Senior Associate / Lead (US Payroll)

Senior Payroll Specialist / Lead

The Lead will additionally review and validate pre-payroll inputs, analyze payroll outputs, administer post-payroll activities, mentor junior specialists, and ensure adherence to SLAs/KPIs. This role requires night shift support with rotational weekly offs and is based out of our Chennai office.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Payroll SME Support & Issue Resolution

• Act as SME for escalated payroll issues including

  multi-state taxation, leave calculations, adjustments, wage garnishments, retro payments

  , and complex earnings/deductions.
• Support troubleshooting of timekeeping discrepancies (Kronos, Compass), ensuring accurate payroll-impacting data.

2. Payroll Processing & Validation

• Review and validate

  pre-payroll inputs

  , ensuring accuracy and completeness of time, earnings, deductions, and exceptions.
• Analyze payroll reports and manage all

  post-payroll

  activities including validations, corrections, and reconciliations.
• Perform

  Build-to-Gross

  input reconciliation and

  Gross-to-Net

  validation across all employee population groups.
• Reconcile pre- and post-payroll audit reports, addressing discrepancies with client SMEs and internal stakeholders.

3. Payroll Tax, Compliance & Audit

• Compile wage, tax, and other taxable information; validate payroll registers and reconcile 401(k)/benefits deductions.
• Prepare and validate payroll tax data supporting

  quarterly and annual tax filings

  .
• Lead reconciliation and auditing of payroll runs across

  Workday, ADP, and Kronos

  , ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Own compliance activities including SOX readiness, vendor audits, federal/state reporting, and statutory submissions.
• Implement payroll process changes aligned with evolving US tax regulations and internal policies.

4. Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Handle escalations and complex data issues; provide guidance to resolve Tier 0/Tier 1 queries.
• Collaborate with HR, Finance, and Legal teams to align payroll execution with organizational goals.
• Manage relationships with third-party vendors (ADP, Sedgwick, Equifax), ensuring service quality and compliance adherence.

5. Transformation, Automation & Process Excellence

• Drive payroll process improvements, automation initiatives, and digital transformation using RPA, AI, or analytics tools.
• Conduct RCA for payroll errors, implement corrective actions, and lead retraining as needed.
• Ensure exceptional service delivery through process optimization, documentation updates, and governance practices.

6. Leadership & Team Enablement (Lead Role)

• Mentor junior payroll specialists, oversee workload distribution, and ensure SLA/KPI achievement.
• Support capability-building initiatives within the payroll team through training and knowledge sharing.

Eligibility & Qualifications:

• 3-9 years

  of experience in

  US Payroll / Payroll Audits / Compliance

  .
• Strong hands-on experience with

  Workday or ADP Payroll

  .
• Exposure to

  Kronos / Compass / Time & Attendance systems

  preferred.

• FPC / CPP certification highly preferred

  .
• Bachelors in Accounting, Finance, HR (Masters preferred).
• Excellent knowledge of US payroll laws, multi-state taxation, FICA, garnishments, and statutory compliance.

HR Muhammad 7358282745

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