Global Payroll Lead

IEEE•Piscataway, NJ

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Global Payroll Lead is responsible for the day-to-day execution of IEEE's global payroll operations, managing bi-weekly US payroll and monthly international payrolls across six countries for approximately 1,300 employees. This role operates with significant independence, acting as the senior authority on payroll processing, retirement plan administration, timekeeping, and leaves of absence. The position provides work direction, review, and training to the Global Payroll Specialist and is responsible for process documentation. The Global Payroll Lead also serves as the primary backup to the Senior Global Payroll Manager for payroll continuity. Key duties include administering retirement and savings programs (401(k) and Defined Contribution Retirement Plan), handling reconciliations, coordinating with recordkeepers, and preparing responses to regulatory agency correspondence. The role demands extreme confidentiality, precision, and sound judgment due to the potential impact of errors on regulatory, financial, and employee matters.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent work experience required
7+ years of progressive payroll experience, including multi-state US payroll processing required
Experience processing or coordinating international payroll through third-party providers required
Experience with retirement plan payroll administration, including contribution funding, reconciliation, and recordkeeper coordination required
Experience providing work direction, training, or mentoring to other payroll staff required
Experience creating and maintaining written process documentation required
Advanced proficiency with payroll systems, preferably ADP Workforce Now, including reporting and system configuration awareness.
Advanced Excel skills, including reconciliation of large data sets; proficiency with Word, PowerPoint, and process documentation tools.
Working knowledge of federal, state, local, and international payroll regulations, filing and compliance requirements, and employee benefit program rules including 401(k), DCR, and leave administration.
Maintains extreme confidentiality in all aspects of the role and exercises consistent discretion with sensitive employee and compensation data.
Proficiency using AI tools to support documentation, analysis, and process improvement, with appropriate output verification and protection of confidential data.
Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to research unfamiliar issues independently and bring forward proposed solutions rather than open questions.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage concurrent deadlines across payroll, retirement plan, and timekeeping cycles.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain payroll and retirement plan matters clearly to employees at all levels.
Ability to communicate, interact, and work effectively and cooperatively with employees from diverse backgrounds.
Ability to work independently on assigned projects with limited direction.

Nice To Haves

Experience with time and attendance system administration and leave of absence payroll processing preferred
Experience supporting payroll system implementations, conversions, or upgrades preferred
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) preferred

Responsibilities

Processes the bi-weekly multi-state domestic payroll with minimal supervision, maintaining extreme confidentiality, high attention to detail, and precise accuracy while adhering to all payroll policies, procedures, and government regulations.
Processes monthly international payrolls for all six countries (China, Singapore, India, Japan, Austria, and Germany), engaging directly with international payroll providers on processing and reporting matters and confirming compliance with country requirements.
Ensures payments, tax withholding, and deductions are processed accurately, including retroactive adjustments, bonuses, commissions, severance, vacation payouts, employee referrals, and shift differential.
Administers garnishments, tax levies, child support orders, and other legally mandated withholding orders in accordance with jurisdictional requirements and response deadlines.
Prepares international wire transfers with currency conversion for dual approval by the Senior Global Payroll Manager and the Controller.
Runs the year-end payroll processing cycle, including W-2 preparation activities, year-end adjustments, and reconciliation of year-end data, under the direction of the Senior Global Payroll Manager.
Researches and resolves uncashed payroll checks, validating outstanding items and coordinating unclaimed property compliance.
Prepares off-cycle and manual payments for review and approval by the Senior Global Payroll Manager.
Reviews and validates bi-weekly benefit deductions and 401(k) and Defined Contribution Retirement Plan contribution funding executed by the Global Payroll Specialist, ensuring funding within required deadlines.
Reconciles and adjusts quarterly reports with the retirement plan recordkeeper, and reconciles forfeiture and suspense accounts for the 401(k) and DCR Plans, providing supporting information to Accounting.
Prepares retirement plan projection tables for senior management and highly compensated employees.
Administers payroll matters and inquiries related to the 401(k) and Defined Contribution Retirement Plans, escalating compliance questions and plan interpretation matters to the Senior Global Payroll Manager.
Owns day-to-day administration of the time and attendance system, including pay rule application, timecard issue resolution, and the integrity of time data feeding payroll.
Serves as the primary liaison between Payroll and Benefits for all employee leaves of absence, including payroll and accrual calculations, pay continuation, and compliance for all leave types.
Prepares and submits responses to routine payroll-related regulatory agency notices and inquiries; escalates contested, complex, and audit-related matters to the Senior Global Payroll Manager, who serves as the organization's responding authority.
Serves as the primary working lead on internal and external payroll audits, compiling requested data, preparing schedules, and coordinating responses under the direction of the Senior Global Payroll Manager.
Maintains all employee payroll files and reports in accordance with federal regulations and preserves them in an audit-ready format.
Identifies processing errors, discrepancies, and control weaknesses, and escalates them promptly with supporting analysis.
Owns the department's payroll process documentation, including creating and maintaining written procedures for all recurring payroll, retirement plan, timekeeping, and leave processes, and updating documentation when systems or requirements change.
Provides day-to-day work direction, review, and prioritization to the Global Payroll Specialist, without formal supervisory authority.
Trains new and existing payroll staff, and develops cross-training and backup coverage across the department's core processes.
Serves as the primary backup to the Senior Global Payroll Manager for payroll continuity, performing processing and preparation activities, with approval and authorization remaining with the Senior Global Payroll Manager.
Serves as a subject matter expert on payroll systems, including the payroll platform, time and attendance system, and employee self-service.
Performs annual payroll system configuration updates, including contribution limits, tax tables, and plan parameters, documenting each change and submitting it for approval and verification by the Senior Global Payroll Manager.
Participates in payroll system upgrades, conversions, and enhancement projects, including testing, validation, and post-implementation verification.
Analyzes current payroll policies, procedures, and workflows, and recommends improvements that increase efficiency, strengthen controls, and reduce manual effort.