Senior Payroll Specialist

Philip Morris International U.S.•Tampa, FL

7d•$88,000 - $110,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Payroll Specialist is responsible for leading and executing end-to-end payroll operations with a strong focus on accuracy, compliance, and process excellence. This role serves as a subject matter expert for payroll administration, supports payroll team operations, and helps ensure timely and accurate payroll processing in accordance with company policy and applicable federal, state, and local regulations. The ideal candidate brings deep payroll processing experience, strong knowledge of payroll tax requirements, hands-on expertise with ADP, and the ability to work cross-functionally with HR, Finance, Benefits, and other key stakeholders. Experience with SuccessFactors is strongly preferred.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, human resources, business administration, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
5+ years of payroll experience, including experience processing multi-state payroll.
Hands-on experience with ADP is required.
Strong understanding of payroll principles, wage and hour regulations, and payroll compliance requirements.
Experience reviewing payroll data, reconciling payroll results, and resolving complex payroll discrepancies.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and payroll reporting.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience with SAP SuccessFactors or other HRIS platforms.
Experience with payroll tax processing, tax reconciliation, tax notices, and multi-state tax compliance.
Prior experience in a lead, senior, or informal supervisory payroll role.
The designation of the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation is a plus.
Experience supporting audits, process improvement initiatives, or payroll system projects

Responsibilities

Lead the processing of regular and off-cycle payrolls, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with established payroll procedures.
Serve as a primary payroll subject matter expert and provide day-to-day guidance to payroll team members.
Review payroll data for completeness and accuracy, including earnings, deductions, taxes, garnishments, time data, and employee changes.
Manage payroll transactions in ADP, including employee updates, payroll balancing, audit reporting, and issue resolution.
Support payroll-related activities associated with hires, terminations, transfers, leave of absence, bonuses, and other employee lifecycle events.
Research, resolve, and respond to payroll discrepancies, employee inquiries, and complex payroll issues in a timely and professional manner.
Assist in ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations, wage and hour laws, and company policies.
Partner with internal and external stakeholders to support payroll tax filings, reconciliations, year-end activities, and audit requirements.
Prepare and review payroll reports, reconciliations, and analysis to identify trends, variances, or processing issues.
Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end payroll activities, including W-2 processing and payroll account reconciliation.
Collaborate with HRIS, HR, Finance, and Benefits teams to ensure accurate integration of employee and compensation data.
Participate in payroll system testing, upgrades, implementations, and process improvements.
Help develop, document, and maintain payroll procedures, internal controls, and standard operating practices.
Support internal and external audits by gathering documentation and responding to payroll-related requests.
Identify opportunities to improve payroll efficiency, accuracy, and compliance through automation and process standardization.