Senior Payroll Accountant

Handshake•San Francisco, CA

4d•$108,000 - $130,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As Senior Payroll Accountant, you'll own the accounting and financial reporting for all payroll activity across our global operations — ensuring every transaction is accurately recorded, reconciled, and reported. Reporting to the Assistant Controller, you'll work closely with Payroll, People, and Finance/Accounting teams, and be the person who gets ahead of problems before they become expensive surprises.

Requirements

Hands-on Workday experience is required
4+ years of accounting experience with meaningful exposure to payroll accounting, ideally at a startup or high-growth company
Solid command of payroll accounting fundamentals: accruals, journal entries, balance sheet reconciliations, and month-end close
Knowledge of U.S. payroll taxes, employee benefits, and compensation-related accounting concepts, including audit support and internal controls
Experience with NetSuite or a comparable ERP system
Advanced Excel skills and comfort working with large, messy datasets
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting international payroll accounting, including EOR arrangements across multiple countries
Familiarity with stock compensation accounting and equity-related payroll impacts, including Carta
Experience with a close management tool such as FloQast
Knowledge of SOX controls and public-company readiness processes

Responsibilities

Prepare and review payroll journal entries, account reconciliations, and supporting schedules for month-, quarter-, and year-end close
Own balance sheet reconciliations for wages payable, payroll tax liabilities, benefits accruals, FSA/HSA, and payroll clearing accounts
Partner with Payroll and People Ops to ensure payroll transactions are accurately reflected in NetSuite, and proactively flag discrepancies before close
Manage accounting for Employer of Record (EOR) arrangements and contractors, navigating the nuances of how those transactions are classified and reported
Support equity-related payroll accounting, including stock-based compensation, RSU vest activity, and option exercise tax implications in partnership with the Equity team
Support internal and external audits by preparing schedules, reconciliations, and responding to auditor inquiries