Payroll Expert

Family Description
Human Resources (HR) comprises advice, services, and solutions in the areas of human resources management (e.g. total rewards, learning, talent acquisition & development, mobility) and organisation (e.g. leadership, organisational development, diversity).
Subfamily Description
Service Delivery (SDL) contains the managing of operation of service delivery to employees and managers and the monitoring of service delivery operations, technology, transaction processes, and call centre efficiency. Also comprises the establishment of standards and procedures for handling employee questions, transactions, and administration of human resource programmes.
Responsibilities

As a Payroll Expert, you will assist the payroll cluster lead as a senior role within the payroll team in providing a professional and responsive payroll service to customers both internally and externally, as well as within the payroll organization, by adhering to defined service level agreements and statutory requirements, while ensuring payroll accuracy. Responsibilities include assisting with process controls, projects, providing expertise along with strong project management skills.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities include: 

• Gathering payroll related data, uploading/entering as necessary, and validating for accuracy all payroll maintenance resulting in pay implications and deliver payroll data for payroll processing to include but not limited to benefits, interfaces, W2C’s, time data, garnishments, supplemental payments, termination payments, etc.

• Establishing and maintaining company and employee payroll records and procedures as it relates to time data, earnings, deductions and tax withholding, while maintaining accuracy of system data.

• Accountable for quality and accuracy of own output, project management, and/or tax support.

• Adhering to delivery deadline based on yearly payroll calendars.

• Tracking changes in local legislation and initiating revision in local payroll processes according to the global approach.

• Partnering with other HR Finance colleagues and employees to solve discrepancies and various company initiatives

• Preparing and controls payroll related financial accruals (holiday, restructuring) and journal entries as needed.

• Creating and controlling payroll related reports to authorities to include period based reporting and year-end tax filings.

• Adhering to and performing SOX control related activities while validating accuracy and reporting deviations.

  Key Responsibilities

• Payroll Processing & Execution
• Execute U.S. payroll processing activities for assigned pay groups, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.
• Process complex payroll transactions including multi-state earnings, bonuses, retroactivity, terminations, off-cycle payrolls, and corrections.
• Validate payroll inputs and outputs, perform payroll audits, and complete assigned reconciliations.

• Ensure accurate payroll data flow between HRIS, timekeeping, benefits, and payroll systems.
   

  Subject Matter Expertise

• Serve as a payroll subject-matter expert for U.S. payroll calculations, wage and hour rules, and taxation.
• Interpret payroll requirements and apply them accurately to payroll transactions.

• Provide guidance to payroll specialists and support teams on complex payroll scenarios.

  Issue Resolution & Case Management

• Resolve escalated payroll cases and discrepancies within defined authority limits.
• Perform root-cause analysis for payroll errors and implement corrective actions at the transactional level.

• Escalate systemic or high-risk issues to the Cluster Lead with clear documentation and analysis.

  Compliance & Controls

• Execute payroll controls, audits, and documentation in accordance with SOX and internal control requirements.
• Support internal and external audits by providing payroll data, reconciliations, and explanations.

• Ensure payroll activities comply with federal, state, and local regulations.

  Process Discipline & Documentation

• Follow established standard operating procedures (SOPs) and payroll calendars.
• Contribute to the maintenance of payroll documentation, job aids, and knowledge articles.

• Identify opportunities for process improvement and efficiency gains.

  Collaboration

• Partner with HR Operations, Benefits, Time, and Finance teams to resolve payroll inputs and discrepancies.

• Support payroll projects, testing, and enhancements as assigned.

  
  

Qualifications

• Proven experience of at least 4 years as a payroll coordinator/lead or similar role

• Good knowledge of legislation relevant to accounting and payroll (such as SOX, US FMLA, benefits, Multi Jurisdiction reporting, termination final wage, garnishments)

• Working knowledge of payroll systems (e.g. SAP, PS, Oracle, Kronos, TM etc)

• Comfortable with Excel (functions, data, VBA etc.)

• An analytical mind with good project/change management skills

• Strong communication skills and excellent attention to detail

It would be nice if you also had:

• FPC or CPP certification or working experience and Familiarity with payroll processes in US/Canada 

• Bachelors in accounting, finance or relevant fields.