Payroll Lead - US

Overview (Scope of Role)

The Payroll Lead - US is responsible for overseeing the execution and compliance of U.S. payroll in partnership with our outsourced payroll vendor. Using Workday as the core HRIS, this role ensures payroll accuracy, vendor performance, and timely processing for our U.S.-based employee population. The ideal candidate brings strong analytical skills, deep knowledge of U.S. payroll and payroll tax regulations, and experience managing third-party payroll relationships within a Workday environment. 

This is a part-time role - Monday-Friday, 20-25 hours/week.

Vendor and Payroll Management – 40%

• Act as the primary liaison between internal teams and the outsourced payroll provider to manage the end-to-end U.S. payroll process including vendor management.
• Validate payroll inputs and outputs in Workday, including compensation changes, one-time payments, retroactive adjustments, and time data feeds.
• Review payroll registers, pre-processing reports, and final output files for accuracy and compliance.
• Review and approve biweekly payroll calculations, deductions, and withholdings processed by the vendor in compliance with company policies and legal requirements.
• Ensure correct application of federal, state, and local tax withholdings, garnishments, and benefit deductions.
• Monitor payroll calendars, deadlines, and service level agreements (SLAs); escalate and resolve issues as needed. 

Reporting and Compliance – 30%

• Oversee payroll reporting requirements and year-end reporting, including W-2s, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Partner with Finance and Accounting to ensure accurate payroll funding, journal entries, and month-end close activities.
• Maintain audit-ready payroll records and support internal and external audits (e.g., SOX, IRS, state agencies).
• Stay informed of changes in U.S. payroll legislation and ensure vendor and internal processes reflect current requirements.
• Coordinate and assist with requests and questions from financial, retirement plan, and tax auditors.
• May assist with audits of internal records, worker’s comp, tax filings and related documentation.
• Knowledge of SOX compliant practices and understanding of internal controls. May assist with periodic testing of controls with internal or external auditors.

Payroll Optimization – 20%

• Analyze payroll data for trends, discrepancies, or opportunities to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Continuously evaluate payroll processes and suggest/identify/implement process improvements for accuracy and efficiency.
• Investigate and provide root cause analysis and preventative solutions for any issues or nonconformances. 

Other – 10%

• Support system testing and configuration updates within Workday related to payroll processes.
• Identifies, prioritizes, and manages departmental projects as well as representing payroll’s interests in interdepartmental projects.
• Other projects and duties as assigned.

Minimum Education Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) certification preferred but not required.

Minimum Experience Required:

• 7+ years of U.S. payroll experience, including management of outsourced payroll providers.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong working knowledge of Workday Payroll and Workday HCM (required).
• In-depth understanding of U.S. payroll regulations, tax laws, and compliance standards. Experience working with internal and external auditors, as well as tax authorities.
• Experience with SOX compliance and payroll controls at a publicly traded company.
• Experience in payroll taxes and basic accounting a must.
• Experience reconciling payroll data, working with GL interfaces, and supporting audits.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Effective communicator with the ability to manage vendor relationships and collaborate across departments.

Equity and Inclusion
With our expanding global presence, cross-cultural insight and competence are essential for our ongoing success. We believe that a diverse workforce contributes different perspectives, experiences and creative ideas that enable us to continue to improve every day. Race, gender, ethnicity, country of origin, age, personal style, sexual orientation, physical ability, religion, work and life experiences and many more factors contribute to this diversity.  We welcome all applicants, regardless of their backgrounds, and are committed to a fair and inclusive hiring process.

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