Purchasing Assistant Jobs in Lawrence, MA (NOW HIRING)

The AP/Purchasing Specialist is responsible for high-volume, accurate processing of supplier invoices from receipt through posting and payment, with a strong focus on resolving exceptions that prevent timely payment. This role researches and clears invoice issues such as PO/receipt mismatches, price/quantity variances, missing approvals, tax concerns, and vendor master discrepancies by partnering with Procurement, Receiving, and business stakeholders. The specialist ensures transactions are recorded in accordance with internal controls and policies, maintains clear documentation of issue resolution, and supports month-end close activities as needed.

Key Responsibilities:

• Invoice Processing & Posting (High Volume) - 60%
  • Receive, review, and accurately code invoices (PO and non-PO) in accordance with policy and internal controls.
  • Perform 2-way/3-way match, validate pricing, quantities, terms, tax, and supporting documentation.
  • Ensure proper GL/department/project coding and compliance with approval matrix; route for approval as needed.
  • Assist with management of AP mailboxes.
  • Provide internal and external customer service.
• Exception Management & Issue Resolution - 20%
  • Investigate and resolve invoice holds and discrepancies (e.g., PO/receipt mismatches, price/quantity variances, duplicate invoices, missing approvals, vendor master issues).
  • Partner with Procurement, Receiving, requesters, and suppliers to obtain missing information and drive timely resolution.
  • Document root cause and corrective actions; recommend process improvements to reduce recurring exceptions.
• Purchasing, Payment Support, Vendor Service & Close - 20%
  • Process transactional purchase requests from internal stakeholders, ensuring accuracy in format, coding, pricing, and, in the case of laboratory supplies, preferred supplier alignment
  • Facilitate monitoring of purchase orders from order through delivery, alerting end users of potentially critical supply disruptions.
  • Support payment runs by reviewing aging, confirming payment holds/releases, and responding to urgent payment requests.
  • Respond to vendor inquiries, provide remittance details, and maintain professional communication and follow-through.
  • Assist with month-end close tasks such as AP reporting, accrual support, and reconciliation activities as assigned.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 3+ years of progressive accounts payable experience, including high-volume invoice processing.
• Demonstrated experience resolving invoice exceptions (PO/receipt mismatches, pricing variances, approvals, vendor setup issues) with a strong sense of urgency.
• Strong understanding of AP controls and fundamentals (2-way/3-way match, invoice coding, tax basics, duplicate prevention).
• Highly proficient with Oracle Fusion and Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, and Excel)
• Strong written/verbal communication skills and the ability to effectively partner with internal stakeholders and external vendors.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment while meeting deadlines and maintaining accuracy.

Preferred Capabilities

• Experience in biotech, pharmaceutical, or other highly regulated industries
• Prior experience in a public company environment
• Familiarity with SOX controls and audit support
• Experience with invoice imaging/workflow systems and other ERP workflows (eg. Oracle, SAP, Workday, Netsuite, Dynamics) a plus

Deciphera is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The base salary pay range for this role is $70,000-$97,300. Actual compensation packages will depend on various factors, including, but not limited to depth of experience, education, skillset, overall performance and/or location.​

Deciphera believes in providing a competitive compensation and benefits package to all employees. Our base salary is just one component of Deciphera’s competitive total rewards strategy that also includes annual performance bonus, a long-term incentive plan, full range of benefits and other incentive compensation plans (if applicable)

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and annual bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with company match, and more.
• Generous parental leave and family planning benefits.
• Outstanding culture and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Equal Employment Opportunity Information

Deciphera is committed to equal employment opportunity and values diversity. To help us meet reporting requirements, we invite you to complete the confidential survey at the end of this application. Providing this information is entirely optional. It will not be used in the hiring process and will have no impact on your opportunity for employment. The information will be treated confidentially. Deciphera is committed to making all hiring and employment decisions fairly and on a non-discriminatory basis.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY INFORMATION

Deciphera is committed to equal employment opportunity and values diversity. To ensure that we comply with reporting requirements, we invite you complete the confidential survey at the end of this application. Providing this information is optional. It will not be accessible or used in the hiring process, and has no effect on your opportunity for employment. This information will also be treated confidentially.  We are committed to make all hiring decisions and other employment decisions on a non-discriminatory basis.