Senior Payroll Specialist

Overview

A growing organization in the commerce infrastructure sector is seeking a Senior Payroll Specialist to manage US payroll operations and contribute to building a global payroll function. This role focuses on operational excellence, compliance, and collaboration across multiple teams. Initially centered on US payroll, there is potential to expand responsibilities to global payroll management, driving consistency, automation, and best practices across various countries.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end multi-state US payroll processing across multiple entities, pay groups, and payroll vendors.
• Ensure payroll is processed accurately, compliantly, and on time.
• Maintain strong payroll controls through regular audits, reconciliations, and validation processes.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll regulations, including tax withholding, new state registrations, quarterly and annual filings (Forms 941, 940, W-2/W-2c), amendments, and resolution of agency notices.
• Administer regulated payroll components such as 401(k) contributions, benefit deductions, equity compensation, imputed income, and taxable fringe benefits.
• Ensure payroll accounting accuracy and timely completion of payroll-related reconciliations.
• Perform regular audits within Workday Payroll to ensure data accuracy, integrity, and compliance.
• Investigate payroll issues, identify root causes, and implement long-term, scalable solutions.
• Support the evolution of the global payroll operating model, including implementation and ongoing optimization of payroll solutions.
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve global payroll documentation, standard operating procedures, and operational playbooks.
• Standardize payroll processes across countries while respecting local compliance requirements.
• Identify and lead automation opportunities to reduce manual work and enhance the employee experience, leveraging AI tools where relevant.
• Partner with Systems on Workday enhancements and payroll integrations.
• Support payroll implementations, testing, and system enhancements as the function scales.
• Contribute to People Experience (PX) Operations team initiatives, including Workday employee data management, employee lifecycle queries, offboarding processes, operational documentation, and cross-functional projects to improve employee and manager experiences.

Requirements

• Proven experience managing multi-state US payroll operations.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll regulations and compliance requirements.
• Experience with payroll systems, preferably Workday Payroll.
• Ability to perform audits, reconciliations, and maintain payroll controls.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to investigate and resolve payroll issues.
• Experience administering regulated payroll components such as 401(k), benefits deductions, equity compensation, and taxable fringe benefits.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with People Operations, Finance, Legal, Systems, and external vendors.
• Experience supporting or managing global payroll operations is a plus.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with payroll automation and leveraging AI tools.
• Familiarity with payroll system implementations and enhancements.
• Strong documentation and process improvement skills.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary range: $93,500 - $110,000 USD (US National Pay Range).
• Compensation is competitive and equitable, based on performance and proficiency.
• Potential eligibility for commission or bonus incentives.
• Equity in the form of stock options.
• Participation in a Total Rewards plan including health and medical benefits, flexible spending accounts, and flexible paid time off.

Location

• The role is based in the United States.

Additional Information

• The hiring process may include reference checks.
• The organization is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities throughout the hiring process.
• Official communications will only come from verified company email addresses.
• The organization does not require any payments during the application or hiring process.
• Sensitive personal information will only be requested after a formal job offer through secure channels.