Overview
This role requires the candidate to be a W2 employee and US citizenship is mandatory.
The Off-Cycle Payroll Specialist will manage all non-regular payroll runs, including bonus payments, terminations, retroactive adjustments, tax corrections, and special project payrolls. The specialist will ensure timely and accurate processing while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local regulations as well as internal policies. This position involves leading short-term, project-oriented initiatives focused on streamlining and automating off-cycle payroll operations by evaluating, piloting, and deploying emerging technologies such as robotic process automation (RPA), workflow orchestration platforms, and AI-assisted data validation to reduce manual effort, improve accuracy, and shorten cycle times.
Responsibilities
- Assess current off-cycle payroll workflows by mapping end-to-end steps, data hand-offs, approvals, and control points; produce detailed as-is process maps
- Identify opportunities for automation
- Measure and report efficiency gains
- Document control and compliance evidence
- Provide training and change management support to payroll, HR, and Finance teams on new tools, updated processes, and reporting procedures
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, or related field (or equivalent experience)
- Minimum 4 years of payroll processing experience, including at least 2 years focused on off-cycle payroll runs
- At least 2 years leading process improvement or automation projects involving RPA, workflow orchestration, or SaaS payroll platforms
- Proficiency with payroll systems such as SAP Employee Central Payroll and SAP Employee Central
- Strong skills in Excel, Power Query, and Power Pivot
- Solid knowledge of US payroll tax rules and SOX control concepts
- Hands-on experience with cloud payroll systems
- Demonstrated problem-solving skills with data-driven decision making
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues to non-technical audiences
- Demonstrated knowledge of payroll principles and processes
Preferred Qualifications
- Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification
- Strong experience with SAP Employee Central systems
- Previous leadership experience
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including building and automating data processes
- Demonstrated staff-level accounting skills through related work experience
Location
This position requires US citizenship. Employment status is W2 employee.