Payroll Specialist

Shield•Tampa, FL

10d•$90,000 - $110,000•Remote

About The Position

Shield Technology Partners is hiring a Payroll Specialist to own payroll end to end across its portfolio. The role covers US payroll for every ShieldCo and international payroll for employees engaged through Employer of Record (EOR) partners. The Payroll Specialist manages payroll cycles, tax compliance, deductions, payroll accounting, international payroll coordination, audits, reporting, and payroll setup for newly acquired entities. The role also supports benefits and retirement-plan administration, including benefit deductions, 401(k) contributions, and leave-related pay. It involves maintaining payroll data and integrations across Rippling, EOR platforms, and Finance systems, as well as documenting processes and responding to employee pay questions. This is a small, high-trust team within the broader Shield HR team. The role owns payroll from day one and works directly with the Total Rewards Manager. Strong performers may progress to Senior Payroll Specialist or Payroll Lead roles, with potential for global payroll strategy ownership and eventual team management.

Requirements

At least 5 years of hands-on payroll experience, ideally across multiple entities or EINs.
Experience managing international payroll through HRIS/EOR providers or in-country payroll vendors.
Working knowledge of multi-state payroll tax, garnishments, and pre-tax and post-tax deductions.
Familiarity with international payroll concepts, including statutory benefits, 13th-month pay, social contributions, and country-specific termination rules.
Hands-on experience with a major payroll or HRIS platform.
Strong reconciliation skills and comfort using Excel, including lookups, pivot tables, and variance analysis.
Experience with year-end processing, payroll tax filings, and payroll audits.
Working knowledge of benefits deductions, 401(k) administration, and FMLA and state leave pay treatment.
Clear, patient communication skills and the ability to explain pay to employees and managers in plain terms.
High attention to detail and discretion when handling confidential pay, medical, and personal data.
Ability to meet payroll deadlines and deliver accurate, timely payroll across cycles and countries.
Comfort working with ambiguity and building processes.
Habit of documenting learned processes and information.
Genuine care for the people whose pay and benefits the team manages.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Rippling, which is strongly preferred.
CPP, FPC, or GPMP (Global Payroll Management Professional) certification.

Responsibilities

Manage end-to-end US payroll for all ShieldCos on bi-weekly or semi-monthly cycles, including input collection, approval, funding, and post-payroll reconciliation.
Process off-cycle runs, bonuses, commissions, retroactive pay, final pay, and corrections in accordance with state final-pay timing rules.
Manage multi-state tax setup and compliance, including withholding, SUI/SDI, local taxes, reciprocity, and remote-worker nexus.
Administer garnishments, child support, tax levies, and other special deductions.
Ensure accurate pre-tax and post-tax deductions for benefits, 401(k), HSA/FSA, and commuter programs.
Manage payroll tax filings and amendments and resolve agency notices.
Complete year-end processing, including W-2s, W-2Cs, 1099s, and annual reconciliations.
Manage GL integration, payroll journal entries, and monthly reconciliations with Finance.
Manage Shield's EOR partners for employees outside the US and submit monthly international payroll inputs by partner deadlines.
Review EOR payroll registers and invoices, reconciling employer costs, fees, and foreign exchange against approved compensation.
Coordinate country-specific requirements with EOR partners, including statutory benefits, 13th-month pay, mandatory leave, pension contributions, and termination and notice obligations.
Coordinate onboarding and offboarding through EOR platforms, including offer coordination, contract issuance, and document collection.
Track employer costs by country and ShieldCo and partner with Finance on international payroll accruals and cost allocation.
Respond to international employee pay questions and escalate issues to EOR partners as needed.
Support evaluation of new countries and EOR vendors as ShieldCos expand internationally.
Support internal, external, and benefit-plan payroll audits.
Prepare or support ACA, EEO-1, and state compliance reporting.
Set up payroll for new ShieldCos, including entity setup, EIN and state tax registrations, bank and funding setup, and GL mapping.
Maintain controls over payroll changes, approvals, and segregation of duties.
Provide regular payroll reporting to ShieldCo leaders and Finance, including headcount and labor cost.
Ensure accurate benefit deductions for enrollments, life events, and terminations, and coordinate COBRA handoffs.
Reconcile carrier invoices against payroll deductions and support Open Enrollment, including deduction setup and validation.
Administer 401(k) eligibility, deferral changes, loans, distributions, and timely contribution remittance.
Provide payroll data to recordkeepers and TPAs for nondiscrimination testing, Form 5500 filings, and plan audits.
Apply payroll treatment for FMLA, state paid leave, disability, military, and personal leave, including pay continuation, offsets, and benefit premium collection.
Coordinate with HR, carriers, and TPAs to ensure correct pay from leave start through return to work, and track leave-related pay for international employees with EOR partners.
Administer Rippling payroll and maintain data integrity across HR, payroll, and benefits systems.
Maintain integrations between Rippling, EOR platforms, and Finance systems.
Complete employment and income verifications.
Document and maintain payroll processes, calendars, and standard operating procedures.