Accounts Payable & Production Coordinator Intern

Company description

Publicis Groupe is a global leader in communication and is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation.

Publicis Groupe Africa has opened applications for Le Cubs 2027, its flagship 12-month internship programme designed to give young South African graduates meaningful workplace experience and an opportunity to build future-ready careers in the marketing and communications industry.

Starting in March 2027, successful applicants will join teams across Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, gaining hands-on experience in disciplines including creativity, strategy, human resources, data, technology, AI, media and business support.

Le Cubs is designed to bridge the gap between tertiary education and the workplace, giving graduates the opportunity to move beyond theory, contribute to real work, learn from industry professionals and develop practical skills in a connected, collaborative environment.

Overview

Tittle: Accounts Payable & Production Coordinator Intern
Location: Johannesburg
Reporting To: Finance Director

JOB PURPOSE

The Accounts Payable & Production Coordinator Intern will provide administrative and coordination support to the Production and Finance teams, ensuring the efficient processing, tracking, and management of supplier and talent invoices. The role is responsible for maintaining invoice workflows, monitoring payment progress, supporting supplier onboarding, and assisting with talent payment administration to ensure accurate and timely supplier payments.

This internship provides valuable exposure to production finance operations, supplier management, workflow systems, and financial administration within a fast-paced agency environment.

Responsibilities

What you’ll do everyday

RESPONSIBILITIES

Vendor Invoice Management

• Receive, review, and process supplier invoices for completeness and accuracy.
• Verify purchase order references and ensure all required supporting documentation is attached.
• Assist with validating talent payment calculations, including artist and agent payment splits, PAYE deductions, and supporting schedules.
• Upload and maintain invoice records within ReadSoft and related financial systems.
• Track invoices through the approval and payment lifecycle.
• Follow up on invoice queries and correction requests.

Workflow Monitoring & Coordination

• Monitor outstanding invoices, purchase orders, and approval queues daily.
• Proactively follow up with producers, approvers, and finance stakeholders on pending actions.
• Escalate invoices approaching payment due dates.
• Maintain tracking logs and reporting dashboards for invoice status.
• Identify and flag workflow bottlenecks that may impact payment turnaround times.

Supplier & Vendor Support

• Serve as the first point of contact for supplier payment-related queries.
• Provide suppliers with updates on invoice and payment status.
• Coordinate urgent production vendor onboarding requirements.
• Log, monitor, and resolve supplier payment escalations.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with vendors and talent agencies.

Reporting & Administration

• Prepare weekly reports detailing:
• Outstanding invoices
• Overdue invoices
• Pending approvals
• Payments due within the next 30 days
• Assist with reconciliations between purchase orders, invoices, and payment status.
• Maintain accurate filing and record-keeping of all supporting documentation.
• Support month-end administrative and reporting requirements.

Process & Production Support

• Assist producers with documentation requirements relating to talent and supplier payments.
• Ensure contracts, tax documentation, approval forms, and supporting records are complete prior to submission.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives within production finance workflows.
• Document recurring process issues and recommend improvements.
• Provide general administrative support to both Production and Accounts Payable teams.

Qualifications

• Recently completed or currently completing a Diploma or Degree in:
• Finance
• Accounting
• Business Administration
• Supply Chain Management
• Project Administration
• Commerce or a related field

Skills & Competencies

• Strong administrative and organisational skills.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong numerical aptitude and ability to work with financial information.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and follow up proactively.
• Strong problem-solving and coordination skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines.

Advantageous

• Exposure to Accounts Payable, Finance Administration, Procurement, or Production Administration.
• Understanding of invoice processing workflows.
• Familiarity with ERP or invoice management systems such as ReadSoft, SAP, or similar platforms.
• Previous internship or work experience in an agency, media, production, or corporate environment.

Key Attributes

• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong organisational and administrative abilities.
• Proactive with excellent follow-through skills.
• Comfortable working with financial information and reconciliations.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Able to build positive relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Effective at managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Possesses a customer-service mindset when handling supplier queries.
• Demonstrates initiative, problem-solving ability, and a willingness to learn.
• Maintains confidentiality and professionalism when dealing with financial information.

WHAT YOU’LL GAIN

• End-to-end Accounts Payable processes.
• Supplier and vendor management.
• Invoice workflow and approval management.
• Production finance administration.
• Financial reporting and reconciliation processes.
• Stakeholder and supplier relationship management.
• Agency production operations and commercial workflows.

WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF

• Microsoft Office Suite

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a highly organised, detail-oriented and proactive graduate who has a strong interest in finance administration, operations, and workflow coordination. They are comfortable working with numbers, enjoy tracking and managing processes, and have a natural ability to follow up on outstanding actions and resolve administrative issues efficiently.

This individual thrives in a fast-paced environment, is confident engaging with both internal stakeholders and external suppliers and demonstrates a strong sense of accountability when managing critical payment and documentation processes.

Additional information

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Publicis Groupe Africa is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits any forms of Discrimination or Harassment. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees in line with our Employment Equity Plan.

All appointments will be based on qualifications, experience and best fit but preference will be given to candidates from designated groups. Interested candidates must please submit a concise CV including a link to your portfolio if necessary. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not hear from us within 2 weeks after submitting your application, please consider your application as unsuccessful.

COMPANY VALUES

TRUST

Trust is the cornerstone upon which we build our relationships. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of how a partner should behave. We treat our people and our clients with respect, transparency and honesty

TALENT

This is first and foremost a people business. We are committed to ensuring Publicis Groupe is a destination for the best talent in our industry. We value people as individuals, growing ourselves as we grow our client’s business

TRANSFORMATION

True transformation comes when we stop managing change, and instead initiate change. We believe in our purpose to be the admired force for business transformation. We believe that focusing on performance and results has the power to transform client business