences that you could add to your CV for accounts payable officer positions:
- Certified Accounts Payable Professional, 2023
- Certified Accounts Payable Specialist, 2023
- SAP Accounts Payable Associate, 2023
Expert Insight:
Barnet Council’s data shows that CVs beginning with a clear, strong personal statement stand out during the brief recruiter scan. (1)
Additional Sections
Adding optional sections to the end of your accounts payable CV is a good way of showing you have the necessary skills for the job. If you're struggling to show all the necessary skills for the job through your work experience or other core sections, optional sections can give your CV the boost it needs to progress you to the interview stage. This could be particularly helpful for entry-level candidates or career changers.
You’ll find more in-depth guidance on structuring your CV in our career resources, designed to help you present your skills as effectively as possible.
Hobbies and Interests
Hobbies and interests are a legitimate way to showcase your skills, if you have any hobbies relevant to the role. Additionally, this section gives you the chance to show employers different facets of your personality and interests beyond work, which can help them to differentiate you from other applicants. However, a hobbies and interests section will only make an impact with the reader if the skills you showcase are relevant to the role. As such, only include this section if it helps you fulfil requirements of the role that you've been unable to show elsewhere.
Career Achievements
Compiling your key career achievements into a single list is an effective way of making your CV more readable at a glance. Add any awards you've won or career milestones you've reached, so employers can easily see the impact you've made in your career to date.
Voluntary Work
Listing any previous voluntary work is another useful way of showing you have the necessary skills and experience for the job. If you don't have much relevant work experience, either because you're a junior candidate or you're changing jobs from an unrelated field, volunteering can provide valuable examples of your skills in action. For this section, use a similar structure to your work experience section.
List your job title or a description of the role, the organisation name, its location and the dates you occupied the role. Use bullet points to show employers how you put your skills to use, and any positive achievements from your time in the role.
Data-Driven Finding:
Hiring managers spend an average of 30 seconds reviewing a CV to assess its likely fit for the role, so it's essential to clearly highlight your skills, experience, and evidence of your achievements. (2)
Best action words for an accounts payable CV
Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points is a great way to focus this section and show the impact you've made in your career to date. Starting each bullet point with an action verb that reflects the skills required for the role will help the reader to easily cross-reference your skills to the job description. When adding action verbs to your work experience bullet points, just remember to always provide quantifiable evidence that shows the value you added for each employer. Use past tense for any action verbs that describe previous roles (for example, 'developed') and present tense for current roles (for example 'collaborating').
- Process
- Verify
- Reconcile
- Record
- Manage
- Audit
- Analyse
- Negotiate
- Schedule
- Maintain
Accounts payable CV sample
Now that you know exactly what to include in your accounts payable CV, we can take a look at a final, finished example below:
Bristol
•
patricia-anderson@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/patricia–anderson–123
Detail-oriented accounts payable specialist with 4 years’ experience managing high-volume invoice processing. Reduced invoice processing time by 25% through workflow optimisation. Holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
Accounts payable clerk
2023
-2026
Barclays Bank (London)
- Reduced invoice processing time by 30% through automation improvements, improving departmental efficiency.
- Processed over 1,200 vendor payments monthly with 99% accuracy, ensuring timely settlements and strengthened supplier relationships.
- Identified and resolved 150+ invoice discrepancies per quarter, reducing errors and preventing duplicate payments.
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
2018
-2021
University of Manchester (Manchester)
Microsoft excel pivot tables
Invoice processing system knowledge
SAP FI module expertise
Communication
Attention to detail
Organisation
Certified Accounts Payable Professional
Certified Accounts Payable Specialist
English - Native
French - Advanced
To see how your CV might look after finalising its design and layout, take a look at our CV examples.
Best practice and common mistakes for your accounts payable CV
Tips to follow
- Proofread your CV forensically before sending, so you can correct any errors of spelling or grammar that could dent your chances of success.
- Highlight your key skills with a dedicated skills section that matches both the hard and soft skills listed in the job description.
- Keep your CV concise, aiming to limit it to one side of A4 for junior applications, two for more senior roles or more than two for any high-level, executive or academic applications.
- Use a clear, professional CV format, choosing a readable font, consistent line spacing and clear headings, to make your CV as accessible as possible.
- Tailor your CV to reflect the key skills and experience listed in the job description, while highlighting your best career achievements.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Don't fill your CV with irrelevant work experience that takes up precious CV space and won't persuade the reader of your suitability for the role.
- Don't use an unsuitable email address with informal language or nicknames, but instead opt for a professional email address combining elements of your name, initials or profession.
- Don't use overly complex or fussy formatting that can make your CV harder to read, or confuse ATS scanning tools.
- Don't include a hobbies and interests section unless you need to prove skills that you can't showcase through work experience, and unless your hobbies are particularly relevant.
- Don't crowd your CV by trying to fit too much in, but let your key experience and achievements speak for themselves.
