Salary – £68,128.54 – £90,838.04
Closing date – Monday 3rd August 2026
NATS is the UK’s leading air navigation service provider, handling over 2.4 million flights each year. We provide air traffic control services from two control centres and at airports around the UK. We also provide a wide range of commercial products and solutions internationally. Our people are at the heart of our purpose to advance aviation and keep the skies safe.
Job Purpose/Overview:
The Manager Purchase Ledger position reports direct to the Director Group Financial Control.
To ensure that NATS meets its contractual obligations to UK and overseas suppliers for services relating to capital investment and operating expenditure.
Meet requirements through efficient, effective and well controlled purchase ledger processes designed to manage risk and maintain business continuity, aligned to business strategy.
Lead and manage the implementation of changes in response to the strategic development of international and new business requirements. Design and implement robust system and business processes through engagement with the wider business areas in NATS.
Other duties:
People management – 5 team members
Recruit, develop, train, motivate and manage the Purchase Ledger team. Regularly review performance on a formal and informal basis, set clear annual objectives and agree development actions. Ensure the department is proficient and appropriately resourced to support the wider business strategy and objectives.
Own and manage the process for payments in respect of goods and services provided to NATS by all UK and overseas suppliers.
Work in collaboration with Supply Chain to ensure the purchase to pay governance process is always adhered to. Escalate and proactively challenge areas that are non-compliant.
Ensure NATS meets its contractual payment terms and prepare the statutory half yearly payment performance report.
Manage the purchase card scheme to ensure that all spend is appropriate for business use and in line with NATS policy. Ensure transactions are recorded and posted accurately.
Cashflow forecasting
Provide forecasts of supplier payment to the Treasury team and coordinate timing and value of supplier payment runs to manage the funding levels necessary to meet NATS financial and contractual obligations to its suppliers.
Internal controls
Design, manage and implement a robust control environment to ensure data integrity and to prevent errors and mitigate fraud risk including regular reconciliations and task management.
Take ownership of supplier data and ensure the Purchase Ledger team is fully aware of the department’s responsibilities with regards to safeguarding supplier information.
Manage the requirements of internal and external audits. Ensure business processes are in line with statutory compliance and NATS financial controls.
SAP and Ariba Business Process Expert (BPE)
Undertake BPE role designing managing and implementing the functionality of the SAP Accounts Payable module and the eProcurement Ariba system to ensure the design meets business needs. Through continuous improvement initiate system changes and upgrades. Manage any Purchase Ledger system implementations and user acceptance testing, working together with NATS SAP system support provider.
Business strategy
As a key stakeholder for business developments, that may impact the Purchase Ledger function; contribute, influence and develop business requirements in order to meet company objectives. Ensure the department’s processes are robust and support business strategy.
Process improvement and driving efficiency
Effectively sponsor and manage process improvements.
Continually review processes, identifying and addressing areas for improvement and drive positive change within the Purchase Ledger function.
Business continuity and data protection
Ensure business continuity for all key finance processes at SAU by developing and maintaining a robust business continuity plan, developed in consultation with Finance, Facilities Management, Information Solutions, Security and third parties as required. Ensure data protection and retention is in line with statutory requirements and NATS information management policies.
Qualifications, Professional Knowledge and Skills
- A strong finance background with excellent knowledge of Purchase Ledger processes and accounting procedures. This should be supported by a relevant accountancy qualification and/or significant recent experience in a comparable role.
- Expert knowledge of the requirements for Payment practices and performance reporting.
- Experience of managing team and implementing process improvements.
- Ability to recruit new team members with appropriate skills and capabilities.
- Ability to train, coach and develop team members and support colleagues.
- A strong team player with the ability to project manage day to day workload and projects to meet tight deadlines.
- Excellent hand on knowledge of the attributes of a robust control environment and ability to monitor and control processes and procedures.
- Excellent understanding of SAP Accounts Payable function, payment runs and reporting. Knowledge of Ariba eProcurement essential. Experience of SAP implementations and change management.
- Good commercial awareness and knowledge of NATS. Understands NATS business needs and the role of the Purchase Ledger function in support of these.
- Excellent written and communication skills with the ability to tailor communications according to the audience.
- Highly motivated with a strong commitment to achieving company wide and personal goals and to achieve results through others.
- Professional approach and behaviour with a high level of personal integrity.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong working relationships with other NATS business areas and suppliers and to manage difficult situations in order to resolve issues.
- Proactive with excellent attention to detail is essential to the role.
- A forward thinker with the ability and drive to continuously develop and improve systems and process.
- Excellent knowledge of Microsoft packages, including Excel and Word.
Additional Vacancy Information:
Please submit a covering letter and CV when applying for the role.
We are proud to offer a fantastic total reward package to help you thrive both personally and professionally – for more information on what NATS can offer you please visit – Why NATS?
We have adopted agile working to provide greater flexibility and increased choice over working arrangements, with the opportunity for this role to work in our modern office facilities as well as remotely. We also welcome discussions on flexible working arrangements. Find out more here.
If you share our passion to advance aviation and keep the skies safe – we would like to hear from you whatever your age, sex, race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, visible or invisible disability. Individuals that bring different perspectives, skills, life experiences and backgrounds help us be at the forefront of our industry.
