Senior Specialist, Payroll

Role Overview

In this role, you’ll make an impact in the following ways:

The Senior Specialist, Payroll Accounting is a hands-on role responsible for executing payroll accounting activities across assigned entities. This role prepares journal entries, performs account reconciliations, researches and resolves discrepancies, and completes payroll-related close deliverables accurately and on time. Working closely with Payroll Delivery, Employment Tax, Finance, and other stakeholders, the Senior Specialist applies established controls and procedures in day-to-day work to support compliance, accurate financial reporting, and process efficiency.

Payroll Accounting and Close Execution

• Prepare and post payroll-related journal entries, accruals, reclasses, reversals, and adjustments, with complete supporting documentation.
• Perform day-to-day payroll accounting activities for assigned entities, recording payroll transactions accurately in the general ledger.
• Complete assigned payroll accounting deliverables in line with monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close deadlines.
• Work directly with Payroll Delivery and related teams to resolve discrepancies and clear reconciling items promptly.
• Research reconciling items, out-of-balance conditions, and aged balances, determine root causes, and process the corrections needed to clear them.
• Gather and provide documentation in response to internal and external audit requests.

General Ledger Reconciliations and Controls

• Prepare and complete reconciliations for payroll and HR-related balance sheet accounts, including payroll clearing, employment tax liabilities, employee benefit accruals, and benefit-related clearing accounts.
• Complete reconciliations on time with appropriate supporting documentation and clear variance explanations, in line with established financial control standards.
• Review account activity on a recurring basis, flag potential control gaps, and suggest practical process fixes.
• Perform new control steps and complete assigned remediation actions resulting from audits, risk assessments, or operational reviews.

Reporting, Procedures, and Process Improvement

• Prepare recurring and ad hoc reports on payroll accounting activities, reconciliations, and close status.
• Follow payroll accounting policies and procedures, and help keep desk procedures and process documentation up to date.
• Compile key metrics and status updates on reconciliation and close progress for management review.
• Complete assigned tasks on special projects, system enhancements, and benefits or compensation-related changes affecting payroll accounting processes, including testing and validation.

Qualifications

To be successful in this role, we’re seeking the following:

• A bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance is preferred.
• 5–8 years of total work experience preferred.
• Relevant experience in payroll accounting, general ledger accounting, finance operations, or reconciliation functions preferred.
• Experience performing complex account reconciliations, payroll-related accounting controls and researching accounting discrepancies.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, with the ability to identify discrepancies and resolve them independently.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including data analysis and financial reporting.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across payroll, tax, and finance teams.
• No direct reports.