Senior Specialist, Payroll

United Therapeutics•Silver Spring, MD

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Specialist, Payroll supports accurate and timely payroll for U.S. and international employees. The role analyzes and verifies Workday data exports, assists with the time system, processes biweekly payroll, prepares and posts journal entries, reconciles payroll accounts, and identifies and corrects data or system issues in partnership with payroll, HRIS, and other teams. The position handles payroll inquiries and complex matters involving taxation, accounting, compliance, and system functionality; supports payroll reporting, audits, and year-end activities, including W-2 processing; and helps improve payroll operations. This is a hybrid role based at the company’s Silver Spring, Maryland office, with at least three office days per week; office requirements may increase based on business needs.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 5 years of experience processing full-cycle payroll for at least 500 employees.
Experience creating journal entries.
Knowledge of payroll accounting and payroll concepts.
Experience with year-end reporting and W-2 processing.
Knowledge of payroll regulations, taxation, and wage-and-hour laws.
Experience with web-based payroll systems.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, specifically Word and Excel.
Ability to handle sensitive information discreetly and maintain confidentiality.
Effective communication skills across all levels of the organization.
Strong analytical skills and ability to gather and evaluate complex data and information.
Curious, problem-solving mindset, with attention to accuracy and thoroughness.
Experience reporting on and presenting information.
Flexibility and adaptability as business needs change.
Organizational and time-management skills.
Ability to work in a dynamic environment with short deadlines and/or high volumes.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively with team members and stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree.
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification from the American Payroll Association (APA).
Knowledge of international and equity payroll.
Experience with ADP, Workday, Ceridian/Dayforce, or SAP; these systems are identified as preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate payroll activities across departments to collect, validate, and process payroll data accurately and according to established schedules.
Review and validate payroll data imported from Workday and other payroll systems for accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
Review and validate employee time and attendance data to support accurate, timely payroll processing.
Monitor the payroll mailbox and respond to employee and manager inquiries within established service levels.
Research, analyze, and resolve complex payroll issues involving taxation, accounting, compliance, and system functionality.
Register and maintain state and local tax jurisdictions, and complete payroll tax registrations, applications, and related compliance activities.
Prepare and post payroll journal entries and perform payroll account reconciliations.
Support internal and external audits by providing payroll records, reconciliations, analyses, and supporting documentation.
Maintain payroll records and supporting documentation in accordance with company requirements.
Calculate and reconcile retroactive and proactive payroll adjustments and assess their payroll, tax, and accounting impacts.
Review payroll interfaces, integrations, and system outputs to identify issues, determine root causes, and recommend corrective actions.
Generate payroll reports, analyze payroll data, and provide payroll-related information to stakeholders.
Support year-end payroll activities, including payroll account reconciliations and W-2 processing.
Process biweekly payroll for U.S. and international employees and review and reconcile payroll results.
Research payroll tax requirements and recommend payroll tax updates and rate changes in accordance with applicable regulations.