Operational and Strategic Leadership
for Accounts Payable Heads
13 - 17 April 2026
Sandton, Johannesburg South Africa
Cost per Delegate
R17,999.00
Introduction
In today’s fast-paced and digitally transforming business environment, the role of Accounts Payables (AP) leaders is evolving beyond routine transaction processing to becoming strategic enablers of financial efficiency, cost management, and internal control. Effective leadership in the AP function is essential to drive operational excellence, strengthen supplier relationships, ensure regulatory compliance, and foster innovation within the finance department.
This course equips current and aspiring AP leaders with the core leadership skills needed to succeed in this changing landscape. Participants will explore practical techniques to enhance their leadership effectiveness—ranging from strategic thinking and people management to risk control, change management, and digital transformation. The course blends financial operations insight with foundational leadership development, tailored specifically to the AP environment.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Understand the evolving role of AP leaders in aligning accounts payables with broader organizational strategy.
2. Demonstrate core leadership competencies, including self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and ethical decision-making.
3. Lead and manage AP teams effectively, enhancing performance, motivation, and accountability.
4. Implement strategic thinking and risk management in payment operations to reduce financial exposure and inefficiencies.
5. Improve communication and collaboration across departments and with external stakeholders, including vendors and auditors.
6. Drive innovation and continuous improvement within AP processes, including automation and process redesign.
7. Lead change and manage resistance during transitions such as digital transformation or policy updates.
8. Develop a personalized leadership development plan for continuous growth in the AP and finance leadership space.
Who Should Attend?
• Accounts Payable Managers and Supervisors who want to strengthen their leadership and management capabilities.
• Senior Accounts Officers or Finance Professionals transitioning into leadership or supervisory roles.
• Finance Team Leaders responsible for overseeing payment operations and vendor relations.
• Newly appointed AP leaders seeking a structured foundation in leadership and people management.
• Internal Auditors and Compliance Officers interested in understanding AP leadership from a governance perspective.
• Anyone in the finance function who aspires to lead or support the transformation of accounts payable into a strategic function.
Course Outline
Day 1: Foundations of Leadership in Accounts Payable (AP)
• Introduction to Leadership in the AP Environment
o Role of AP leaders in financial operations
o Shifting from transactional to strategic leadership
• Leadership vs. Management
o Key differences and why both are necessary
• Self-Awareness and Emotional Intelligence
o Understanding personality styles (DISC or MBTI)
o Managing stress and emotional triggers
• Ethical Leadership in Finance
o Promoting integrity and ethical behavior in payments
o Managing conflicts of interest and fraud prevention
Day 2: Strategic Thinking and Decision Making
• Vision and Goal Setting for AP Teams
o Aligning AP goals with organizational strategy
o Setting SMART goals and KPIs
• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
o Root cause analysis (5 Whys, Fishbone diagram)
o Decision-making models (SWOT, Cost-Benefit Analysis)
• Risk Management in Accounts Payable
o Identifying and mitigating risks in AP processes
o Compliance with financial policies and internal controls
Day 3: Operational Excellence and Team Leadership
• Leading AP Operations Efficiently
o Best practices in invoice processing, vendor payments
o Automation tools and digital transformation in AP
• Building and Leading High-Performance Teams
o Motivating and engaging your team
o Delegation and accountability
• Coaching and Performance Management
o Giving constructive feedback
o Managing underperformance and setting improvement plans
Day 4: Communication, Collaboration, and Stakeholder Management
• Effective Business Communication
o Communication styles and adapting to different audiences
o Writing clear AP-related memos, emails, and reports
• Cross-Departmental Collaboration
o Working with procurement, finance, and vendors
o Managing expectations and conflict resolution
• Vendor Relationship Management
o Negotiation skills for favorable terms
o Building long-term partnerships with suppliers
Day 5: Change Leadership, Innovation, and Personal Development
• Leading Change in the AP Function
o Change management models (Kotter’s 8 Steps, ADKAR)
o Handling resistance and driving adoption
• Driving Innovation in Accounts Payable
o Identifying improvement areas
o Lean thinking and continuous improvement (Kaizen)
• Personal Development Planning
o Building a leadership growth plan
o Time management and work-life balance
End of the Workshop
For Training arrangements call us on the detail below
TANZANIA: +255 749 50 26 78
SOUTH AFRICA: +27 694 31 79 73
KENYA: +255 749 50 26 78
DUBAI: +27 694 31 79 73
