Payroll Specialist

Air•Arlington, VA

19d•Onsite

About The Position

Air is seeking a Payroll Specialist to manage key aspects of payroll for a growing, multi-state workforce, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time. The role combines payroll expertise, accounting discipline, compliance, and employee service, and partners with Finance, People Operations, Benefits, Accounting, and external providers to maintain compliant operations, strengthen internal controls, and build scalable processes. The full-time position is located at Air’s Arlington, Virginia office and may require up to 5% travel. The Payroll Specialist owns end-to-end payroll processing and related tax, accounting, reconciliation, audit, reporting, and systems activities. The role also helps establish scalable systems and processes that support Air’s continued growth and public-company readiness. U.S. citizenship is required.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship is required.
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
At least 4 years of relevant payroll experience, including hands-on ownership of U.S. multi-state payroll processing.
Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements, wage and hour rules, payroll deductions, and payroll compliance.
Strong understanding of payroll accounting, including journal entries, accruals, general ledger reconciliations, and month-end close.
Advanced Excel skills and ability to analyze and reconcile large data sets accurately.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills, with ability to manage recurring deadlines in a fast-moving environment.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, protect confidential employee information, and drive departmental improvements.
Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills, including the ability to explain payroll matters clearly to employees and business partners.
Passion for mission-driven work and belief that accurate, compliant payroll operations underpin trust and accountability.

Nice To Haves

Active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license/certification is strongly preferred.
Experience in a SOX-compliant control environment or supporting a company preparing for public-company requirements.
Experience with ADP Workforce Now, BambooHR, and Employee Navigator.
NetSuite experience.
Experience with payroll tax registrations, state unemployment insurance accounts, and multi-state employee mobility.
Experience supporting payroll system implementations, integrations, automation, or process improvement initiatives.
Experience with equity compensation, bonus, commission, or other complex payroll transactions.

Responsibilities

Manage end-to-end payroll processing for a multi-state workforce, ensuring employees are paid accurately and on time.
Review and validate payroll inputs, including employee changes, compensation, bonuses, commissions, time and attendance, deductions, garnishments, leaves, retroactive adjustments, and off-cycle payments.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements, wage and hour regulations, and company policies.
Manage and reconcile payroll tax activity, including filings, W-2s, payroll tax notices, and state and local registrations in coordination with payroll providers.
Prepare and post payroll journal entries, accruals, and other payroll-related accounting entries, and reconcile payroll-related general ledger and balance sheet accounts.
Perform payroll audits and reconciliations each pay cycle and resolve discrepancies before payroll is finalized.
Partner with People Operations, Benefits, Finance, and Accounting to ensure employee data, deductions, compensation changes, and payroll accounting are complete and accurate.
Maintain accurate, complete, audit-ready payroll records and supporting documentation in accordance with company policies, SOX requirements, and applicable regulations.
Support internal and external audits by preparing payroll documentation, reconciliations, control evidence, and responses to auditor inquiries.
Develop, document, and execute payroll policies, procedures, and SOX-compliant internal controls that strengthen accuracy, compliance, and segregation of duties.
Support payroll system implementations, integrations, testing, and process enhancements; identify opportunities to automate and improve payroll operations.
Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close activities and provide payroll reporting and analysis as needed.
Help establish systems and processes that position Air for continued growth and public-company readiness.