Global Payroll Specialist

ComPsych Corporation•Chicago, IL

About The Position

ComPsych is the worldwide leader in organizational mental health, well-being, and absence management, dedicated to igniting human potential in workplaces across the globe. For over 40 years, we have combined the best in technology with unmatched human expertise to help individuals and their organizations thrive. Our GuidanceResources and AbsenceResources solutions deliver end-to-end mental health, well-being, work-life, health navigation, and absence support to more than 75,000 customers worldwide, touching more than 160 million lives across 200 countries. The Global Payroll Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of payroll across multiple countries and entities, ensuring compliance with local tax, labor, and statutory requirements. This role partners with in-country vendors, HR, finance, and internal and outside legal teams to manage end-to-end payroll operations, resolve discrepancies, and support process improvements for a growing international workforce. The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with multi-country payroll processing, strong attention to detail, and the ability to navigate varying regulatory environments.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
5+ years of experience processing payroll, with at least 1–2 years supporting multi-country or international payroll.
Working knowledge of payroll compliance requirements in two or more countries outside the U.S.
Experience with payroll and HRIS platforms (e.g., ADP, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Rippling, or similar).
Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and reconciliation formulas.
Excellent attention to detail and ability to manage confidential information with discretion.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a high degree of accuracy under deadline pressure.
Clear communication skills for engaging with employees, vendors, and stakeholders across regions and time zones.
Ability to manage multiple country pay cycles and shifting priorities simultaneously.
Sound judgment in handling sensitive employee data and payroll discrepancies.
Adaptability to evolving regulations, systems, and organizational needs.
Flexibility in schedule when dealing with different teams across time zones.

Nice To Haves

Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) or Global Payroll Management Institute (GPMI) certification.
Experience working with global payroll aggregators or Employer of Record (EOR) providers.

Responsibilities

Process end-to-end payroll for employees across multiple countries, using various platforms, ensuring accuracy and timeliness according with local pay cycles.
Collect, validate and input payroll data including new hires, terminations, salary changes, bonuses and benefit deductions.
Validate and audit payroll inputs including salary changes, bonuses, commissions, equity awards, and deductions prior to each pay run.
Coordinate with in-country partners to execute payroll runs.
Provide and assist Finance with reconciliation of payroll registers, general ledger postings, and bank funding files each cycle.
Process off-cycle payments, corrections and final payments in compliance with local termination requirements and company policy.
Ensure payroll practices comply with local tax codes, labor laws, and statutory reporting requirements across all supported countries.
Prepare and submit statutory filings, tax remittances, and year-end reporting (e.g., tax forms, social contributions) in partnership with local vendors.
Monitor changes in payroll-related legislation and update internal processes accordingly.
Support internal and external payroll audits by providing documentation and resolving findings.
Stay current on legislative changes (income tax, employer contributions, statutory benefits) and update payroll processes accordingly.
Oversee the preparation and filing of statutory payroll reports, tax remittances, and year-end filings (e.g., P60s, W-2s, T4s, BAS statements) in partnership with local advisors.
Maintain accurate payroll records in compliance with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR).
Partner with HR to ensure accurate and timely transfer of employee data affecting pay (new hires, terminations, leaves, promotions).
Serve as a primary point of contact for employee payroll inquiries, resolving issues accurately and within agreed service-level timelines.
Escalate complex payroll issues to the appropriate internal teams or external advisors and track resolution to closure.
Produce and distribute employee pay statements, tax documents, and earnings letters in compliance with local requirements.
Support benefits administration as it intersects with payroll deductions and contributions.
Identify opportunities to streamline and standardize payroll processes across regions.
Support implementation, upgrades and maintenance of payroll systems and integrations
Document payroll procedures and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each country supported.
Assist with testing and validation during system upgrades, new country rollouts, or vendor transitions.
Other duties as assigned.