Accounts Payable Specialist (Coupa) Contract

Kyverna Therapeutics is a patient-centered, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing cell therapies for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. Guided by our core values, Stay True to Why, Collaborate to Accelerate, Lead with Clarity, Boldly Innovative, and Own the Outcome, we are committed to transforming the future of treatment for autoimmune disease. Join us at the forefront of cell therapy innovation and help redefine what’s possible.

Title: Accounts Payable Specialist (Coupa) Contract

Reports to: Sr. Director, Accounting

Location: Remote (West coast hours preferred)

Duration: Through December 2026 with potential extension based on business needs

Hours: 40/hrs per week

Hourly rate: $40-45/hr

Position Summary

Kyverna is seeking a detail-oriented and highly organized Accounts Payable Specialist to join our Finance team. The ideal candidate will have strong experience working within the Coupa Procure-to-Pay (P2P) platform, partnering closely with internal and external stakeholders to resolve invoice discrepancies, maintain compliance with company policies, and support month-end close activities. Experience in a high-growth, publicly traded, or biotechnology/pharmaceutical environment is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Administer vendor onboarding and maintenance, including collection and validation of banking information and tax documentation
• Guide vendors through account setup in Coupa
• Serve as primary point of contact for vendor inquiries via phone and email; own escalations end-to-end
• Prepare and reconcile AP aging reports and vendor statements, resolving aged/outstanding items
• Maintain accurate, audit-ready vendor master data
• Process vendor invoices accurately and timely using the Coupa platform
• Review, validate, and match purchase orders, receipts, and invoices for both goods and services POs, ensuring compliance with company purchasing policies
• Manage the full invoice lifecycle, including coding, approvals, exception handling, and payment processing
• Monitor Coupa invoice queues, approval workflows, and aging reports to ensure timely processing
• Apply sales/use tax knowledge to invoice review; identify and flag applicable tax items
• Set up and process payment batches in Coupa; apply credit memos, process adjustments, and manage partial payments
• Investigate and resolve invoice discrepancies, payment issues, and vendor inquiries in collaboration with business stakeholders
• Assist with annual 1099 reporting and ensure compliance with applicable tax regulations
• Strong understanding of W-9 and W-8 forms, including entity type distinctions  and how they affect 1099 reporting
• Review, complete, and communicate W-9/W-8 requirements with vendors
• Process and review employee expense reports
• Support corporate credit card program, including cardholder support and transaction review
• Support travel booking systems and related billing/expense reconciliation
• Prepare month-end AP and credit card account reconciliations

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred (not required with equivalent experience)
• 5+ years of progressive Accounts Payable experience, preferably in a biotech, life sciences, or public company environment
• Demonstrated experience working within a vendor management system (Coupa CSP/SIM or equivalent) for vendor onboarding, maintenance, and data governance
• Hands-on experience administering and processing invoices within the Coupa platform is required
• Strong understanding of procure-to-pay processes
• Experience with expense management and corporate credit card platforms, including cardholder support and reconciliation
• Working knowledge of 1099/W-9/W-8 requirements and entity classifications; solid understanding of sales/use tax as applied to AP
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and data analysis
• Knowledge of GAAP and internal control requirements related to accounts payable
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a customer-service mindset; comfortable owning vendor escalations
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while meeting deadlines

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, medical device, or other regulated industries
• Experience supporting SOX-compliant public companies
• NetSuite experience or other ERP
• Familiarity with expense management modules within Coupa
• Experience with travel booking platforms
• Exposure to OCR invoice automation tools and AP workflow optimization
• Knowledge of international invoice processing, VAT, and foreign currency transactions