The Role
The Senior Payroll Accountant manages global payroll accounting, including journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, tax compliance, and month-end and year-end close activities. The role analyzes payroll-related balance sheet and P&L fluctuations, maintains internal controls, supports audits, and ensures compliance with US GAAP and local statutory requirements across multiple regions. The accountant partners with HR, Payroll, FP&A, and finance teams while improving accounting processes through automation.
Summary Generated by Built In
Coupa makes margins multiply through its community-generated AI and industry-leading total spend management platform for businesses large and small. Coupa AI is informed by trillions of dollars of direct and indirect spend data across a global network of 10M+ buyers and suppliers. We empower you with the ability to predict, prescribe, and automate smarter, more profitable business decisions to improve operating margins.
Why join Coupa?
🔹 Pioneering Technology: At Coupa, we're at the forefront of innovation, leveraging the latest technology to empower our customers with greater efficiency and visibility in their spend.
🔹 Collaborative Culture: We value collaboration and teamwork, and our culture is driven by transparency, openness, and a shared commitment to excellence.
🔹 Global Impact: Join a company where your work has a global, measurable impact on our clients, the business, and each other.
Learn more on Life at Coupa blog and hear from our employees about their experiences working at Coupa.
The impact of the role - senior accountant
The Senior Payroll Accountant operates at the intersection of Finance, HR, and Compliance.
Strategic & Operational Impact
The Senior Payroll Accountant operates at the intersection of Finance, HR, and Compliance.
Strategic & Operational Impact
- Compensation Management: Manages complex tax withholdings and financial accounting for salary, benefits, tax, severance, and pension.
- Flux Analysis: MoM, QoQ and YTD flux analysis for P&L and balance sheet impact.
- US and International Compliance: Ensures compliance with varying state, local, and international tax rules
- Financial Accuracy & Reporting: Prepares complex payroll journal entries, reconciles balance sheet accounts (accrued wages, bonus reserves, tax liabilities), and delivers audit-ready reports for SEC/SOX compliance or investor reviews.
- System Integration & Automation: Work on automation projects to reduce the manual tasks.
- Audit & Cross-Functional Partnership: Coordinates internal and external audits (401k, financial, workers' comp, benefits) while partnering with FP&A and HR.
What You’ll Do
- Prepare and review journal entries, account reconciliations, flux analysis, and month-end/year-end close processes
- Record and reconcile payroll-related journal entries across multiple countries (wages, bonuses, commissions, benefits, statutory contributions, garnishments, severance, etc.)
- Reconcile payroll clearing accounts and resolve discrepancies between payroll system and general ledger
- Ensure accurate accounting for accrued payroll liabilities (PTO, bonuses, benefits accruals)
- Support payroll tax reconciliations and compliance reporting across jurisdictions (social security, income tax withholding, pension contributions, VAT/GST where applicable)
- Maintain and analyze general ledger accounts, ensuring accuracy and compliance with US GAAP and local statutory requirements
- Partner with global HR, Payroll, and local finance teams to ensure accurate and timely payroll processing and reporting across regions (e.g., North America, EMEA, APAC, LATAM)
- Maintain internal controls over payroll accounting processes
- Support internal and external audits (including statutory audits in local jurisdictions) by preparing schedules and documentation
- Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and accuracy across global accounting operations
What You Will Bring to Coupa
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field
- 4+ years of progressive accounting experience, including exposure to international or multi-entity payroll accounting
- Strong knowledge of GAAP and general ledger accounting principles
- Experience with NetSuite, FloQast, Workiva, and Google Gemini
- Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, reconciliations)
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
- High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities under deadlines
- Preferred:
- Experience with multi-state payroll and international payroll
- Familiarity with payroll audits and benefits accounting
- Experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented company environment
- Core Competencies
- Strong communication skills, with ability to collaborate across Finance, HR, and Payroll teams
- Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive compensation and employee data
- Process-improvement mindset with a focus on accuracy and efficiency
At Coupa, we are 100% committed to creating and nurturing an environment that supports your physical, mental, and community well-being . We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits designed to help you and your family thrive:
Global Well-Being Perks (For All Employees Globally)
- Global Wellness Days: Enjoy two designated, company-wide paid wellness days off each year (typically the first Friday in March and the last Friday in September) so the entire global team can unplug, step away, and recharge together .
