VP - Head of Spend Operations (Finance)

PJT Partners is a global advisory-focused investment bank. Our team of senior professionals delivers a wide array of strategic advisory, shareholder advisory, restructuring and special situations and private fund advisory and placement services to corporations, financial sponsors, institutional investors and governments around the world. We offer a unique portfolio of advisory services designed to help our clients achieve their strategic objectives. We also provide, through PJT Park Hill, private fund advisory and fundraising services for alternative investment managers, including private equity funds, real estate funds and hedge funds. From the beginning, PJT Partners has firmly believed that having the best people is key to building an enduring franchise. Our perspective was, and remains, that a great team brings in both top tier clients and appeals to a wide-range of diverse, talented colleagues. Fostering an inclusive culture, which welcomes differing perspectives and beliefs, enables us to provide the best advice and insights to our clients. To learn more about PJT Partners, please visit our website at . PJT Partners seeks to hire a Head of Spend Operations to own and innovate the firm’s accounts payable (AP) and corporate expense functions end-to-end. In addition to the core competency of accuracy, timeliness, and governance of all outbound vendors and employee spending, we are seeking an individual who has deployed large scale innovation programs in this space; focusing on data & analytics, performance indicators, and improvement of overall employee experience. The role will partner closely with the Head of Finance Operations & Transformation to modernize and automate the procure-to-pay and travel-and-expense (T&E) stack, partner across Finance, Procurement, COO functions, and Technology, and operate with a high degree of autonomy and ownership. Responsibilities Operations & Service Delivery Own end-to-end accounts payable operations ensuring all payments are accurate, timely, and policy compliant; Manage recurring spends understanding gaps in expected payments, proactively reach out to cost center owners and/or vendors to ensure invoices are received timely; Maintain accurate vendor master data, including banking details and tax documentation; Oversee corporate card and T&E program, including expense report review, reimbursement timeliness, and resolution of escalated issues. Controls, Compliance & Risk Design, document, and enforce AP and expense policies, approval matrices, and spend controls; Maintain a strong internal control environment aligned to SOX framework and the firm’s record-retention obligations; partner effectively with internal and external audit; Lead data & analytics program for detection of anomalies, fraud, and out-of-policy spend through automated controls and exception monitoring; Provide controller and tax teams with required reporting to support applicable tax and regulatory requirements, including 1099 / sales-and-use tax and IRS accountable-plan substantiation. Transformation & Analytics Drive continuous modernization and automation of the procure-to-pay and T&E stack, reducing manual processing, cycle times, and cost-per-invoice; Assist with platform selection and implementation — RFPs, vendor evaluation, and rollout — for AP, expense, and spend-management tools, ensuring fit with the function’s operational requirements; Build spend visibility through KPI dashboards, aging and exception reporting, and vendor / category spend analytics; Identify and execute continuous-improvement initiatives that increase straight-through processing and operational efficiency. Leadership & Stakeholder Management Oversee spend operations team spanning onshore and offshore locations, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement; Manage day-to-day delivery across distributed onshore and offshore teams ensuring consistent service levels, clear handoffs, and clear accountability across time zones; Communicate function performance, risks, and the transformation roadmap to senior Finance leadership. Qualifications PJT Partners seeks to hire individuals who possess both technical and functional skills, are highly motivated and collaborative self-starters, and have demonstrated excellence in prior endeavors. Competitive candidates will possess the following qualifications: 6-10 years of relevant experience in accounts payable, spend / expense operations, procure-to-pay, or finance transformation, ideally within financial services or another regulated, fast-paced environment; Minimum 5+ years in a people-management role, leading and developing teams across multiple locations including onshore and offshore / outsourced staff with direct accountability for performance and day-to-day service delivery; Demonstrated track record of running a high-volume AP and/or T&E function with measurable improvements in timeliness, accuracy, and control; Experience modernizing or automating finance operations (e.g., AP automation, expense platforms, ERP / spend-management systems such as Workday, Concur, Coupa, SAP, or Oracle); Strong command of internal controls, SOX, and compliance frameworks; Excellent quantitative and analytical skills, with fluency translating spend data into actionable insight. (e.g. Leveraging AI or EPM tools: Anaplan, Adaptive, Pigment); Exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust with executive stakeholders and influence cross-functionally; A self-starter who thrives on autonomy, ownership, and ambiguity to grow alongside the function; Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution; relevant certifications (e.g., CPA, APP / CAPP, Lean / Six Sigma) a plus; Advanced Proficiency in the Microsoft Suite (Excel, PowerPoint) and comfort with data and automation tools; a builder’s mindset toward process improvement. Expected annualized base salary of $175,000 to $200,000. This range represents the low and high ends of the expected annualized base salary for this position. The specific base salary received by any employee will be informed by a number of factors, including but not limited to, role level and scope, location, candidate’s relevant qualifications, skills and experience. Base salary is one component of PJT Partners’ compensation structure. In addition to base salary, PJT Partners’ compensation structure may include additional rewards, incentives and benefits, including but not limited to, a discretionary bonus component. PJT is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of, and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, marital or partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity expression, disability, medical condition, genetic information or predisposition, veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, a sex offense or stalking, or any other category protected by law. PJT Partners also complies with all applicable laws with regard to providing reasonable accommodation of disabilities to applicants. For more information or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources. California Applicants: PJT Partners will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and/or conviction records in a manner consistent with applicable law including, but not limited to, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and/or Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Applicant Privacy Notice: View our Applicant Privacy Notice here . If you are a California resident, please refer to our California Applicant Privacy Notice for further information. *In order to be considered, please ensure your resume/CV is submitted in PDF format.