Senior Payroll Specialist

Who you are

• 5+ years of experience processing multi-state US payroll, with broad familiarity across most states
• Proficiency in ADP Workforce Now
• Proficiency in Workday HCM
• Hands-on experience supporting EMEA payroll, including one or more of the following: Switzerland, UK (including Northern Ireland), Republic of Ireland, France, Germany, Denmark
• Experience processing equity compensation, including stock options and RSUs, with a strong understanding of associated tax withholding and compliance requirements
• Experience processing taxable/non-taxable fringe benefits, leave of absence, 401(k), overtime pay, and visa holder payroll
• Hands-on experience supporting financial statement audits, workers' compensation audits, and 401(k) audits, including preparation of schedules and responding to auditor requests
• Experience performing payroll accounting tasks including journal entries and GL reconciliations
• Demonstrated ability to identify process improvement opportunities and lead or contribute to cross-functional initiatives
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail; ability to prioritize competing deadlines and pivot as business needs shift
• Intermediate Excel skills including XLOOKUP, pivot tables, and IF functions
• Ability to handle confidential data with discretion and professionalism
• Effective written and verbal communication skills across various levels of management and external partners

Desirable

• Familiarity with APAC payroll practices, particularly in Korea and/or Japan
• Familiarity with LATAM payroll practices, particularly in Mexico and/or Colombia
• Experience with an equity management system (e.g., Carta, Equity Edge)
• Experience with NetSuite
• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) certification
• Experience with payroll system implementations
• Experience using AI and automation tools to build or improve payroll workflows and drive operational efficiency

What the job involves

[Employer hidden] is looking for a Senior Payroll Specialist to own and help scale our global payroll operations

In this role, you will serve as the primary owner of US multi-state payroll processing while supporting non-US payroll in EMEA (and possibly in LATAM, APAC in the future) in partnership with the regional payroll processors

You will work cross-functionally with People, Accounting, and Legal to ensure accurate, compliant, and timely pay for our employees

You will also apply a continuous improvement mindset across day-to-day processing, system builds, and automation initiatives

This role is well-suited for a payroll professional who is equally comfortable in the details of a complex pay run and leading cross-functional process improvement initiatives

• Own end-to-end US payroll processing across multiple states, ensuring accuracy and timeliness for all pay runs
• Support EMEA payroll operations across Switzerland, UK (including Northern Ireland), Republic of Ireland, France, Germany, and Denmark, in partnership with regional vendors and the Payroll Manager
• Administer leave of absence payroll processing, ensuring accurate pay, benefit deductions, and compliance with applicable state and federal regulations
• Act as a subject matter expert and point of contact for employee and internal partner payroll inquiries
• Collect, verify, and maintain compensation, benefit, and deduction data to support payroll calculations and ensure data integrity
• Ensure proper taxation and compliance with federal, state, local, and international payroll regulations across all operating jurisdictions
• Process equity-related payroll items, including stock options and RSUs, and ensure proper tax withholding and reporting compliance
• Perform payroll accounting tasks including journal entries and GL reconciliations, as part of month/quarter/year-end close activities
• Support external audits, including financial statement audits, workers' compensation audits, and 401(k) audits, by preparing schedules, pulling data, and responding to auditor inquiries
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and drive cross-functional initiatives to enhance payroll operations, system efficiency, and compliance
• Leverage AI and automation tools to streamline payroll workflows, reduce manual effort, and improve operational efficiency
• Collaborate with People, Finance, and Legal teams on payroll matters and policy compliance
• Assist with payroll system implementations, upgrades, and related projects as needed
• Support future payroll entity build-outs in APAC and LATAM as the company expands into new regions