Smita Abinash Panda

Project - IKEA (A global expertise and stock in home furnishing and home decor)

Responsibilities –

• Managing Accounts Payable (AP) operations, including daily invoice processing and allocation, review and implementation of control procedures, month-end closing activities, discrepancy management and resolution, follow-up on pending issues and fallout clearing, and preparation and delivery of accurate AP reports.
• Supporting affiliates by ensuring process compliance and adherence to internal controls and policies, while driving timely remediation actions where necessary.
• Monitoring and managing queries related to invoices and payments, ensuring timely resolution, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of finance processes by identifying inefficiencies and implementing enhancements to improve accuracy, efficiency, and compliance.
• Consistently meet or exceed key performance indicators (KPIs) and individual performance targets, aligning with both process-level and personal development goals.
• Actively work towards achieving objectives set by the Team Leader, Associate Manager, and GBS Finance Management, supporting team goals and departmental success.

Project - Telstra (an Australian telecommunications company).

Responsibilities –

• Managed end-to-end vendor master data processes, including the creation, amendment, and deletion of both merchandise and non-merchandise vendors.
• Processed change requests for existing vendors, ensuring accuracy and adherence to internal compliance guidelines.
• Handled general and complex vendor queries via email, and resolved issues through direct communication, including vendor and client calls when necessary.
• Maintained daily and weekly trackers to monitor progress, ensure SLA adherence, and support audit readiness.
• Acted as a point of contact for vendor portal access, addressing user issues, and providing guidance on portal functionality.
• Coordinated and participated in client calls and meetings, providing updates on vendor master data activities and issue resolutions.
• Supported vendor onboarding and portal troubleshooting, delivering a seamless experience for external stakeholders, and ensuring timely access and data integrity.

Project - Health Care Services Corporation (Health Insurance Company in the United States)

Responsibilities -

• Processed PO-based, non-PO-based invoices, and credit notes.
• Processed 2/3-way matching invoices.
• Processed advance payments to critical vendors, and wrote off advance payments on ServiceNow.
• Communicating with buyers for GRN approvals and GRN-related issues.
• GRIR and vendor debit balance report.
• ACL Run and AP month-end reports.
• Hands-on with the SAP Ariba ERP tool for AP and invoice processing activities.
• Quality check for the AP team to assess incorrect coding, posting, and allocations internally, as well as on the client side.

Project – Kanak News (Odia Cable and Satellite news channel in Odisha)

Responsibilities –

• Maintaining up-to-date billing systems and carrying out billing duties.
• Generating and sending out invoices.
• Allocating, following up and collecting payments.
• Performing account reconciliation and monitoring the customer's account details.
• Being on the look-out for delayed or missed payments and other such irregularities.
• Researching and resolving payment discrepancies.
• Reviewing account statuses and generating age analyses.
• Ensuring compliance with the company adjustments.
• Keeping business up-to-date with all policy changes.
• Developing or following an already established recovery system.
• Communicating with customers through means such as phone, email.
• Assist senior accountants in the preparation of monthly/yearly closings.