A well-designed and concise cover letter can make a big difference to your job applications. Match your cover letter to your CV's design and styling with our HR-approved cover letter templates.
Guide to making your CV ATS compatible
Many employers now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to assist with managing the recruitment process. One of the key elements of most ATS apps is the ability to scan CVs and rank them according to their likely match to the job description. This saves recruiters and hiring managers the time and effort of reading every CV in detail. With many vacancies often receiving hundreds of applications, ATS software can really relieve the burden on hiring teams and free them up to focus only on the most suitable candidates.
With ATS apps becoming more prominent, it's essential for candidates to optimise their CVs to increase their chances of passing the initial screening stage. You can read a list of the top tips for ATS optimisation below:
- Include keywords and phrases that match the job description, making it easy for ATS apps to identify a strong fit for the role.
- Use clear, conventional CV headings to make your CV easier to navigate, including 'work experience', 'education' and 'skills'.
- Opt for a simple CV layout with consistent formatting, avoiding any special design elements that could make your CV harder for ATS apps to scan.
- Select a widely-used font in either serif or sans serif style, with a font size between 10 and 12 for body text and 14 and 16 for heading text.
- Use bullet points throughout your CV in place of full sentences. This serves a few purposes, reducing the overall length, helping keywords stand out and making it overall more scannable by ATS apps.
It's easy to get overwhelmed by the steps to creating an ATS-compatible accounts payable CV, but a few small changes can make a big difference. To smooth the process, use one of our expert-designed, ATS-optimised CV templates to increase your chances of success at this stage of the screening process.
If you want to impress recruiters with your CV, use Jobseeker's ready-made CV templates, which are HR-approved for maximum chances of success.
Accounts payable CV FAQs
How do I write an accounts payable officer cover letter for my job application?
A well-written cover letter can be just as important as a CV for your chances of job application success. When writing your cover letter, choose a formal professional letter format and use a cover letter template that matches the design of your CV.
Most cover letters include three main paragraphs of written content. In the first paragraph, confirm the role you're applying for and reference your reasons for applying, including how it fits with your career journey and why you want to work for the organisation. Secondly, write a brief paragraph outlining your key skills and achievements, taking care not to simply repeat the details in your CV. Finally, express your gratitude and enthusiasm, and leave a call to action that encourages the reader to reach out to you to arrange an interview or establish a dialogue.
As an alternative, if you're applying via email, you may wish to write a shorter, more informal cover note. Follow standard email conventions for this, which are more informal than traditional letter-writing norms. Introduce yourself and confirm the role you're applying for, and direct the reader to the attached documents. Add your contact details in your email sign-off or footer.
Jobseeker's cover letter examples for finance industry job titles can help you gain valuable insights from HR specialists on how to craft the most engaging, professional cover letter.
How do I write an accounts payable CV to impress without experience?
Even if you don't have much work experience, you can still write an accounts payable CV that impresses employers.
Opt for a CV structure that focuses more on your relevant skills than your work experience, such as a functional CV format. The order of this CV layout places the skills section first after your CV summary, before education, with work experience taking less priority.
If you're applying for your first job, focusing on your soft and transferable skills can help you to create a strong accounts payable CV. Employers will likely be looking for candidates who can show they have well-developed soft skills for learning and adapting to a new role and environment.
How do I write an accounts payable CV headline for maximum impact?
A CV headline can be a way to grab the attention of the reader early in your CV, indicating that you're a good fit for the role and you offer something different to other candidates.
Aim for a short, snappy sentence that includes the job title and introduces one of your strongest, most relevant skills or qualities.
For the most effective CV headline, make sure it reflects the most critical keywords and phrases from the job description. This will also help your CV to pass the ATS screening stage of the recruitment process.
Below you'll find some examples of CV headlines for different experience levels:
- Ambitious Junior Accounts Payable Specialist
- Experienced Detail-Oriented Accounts Payable Specialist
- Experienced Senior Accounts Payable Specialist
What's the most effective CV format for an accounts payable CV in 2026?
The best CV format for an accounts payable CV in 2026 depends on both your experience levels, and the role you're applying for, including its level, the company and industry norms.
In most cases, the traditional reverse-chronological CV format is most effective, as it showcases your work experience, providing examples of relevant skills and how you've used them to contribute towards key achievements in your career to date.
Conversely, for less experienced candidates such as graduates and career changers, a functional CV format may work better, as this highlights your key skills and qualifications over your work experience.
Key takeaways for a winning accounts payable CV
To stand out from the crowd with your CV, tailor your approach to each individual application, incorporating keywords and phrases that match the job description. Select a suitable CV format that reflects your experience level, and focus on highlighting your key skills, and demonstrating how you've put them to good use to achieve positive outcomes in your career to date.
Finally, building your CV using Jobseeker's HR-approved CV templates can help to catch the eye of recruiters and hiring managers, making your application stand out and giving you the best chance of gaining your dream job.
Citations:
- Barnet Council (UK local government), Recruitment tips: How to write a supporting statement
- Jobseeker, HR Insights
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