- Birthday Time-Off: Celebrate your day! Coupa provides a paid day off on your birthday or another day of your choice within your birthday month .
- Volunteer Time Off (VTO): Giving back is in our DNA. We offer 40 hours of paid VTO annually to support the community initiatives and volunteer programs you are passionate about .
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Access free, confidential, 24/7/365 counseling and resources for emotional support, work-life solutions, financial advice, legal guidance, and support for new parents .
- Business Travel Protection: Travel with peace of mind. Zurich Travel Assist provides medical, safety, pre-trip planning, and emergency support during any business travel .
- Referral Bonus Program: Share the Coupa experience! Receive generous monetary referral bonuses when you successfully refer talented friends or acquaintances who are hired into open roles .
Please note: In addition to these global well-being perks, Coupa offers highly competitive, location-specific benefits packages (which include comprehensive medical/dental insurance, retirement/pension plans, and life or accident protection) tailored to your primary work location. Your recruiter will walk you through the specific regional benefits package for this role during the interview process.
Coupa complies with relevant laws and regulations regarding equal opportunity and offers a welcoming and inclusive work environment. Decisions related to hiring, compensation, training, or evaluating performance are made fairly, and we provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees.
Please be advised that inquiries or resumes from recruiters will not be accepted.
By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you have read Coupa’s Privacy Policy and understand that Coupa receives/collects your application, including your personal data, for the purposes of managing Coupa's ongoing recruitment and placement activities, including for employment purposes in the event of a successful application and for notification of future job opportunities if you did not succeed the first time. You will find more details about how your application is processed, the purposes of processing, and how long we retain your application in our Privacy Policy.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field
- 4+ years of progressive accounting experience
- Exposure to international or multi-entity payroll accounting
- Strong knowledge of GAAP and general ledger accounting principles
- Experience with NetSuite, FloQast, Workiva, and Google Gemini
- Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and reconciliations
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
- High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities under deadlines
- Experience with multi-state and international payroll
- Familiarity with payroll audits and benefits accounting
- Experience in a fast-paced, growth-oriented company environment
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive compensation and employee data
- Process-improvement mindset focused on accuracy and efficiency
What the Team is Saying
Aditya Maheshwari
Sr. Software Engineer, Cloud
Alex Moon
Operations Analyst, Order Management
Jose Miguel Jimenez
Procurement
Jessica Fonseca
Technical Support Specialist
Daniela Aristizábal
Associate Planning & Operations Analyst
Coupa Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as comprehensive from day one for employees and dependents, including medical, dental, vision, mental-health resources, and an Employee Assistance Program. Materials also highlight well-being initiatives that extend support to employees’ households.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Flexible Time Off, paid parental leave, floating holidays, and 40 hours of annual volunteer time are prominently featured. Outside the U.S., a global minimum of 25 vacation days is noted.
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Retirement Support — A retirement savings program with a company match is offered, including a 401(k) plan. While exact match percentages are not publicly listed on the careers page, matching is presented as part of the total rewards package.
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The Company
What We Do
Coupa is a global technology company that helps businesses run smarter by connecting all the ways they spend money — from procurement and expenses to payments and supply chain decisions — in one intelligent platform. In simple terms, Coupa gives organizations the visibility and control they need to make better financial choices, reduce waste, and drive real impact. It’s where technology meets purpose: helping companies manage their resources more responsibly while creating a positive ripple across their people, partners, and the planet.
Why Work With Us
At Coupa, we prioritize an inclusive and empathetic workplace where every voice is valued. Our teams are proactive and accountable, ensuring we collaborate effectively to achieve our goals. The foundation of our culture rests on our people; we believe in fostering an environment that encourages innovation and curiosity.
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Coupa Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Our virtual-first approach is intentional. It gives you the freedom to do your best work in a space that supports focus, balance, and creativity, while staying connected to a global team of changemakers who are redefining the future of business spend
Typical time on-site:
Flexible
Foster City
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Ann Arbor
Bangalore office
Bogotá, CO
Boston, MA
Chicago, IL
Dubai, Dubai 48800
Hyderabad office
São Paulo, BR
Pune office
Shivaji Nagar, IN
Singapore, SG
Tokyo Office
Uppsala, SE
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